Basic InformationBasic Information

Since you get new Representatives every 2 years, we call each 2 year period a “term” in the House

The terms are numbered consecutively… the one that ended Dec. 2012 was the 112th Congress

The one that is in session now is called the 113th Congress

Basic InformationBasic Information

A session of Congress is the time during which Congress assembles and conducts business

So how many sessions are there in a term of Congress?

Basic InformationBasic InformationSpecial session is a meeting to deal with some emergency situation (only 27 special sessions in history)

Only the President can call Congress into a special session

In case you care: Most recent special session in 1948 by Pres. Harry Truman after WWII

Bicameral CongressBicameral Congress

Our Congress is bicameral, meaning it has two houses

The larger house, which is supposedly the “common man’s house,” is the House of Representatives

The smaller house, which is for “the elite” of America is the Senate

Founding Fathers’ IntentFounding Fathers’ Intent

The Founding Fathers wanted to have one house that would quickly respond to the desires of the public (House of Reps)

And one house that would be moderate, and stop any crazy nonsense the House would try (Senate)

Comparative Government: Comparative Government: Legislative BodiesLegislative Bodies

Members of the House of Members of the House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

Official title is “Representative (last name)

Also called “congressman”435 members of the “House”Elected to 2 year term

What Does it Take to be in the What Does it Take to be in the House?House?

25 years oldU.S. citizen for at least 7 yearsMust live in the state you are elected The realities of politics also require some

informal qualifications, such as party identification, name familiarity, gender, ethnic characteristics, and political experience

The House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives

The House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives

Members of the SenateMembers of the SenateOfficial title is “Senator (last name)”

100 Senators (2 from each state)Senators are elected to 6 year term

The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that all of its seats are never up for election at the same time.

What Does it Take to be in the What Does it Take to be in the Senate?Senate?

30 Years OldU.S. Citizen for 9 Years

Must live in the state you are elected in

The SenateThe Senate

The SenateThe Senate

Seats in the HouseSeats in the House

Seats are apportioned (given out) to each state based on population

Every 10 years seats are reapportioned after the census, when a new count of the population is taken

Ever since 1929, the number has been 435 (Reapportionment Act)

Seats in the HouseSeats in the House

Every state divides itself into districts based on the number of seats apportioned to the state

For example, Arizona is given 9 seats based on our population

Current ApportionmentCurrent Apportionment

Our RepsOur Reps1st — Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick [D]2nd — Rep. Ron Barber [D]3rd — Rep. Raul Grijalva [D]4th — Rep. Paul Gosar [R]5th — Rep. Matt Salmon [R]6th — Rep. David Schweikert [R]7th — Rep. Ed Pastor [D]8th — Rep. Trent Franks [R]9th — Rep. Kyrsten Sinema [D]

Districts and Districts and GerrymanderingGerrymandering

Under the single-member district arrangement, the voter’s in each district elect one of the State’s representatives.

Districts that have unusual shapes or even defy description have sometimes been gerrymandered.

Gerrymandering refers to the act of drawing congressional districts to the advantage of the political party that controls the State legislature.

Congressional Congressional ElectionsElections

Congressional elections are held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year.

Off-year elections are those congressional elections held between presidential elections.◦President’s party usually loses seats in

Congress (2002, 2006, 2010)

Demographics of Demographics of CongressCongressCongress is not at all demographically representative of the U.S. population◦For example…

Profile of the 107th CongressProfile of the 107th Congress

However, things are However, things are changing:changing: 113th Congress

◦ 13 New Senators◦ 84 New House Members◦ 98 Women in Congress (78 in House and 20 in

Senate)◦ 3 States with two women Senators (California, New

Hampshire and Washington)◦ 95% of Senate is white◦ 19% of House is made up of minority groups◦ 5 Members had careers in professional sports◦ 7 Members are openly gay or bisexual◦ 12 New members have served in the military◦ 2 Physicists in Congress◦ 6 Reindeer owned (House Member from Michigan

used to be a Santa impersonator)◦ 27% of Senate is Catholic

CompensationCompensationSenators and Representatives are paid $174,000 a

year. Speaker of the House and the Senate’s president pro tem, are paid more.

The franking privilege allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for the postage.

The Constitution says that Congress fixes its own “compensation.” Therefore, the only real limits to congressional pay are the President’s veto and fear of voter backlash against a pay increase.

Membership PrivilegesMembership Privileges

Members of Congress are immune from arrest for noncriminal offenses while engaged in congressional business.

More importantly, the Speech and Debate Clause (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1) protects representatives and senators from suits for libel or slander arising from their official conduct.