Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

AND:AND:

Wisconsin Members of CongressWisconsin Members of Congress

What is another name for What is another name for the Legislative Branch?the Legislative Branch?

1.1. How many houses are there in the Congress?How many houses are there in the Congress?2.2. What do we call a body that has two chambers What do we call a body that has two chambers

(or houses)?(or houses)?3.3. What is each house of Congress called? What is each house of Congress called? 4.4. How often are members of the House elected?How often are members of the House elected?5.5. How often are members of the Senate elected?How often are members of the Senate elected?6.6. How many Senators are there from each How many Senators are there from each

state?state?7.7. How many House members are there from How many House members are there from

each state?each state?8.8. From Wisconsin?From Wisconsin?

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI)U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI)

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)(D-WI)

How does this impact us?How does this impact us?

Wisconsin divided by Congressional Districts http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/pdf/wi_congress_dist.pdf

Paul Ryan Republican Republican First Congressional Dist

rict Map

Ryan discusses drilling in ANWR

Congressional District 1Congressional District 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgv5LwHRgx4&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgv5LwHRgx4&feature=related

Constituent Toll-Free Hotline: Constituent Toll-Free Hotline:

1-888-909-RYAN (7926)1-888-909-RYAN (7926) Washington, D.C. OfficeWashington, D.C. Office 1217 Longworth HOB1217 Longworth HOB

Washington, D.C. 20515Washington, D.C. 20515(202) 225-3031(202) 225-3031Fax: (202) 225-3393Fax: (202) 225-3393

First District ConstituentFirst District ConstituentServices CenterServices Center

20 South Main Street20 South Main StreetSuite 10Suite 10Janesville, WI 53545Janesville, WI 53545(608) 752-4050(608) 752-4050Fax: (608) 752-4711Fax: (608) 752-4711

Kenosha ConstituentKenosha ConstituentServices CenterServices Center

5712 7th Avenue5712 7th AvenueKenosha, WI 53140Kenosha, WI 53140Phone: (262) 654-1901Phone: (262) 654-1901Fax: (262) 654-2156Fax: (262) 654-2156

Racine ConstituentRacine ConstituentService CenterService Center

304 6th Street304 6th StreetRacine, WI 53403Racine, WI 53403(262)637-0510(262)637-0510Fax: (262) 637-5689Fax: (262) 637-5689

Congressional District 2Congressional District 2 Mark Pocan DemocratDemocrat Second Congression

al District Map

Congressional District 3Congressional District 3 Ron Kind DemocratDemocrat Third Congressional Distri

ct Map

Congressional District 4Congressional District 4 Gwen Moore DemocratDemocrat Fourth Congressional Distri

ct Map

Gwen Moore at Fighting Bob Fest

Moore on the House Floor discusising Iraq http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHJX61INahg&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_s1FZ7a0FQ&feature=related

Congressional District 5Congressional District 5 F. James Sensenbre

nner

RepublicanRepublican Fifth Congressional

District Map

Congressional District 6Congressional District 6 Tom Petri RepublicanRepublican Sixth Congressional District

Map

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FujyHMeoxs4

Just Retired from Congressional District Just Retired from Congressional District 77 David Obey RETIRED AFTER ABOUT RETIRED AFTER ABOUT

43 YEARS !43 YEARS ! DemocratDemocrat Seventh Congressional Seventh Congressional

District MapDistrict Map Iraq War Commentary Iraq War Commentary GOP Budget compared to OzGOP Budget compared to Oz

Sean Duffy CD-7Sean Duffy CD-7

Reid Ribble CD-8Reid Ribble CD-8

Legislative Branch Legislative Branch ReviewReview

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• Only the President may call a special session of Congress. Only the Senate has been called into special session on 46 occasions, but not since 1933. Both houses have been called 26 times, the last time in 1948, by Truman, to consider anti-inflation and welfare measures.

• The fact that Congress meets almost year-round cuts down the need for special sessions.

