CONGRESS

why is the longest section of the constitution devoted to congress?

The framers expected Congress, as the branch of the federal government closest to and most representative of the people, to be the most important and most powerful part of the new national government

The concentration of qualifications for serving in the house

• At least 25 years or older

• Been a citizen for seven years

• Must be a resident of the state from which he or she is elected

The length of a congressman’s term in office

Two years

how is the house seat filled that is made vacant by death or resignation

The governor of that state causes a special election for the voters in that district to choose a new congressman

Apportionment

The process of determining how many congressmen each state has

Each state receives seats in the House of Representatives

Based on its population

The permanent size of the house

435 members

Redistricting

the process of determining the boundaries of each congressional district in each state

Each state’s legislature

Responsible for drawing the boundaries for that state’s congressional district

The practice of drawing oddly shaped lines for political advantage

gerrymandering

Guidelines that congress and the courts have established for how legislators should pursue redistricting

• District must maintain community identity as much as possible

• Congressional districts must have even a population distribution as possible within a state