Transcript Lecture in Power Point form

CONGRESS
(Legislative Branch)
I. Who is Congress
1 Congress was
established by the
Constitution (Article I)
2 Congress is to be
BICAMERAL
2 bodies
Upper House
(Senate)
Lower House (House
of Representatives)
3 Congress Meets for two years “Sessions”
– Legislators are in office for two years and then are up for
reelection.
4 Congress Meets for the first time of the year on Jan. 3rd
(off odd year) at noon.
5 The Main Purpose of Congress is to TRANSLATE the will
of the people into public policy or law!!!
2. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
1 Know as the “People’s
house” OR “house of
commons”
3. Guidelines for the House
1 Each state shall be represented by a
proportional number of Reps based on its’
population (Compared with the other 49
states) “Distribution”
2 There are 435 members (Each
represents approx. 650,000
citizens/”Constituents”)
3
2 year term ! (No limit) Federal level
NO “Term Limits” as per constitution
(federal)
4Reapportionment: (redistribution) After
every census, every ten years
5Gerrymandering: Redrawing
congressional “districts” within each
state… {Note: Calif. Prop. 11, 2008}
(Note: Any 650,000 people can make a
district! )
4. WHO CAN RUN FOR THE HOUSE
1 Qualifications
25 years old or
older
Citizen of the
United States for
seven years +
Live in the state
you are
representing
John Boehner, Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi,
FORMER “Speaker of the House”
Mike Thompson, California
5th District
Committee Assignments
1) House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
2) House Committee on Ways and Means $
3) Health Subcommittee
4) Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Human Analysis
and Counterintelligence Subcommittee: Chairman
5. GUIDELINES FOR THE SENATE
1 Each State shall have TWO Senators
2 Term: Six year term with NO limits
(federal)
3 Elections is “at-large” Thus, entire state
votes for Senators
6.WHO CAN RUN FOR THE SENATE
1 Qualifications:
Thirty years of
age +
Citizen of the
United States for
Nine years +
Inhabitant of
State
representing
Senator
Dianne
Feinstein,
California.
1. United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
2. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
3. United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
4. Select Committee on Intelligence CHAIRPERSON
Senator Barbara Boxer, California
U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (Chairwoman)
U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics (Chairwoman)
U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Note: Being a senator has more prestige, proportionately more
power, higher Media visibility.
Note: “Incumbency” , rate of re-election.
President of the Senate
Joe Biden, Vice President of United States
7. COMPENSATION
$$$$$
1Both House receive~165,000 per
annum (2006)
2Speaker of the House~212,000
3President ~ 400K
8. PERKS OF THE JOB
1Round Trip Air-faire between
Washington and hometown (1st class)
2Tax deductions to maintain two home
3FREE medical and subsidized life
insurance
4 Generous pension plan well beyond Social
Security
5 Two offices or more
6 Staff at taxpayers expense
7 Gym, saunas, restaurants, all within capital
8. Demographics of
Congress (2011)
• SENATE :
–
–
–
–
White 95
African-American 0
Hispanic 3
Asian 2
HOUSE :
White 358
AfricanAmerican 41
Hispanic 28
– Male 83
– Female 17
Asian 7
– Average Age 60
Female 78
Male 357
Average
Age 56
9. POWERS OF
CONGRESS
1-The Committees: (The real power in
Congress)
2-Membership is divided evenly in
proportion to their parties numbers in
Congress.
1 - STANDING: permanent in each house
National security, health care, Education
and others…..
2- SELECT: Each house may create a
special committee to investigate a national
problem/crisis.
•Watergate,
organized crime, JFK
assassination. Limited time and budget
5 3- JOINT: Drawn
from both houses to research
issues that are general to entire government
–Atomic energy, taxation, the Library of
Congress and so on……….
–4- CONFERENCE: Members of both houses
appointed to IRON OUT difference in Bill
passing from both houses. Bill must be
identical then pass both house. A lot of dealing
goes on here.
10. HOW POLITICIANS MAKE THEIR
DECISIONS
1TRUSTEE: Base their decisions on
Conscience and Judgment regardless of
views held by constituents
2INSTRUCTED DELeGATE: Agents of
those who elected them. They ignore all
others!!! Vote how the folks back home
would like them to 
3 PARTISAN: 1st allegiance is to their
political party. {They rarely acknowledge
this fact} They tow the party line [ie.
Partisanship]
4 POLITICO: Attempt to combine all
Three.. Try to balance these often
conflicting factors.
End.