HouseLarger [435 members]Shorter term of office [2 years]Less flexible rulesSmaller constituenciesPower less evenly distributedLess prestigeLess press and media coveragePolicy specialistsMore committeesActs more quickly

SenateSmaller [100 members]Longer term of office [6 years]More flexible rulesLarger constituenciesPower more evenly distributedMore prestigeMore press and media coveragePolicy generalistsFewer committeesActs more slowly

TerminologyTerminology BicameralBicameral – two chambers [House and – two chambers [House and

Senate].Senate].

ReapportionmentReapportionment – Congress reapportions – Congress reapportions the the House House of of Representatives seats after each Representatives seats after each 10 10 year censusyear census..

It used to be It used to be one seat per 37,000one seat per 37,000. . Now it is Now it is one seat per 650,000one seat per 650,000. .

If we still had one per 37,000, we would have If we still had one per 37,000, we would have

more than more than 30,000 representatives30,000 representatives. .

TerminologyTerminology FilibusterFilibuster – – “talking a bill to death”“talking a bill to death” in an in an

attempt to get the Senate to abandonattempt to get the Senate to abandon or at or at least modify least modify a billa bill. .

In 1947, Idaho’sIn 1947, Idaho’s Glen Taylor spoke 8 & ½ Glen Taylor spoke 8 & ½ hours on fishing, baptism, Wall Street, hours on fishing, baptism, Wall Street, and his children. and his children.

The record is over 24 The record is over 24 hours hours by Strom Thurman.by Strom Thurman. ClotureCloture – a – a filibuster may be filibuster may be stopped in stopped in

the Senate whenthe Senate when 3/5 [ 3/5 [60 60 members of the members of the senate senate vote for cloturevote for cloture [this is usually hard to [this is usually hard to do]. do].

A petition signed by A petition signed by 16 senators16 senators is is necessarynecessary to to initiateinitiate a a cloture votecloture vote. .

• Gerrymandering – altering district lines for partisan advantage. Odd shaped districts that have been drawn to the advantage of the party in power.

• Incumbent – current members of Congress. 90% of incumbents in House are reelected & most of the incumbents in the

Senate are reelected.

• Congressional leadership is party leadership!• Power is dispersed widely requiring an appeal by leaders for broad support.

House Leadership:• Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the House: second in line for presidency (after VP)

• Once had autocratic powers… but most were removed in 1910 and given to committees (some later restored).• Formal Powers:

• presides over House when in session; major role in committee assignments;• plays big role in appointing party’s legislative leaders and party leadership• has great control over which bills get assigned to which committees• has informal power inside and outside Congress

• Majority LeaderMajority Leader: (Speakers principle partisan ally) Rounds up votes for party legislation and for scheduling bills.• Minority LeaderMinority Leader: same as majority leader but for minority party (not a Speaker ally).• Majority WhipMajority Whip: rounds up votes and reports views and complaints to party rank-and-file.• Minority WhipMinority Whip: same as majority whip but for minority party.

Jim ClyburnAssistant Min.

Leader

Kevin McCarthyMajority Whip

Steny HoyerMin. Whip

John BoehnerSpeaker of the

House

Nancy PelosiMinority Leader

(former Speaker of the House first female)

Eric Cantor Majority Leader

Senate Leadership:• President of the SenatePresident of the Senate: the Vice PresidentVice President is given this role by the Constitution… little to no influence in the Senate but can break a tiebreak a tie.• President pro temporePresident pro tempore: highest-ranking senator and 3rd in line for presidency after the Speaker of the House. During the VP’s absence, the President pro tempore is the highest-ranking official in the Senate and may preside, but usually delegates the authority… position usually given to the most senior senator in majority party.• Minority LeaderMinority Leader: real source of power in the Senate; rounds up votes, influences committee assignments.• Majority WhipMajority Whip: rounds up votes and reports views and complaints to party rank-and-file.• Minority WhipMinority Whip: same as majority whip but for minority party.• SenioritySeniority is the length of time a member has served in Congress.

Richard Durbin Maj. Whip

Jon KylMin. Whip

Harry ReidMaj. Leader

Mitch McConnellMin. Leader

Daniel InouyePresident pro tempore

Bills introduced

Passed one chamber

Passed both chamber

Public Law

10,238

667667

590590

Reported by committee

Legislative Branch Legislative Branch ReviewReview