chapter 6 – the legislative branch
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Chapter 6 – The Legislative Branch
Section 1 – How Congress is Organized
Mr. Gibbs – January 2009
Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan:“Representation should be based on population”– Big States – “YES!!!! AWESOME IDEA YOU GUYS!”– Small States – “Grumble. Grumble. Grumble.”
NJ Plan: “Equal Representation – regardless of population”– Small States:“YES!!!! AWESOME IDEA YOU
GUYS!”– Big States: “Grumble. Grumble. Grumble.”
The Great Compromise
• Roger Sherman: “We shall have 2 houses!”
• A Bi-Cameral Legislature– Upper House: Senate (equal rep.)– Lower House – House of Representatives (based
on pop.)
– Together they form “Congress”
Terms of Congress
• Each “Congress” – the 535 elected reps meet from January 3rd in an odd number year and are in office for a term of 2 years.
• A “Congressional Term” consists of two “Sessions”– A “Session” runs from January 3rd until November
or December
Congressional Sessions
• Typical session
• Joint session
• Special Session– “times of crisis”
The House of Representatives
• 435 – based on population• At least 1 – no matter how small you are• Census• 2 year terms• Focus on their “district”
Districts?
• 1 elected from each district• Each district must be roughly the same size
and include the same number of constituents• What is “Gerrymandering”
The Senate
• 100 members, 2 from each state• Rep the state…not the district• 6 year terms – but with a staggered election– Huh?
• Dies, Resigns, changes roles?
Majority Party vs. Minority Party
• 435 and 100 (218 and 51) – leaders chosen in both parties (“Senate Majority Leader”)
• Leader of the House of Representatives? – The “Speaker of the House” – elected by his fellow
party members
• Leader of the Senate?– Vice President presides over Senate…but only
votes to break a tie
Profile of the 110 Congress 2007-2009
House Senate Democrats 233 49
Republicans 202 49 Independents 0 2Women 70 14 Blacks 42 1 Hispanics 24 2 Average age - 55
Re-elected - 96% House and 93% Senate
Profile of the NEW 111th Congress 2009-2010
House Senate
Democrats 254 56 Republicans 173 40 Independents 0 2
Role of the Speaker of the House
• Steers Legislation• Conduct all debates on the floor• 1.) President. 2.) Vice President 3.) Speaker of
the House
• Listens to conversations regarding support or non-support of certain legislature
• Garners support from other reps for key issues
Role of the ______________?(several leadership roles in Senate)
• Vice President
• President Pro Tempore
• Floor Leaders
• Whip
Committee Work
• MAIN IDEA: MUCH OF THE ACTUAL WORK OF LEGISLATING IS PERFORMED BY COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEES WITHIN CONGRESS
“Each house of Congress must consider thousands of bills (proposed laws) in the course of a session. To make it possible to handle so many bills at one time, each house has developed a system of committees”
Congressional Committees• Standing Committees– Always in existence – located in both houses– Agriculture, commerce, veterans’ affairs
• Select Committees– Temporary – only in existence for a limited time –
and end when they meet their specific goal(s)/assigned task
• Joint Committees– Members from both houses involved – specific issues
Committee Assignments
• Party Leaders make the committee assignments– Members’ preference– Expertise– Loyalty– Seniority
• Chairmen come from the member who has the most “seniority”
Seniority System
• 2 sides to the argument:– 1.) prevents fights over committee jobs & ensures
that the chairpersons will have experience
– 2.) Talented people have been overlooked, not fair to reward people simply for “being there”
Congress has started to move away from the Seniority System