Chapter 10The Legislative System

Main Idea

Section 1: Congress, made up of the senate/H.O.R. is the nat’l govts

legislative branch

Bell Work

Get book Get Notes packet and worksheets in back Clean out folders in back

These will need to be put to greater use!!

Read/answer Section 1 Essentials Have stuff ready to begin lecture on Chapter 10 Chapter homework grades will come from

Completed Essentials as well as various review completions

Why Bicameral?

What is a Bicameral? Means that congress is made up of two houses! Senate and H.O.R.

Why? Historical Practical Theoretical

Why Bicameral?

Historical Reason Framers of the constitution were familiar w/ British

two house system 11/13 early colonies used bicameral colonial then

state legislatures

Why Bicameral? Practical Reason

Needed to settle conflict b.t. N.J. and Philadelphia plans Seats based on proportion vs. equality

Bicameral reflects federalism Each state gets equal representation and proportionate

representation

Theoretical Idea that one house would act as a check to the other Idea that a divided congress would prevent it from

overwhelming the other two branches Look @ concept on page 263

Congressional Terms

Term is the length of time an official serves after election

Each term now begins on January 3 of every odd numbered year.

Each term lasts for two years 111th Congress just convened and will meet

until when? Jan. 3 2011

How have sessions changed? Session= meeting period when congress conducts

business Two sessions to each term of congress.

1 each year

Sessions used to be 4-5 months of each year before adjourning (ending)

Now congress meets year round w/ short breaks President may call “special sessions” to deal w/

emergency matters “Bail-out plan”

Section 1 Lesson Closing

L-J #1 Answer section 1 assessment (keep in

folders) Keep these to turn in at end of Chapter 1-5; omit #4 In complete sentences

This is on an “Exit Card” to leave class

Bell Work

Get Books Get Worksheets out Answer these two review ?s

How long is a term in the H.O.R.? 2 years

When congress adjourns it? Ends a session

Read Section 2 Essentials Answer 2 ?’s at bottom

What are the size/terms of the House?

Constitution directs the # of the house be apportioned (distributed) based on pop.

Size Currently the house sits at 435 members Each state is awarded at least one representative D.C., Guam, V. Islands elect delegates but they

are not full-members

What are the size/terms of the House?

Terms Art. I of the const. says that reps should be

chosen every second year H.O.R. members serve two year terms Ensures that they always have election and

district in mind when conducting business No Constitutional limit on terms

How are seats reapportioned?

Reapportion Redistribute

Art. I of const. directs reapportion to occur every decennial (10 year) census.

Problems of #s led to the Reapportionment Act of 1929 Congress set limit at 435 Basically population is divided by 435 now and that

represents the population per rep. Approx. 650,000 per representative

Congressional Elections/Districts

Times, places, and manner for holding election is determined by states legislature

Can be changed by congress if needed Election

Date: All held on same day in every state Tuesday after the 1st Monday in Nov. of every even year

Off-year elections: Elections that occur b.t. presidential elections Usually party in power loses seats in congress here Look at pg. 269 and answer caption

Congressional Elections/Districts

Districts All rep.s are chosen in separate congressional

districts Two methods

General Ticket: seats filled at large by whole state Done away w/ bc unfair……Why?

Single-member district: Voters in each district elect one rep. from those running Gerrymandering became a problem here…..Why?

Qualifications

Formal are set out in the constitution Formal (All refereed by the House )

At least 25 U.S. citizen for 7 years Inhabitant of state elected from Custom of living in district as well

Informal Vary from state-state and district-district Party identification, name familiarity, ethnicity, political

experience. Think Tom Osborne from years ago

Lesson Closing

Class work “Exit Card” Answer 1-4 of assessment (pg.273) as well as

answer caption on page 272

Bell Work

Get books Get worksheets out Read/Answer Section 3 L-J #2

What is the size of senate

Constitution states that the senate “shall be composed of two senators from each state.”

A. Today the number is 100 b/c there are 50 states Framers intentions were to keep the senate small

so it would be a more enlightened body than the house

One reason why it is often referred to as the “upper house”

Their elections past/present

Past Constitution orig. stated that they would be chosen by the

state legislatures Often choose popular and qualified Problems arose when leaders started to buy leg.’s votes to

win a senate seat. “Millionaire’s Club”

Present Those problems resulted in the 17th Amendment Elected from the state in the “at-large” method All eligible voters for the “most numerous branch” are

eligible to vote here too

How/Why are their terms different? How?

Terms are for 6 years at a time No term limits for re-election Terms are “staggered” so that only 1/3 expire every 2 years

Why? 6 years gives them more job security and takes them away

from day-day politics Allows them to avoid pressures of public opinions and special

interest groups Staggered Elections: Designed so that the upper house is a

continuous body so a majority (66%) of members have experience.

Qualifications

30 years of age Citizen of U.S. for 9 years Resident of that state

Lesson Closing

For Grade tomorrow Using colored pencils/markers and colored paper

Create a concept map or web tree giving information about both the “upper” and “lower” houses Can be informative giving election, qualification, numbers

details for each -Or- Can be in a compare/contrast form w/ sim.s/diff.’s

Congress Video

Bell Work

Get Books Turn in “Concept Maps” for completion Grade Read Section 4 Essentials

Answer 2 ?’s as well

Duties performed by Congress

5 overall duties as explained in the constitution Legislators, representatives of their constituents,

committee members, servants of their constituents, and politicians

A. Representatives of their people 4 voting roles (options)

Trustees: decide votes based on merit, own judgments Delegates: Vote according to “folks back home” Partisans: Vote in-line with their party Politicos: Attempt to have balance of other three.

Duties performed by Congress

B. Committee members Proposed laws are referred to committees Committees made of both houses They decide which will make it to floor which not

C. Servants Act as servants to their constituents Why?

Have to perform all sorts of “duties” to get re-elected. Read passage on pg. 282 (notice all the things

they may feel obligated to do!!)

Compensation/Privileges of Members

Constitution provides that congress “shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law.” Means they decide/vote on their compensation

Compensation Salary around 158,000; some more

Speaker of house, Pro Tem, Majority/minority leaders all get a little more

“Fringe” Benefits like cheap insurance, travel allowances, tax deductions for 2 residences

Franking Privilege: Benefit that allows them to mail letters/materials postage free.

Compensation/Privileges of Members

Privileges Early: Art. I Section 6: Can’t be arrested while attending

sessions Why?

To prevent King from harassing legislators when U.S. was still under colonial rule

Present Can’t be ?ed outside of either house about their

speeches/debates Designed to give protection to members while in debate over

laws/bills Protects their freedom of opinion during legislative process

Lesson Closing

L-J #3 Ch. 10 Quiz on Mon.

HW Packet due Monday for Grade Finish Movie 16:00 on Chapter 10 Review (This will help you w/quiz) 2 Choices: 1 is due Monday for HW grade

Pg. 286: #1-10 Vocab. 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23:

Complete Study Guide from back