Representative Representative GovernmentGovernment

MAKES DECISIONS OR LAWSMAKES DECISIONS OR LAWS

REPRESENTATIVESREPRESENTATIVES

PEOPLE/CITIZENS VOTE FOR OR ELECTPEOPLE/CITIZENS VOTE FOR OR ELECT

What is the main duty of What is the main duty of the legislative branch?the legislative branch?

To Make, Write, or To Make, Write, or Pass LawsPass Laws..

A Bill is simply…A Bill is simply…

A proposal for a law introduced in A proposal for a law introduced in the Legislature for considerationthe Legislature for consideration

What is the major body What is the major body of the legislative branch?of the legislative branch?

The U.S. CongressThe U.S. Congress

What are the two houses What are the two houses of the U.S. Congress?of the U.S. Congress?

The U.S. House of The U.S. House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

The U.S. SenateThe U.S. Senate

How many members in How many members in the the

U.S. Senate?U.S. Senate?

100 100 U.S. SenatorsU.S. Senators

How many members in How many members in the the

U.S. House of U.S. House of Representatives?Representatives?

435 U.S. 435 U.S. RepresentativesRepresentatives

How long are the terms How long are the terms of office for a the U.S. of office for a the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Senate and the U.S.

House of House of Representatives?Representatives?

U.S. Senate = 6 yearsU.S. Senate = 6 years U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives

= 2 years= 2 years

How many members are How many members are in the in the

U.S. Congress?U.S. Congress?100 100 U.S. Senators +U.S. Senators +435 U.S. 435 U.S. Representatives Representatives ==

535 535 U.S. U.S. CongresspersonsCongresspersons

U.S.U.S.CongressiCongressional onal Districts Districts from from MichiganMichigan

How many members in How many members in the the

U.S. Congress are from U.S. Congress are from Michigan ?Michigan ?

2 2 U.S. Senators +U.S. Senators +14 U.S. Representatives =14 U.S. Representatives = 16 16 U.S. Congresspersons U.S. Congresspersons

fromfrom MichiganMichigan

IncumbentsIncumbents

U.S. Senators from U.S. Senators from MichiganMichigan

Senior Seat - Senator Carl LevinSenior Seat - Senator Carl Levin Junior Seat - Senator Debbie Junior Seat - Senator Debbie

StabenowStabenow

U.S. Representatives from U.S. Representatives from MichiganMichigan

Representative Dan Benishek (R - 01)Representative Dan Benishek (R - 01) Representative Bill Huizenga (R - 02)Representative Bill Huizenga (R - 02) Representative Justin Amash (R - 03)Representative Justin Amash (R - 03) Representative Dave Camp (R - 04)Representative Dave Camp (R - 04) Representative Dan Kildee (D - 05)Representative Dan Kildee (D - 05) Representative Fred Upton (R - 06)Representative Fred Upton (R - 06) Representative Tim Walberg (R - 07)Representative Tim Walberg (R - 07) Representative Mike Rogers (R - 08)Representative Mike Rogers (R - 08) Representative Sandy Levin (D - 09)Representative Sandy Levin (D - 09) Representative Candice Miller (R - 10)Representative Candice Miller (R - 10) Representative Kerry Bentivolio (R - 11)Representative Kerry Bentivolio (R - 11) Representative John D. Dingell (D - 12)Representative John D. Dingell (D - 12) Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D - 13)Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D - 13) Representative Gary Peters (D - 14)Representative Gary Peters (D - 14)

SenoritySenority

Rep. John Dingell, who is serving his 30th term Rep. John Dingell, who is serving his 30th term in the House of Representatives, was honoredin the House of Representatives, was honoredtoday as the longest serving member in the historytoday as the longest serving member in the historyof the U.S. Congressof the U.S. Congress

He has served with 2,419 lawmakers in the House,He has served with 2,419 lawmakers in the House,worked with 11 U.S. presidents and cast more than worked with 11 U.S. presidents and cast more than

25,00025,000votes during more than 21,000 days in Congress. votes during more than 21,000 days in Congress.

60 years in US Congress60 years in US Congress

U.S. House U.S. House CommitteesCommittees

Committee on AgricultureCommittee on Agriculture Committee on AppropriationsCommittee on Appropriations Committee on Armed ServicesCommittee on Armed Services Committee on the Budget Committee on the Budget

Committee on Education and Committee on Education and the Workforcethe Workforce

Committee on Energy and Committee on Energy and Commerce Commerce

Committee on Financial ServicesCommittee on Financial Services Committee on Government Committee on Government

ReformReform Committee on House Committee on House

AdministrationAdministration House Permanent Select House Permanent Select

Committee on Committee on IntelligenceIntelligence Committee on International Committee on International

RelationsRelations Committee on the JudiciaryCommittee on the Judiciary

Committee on ResourcesCommittee on Resources

Committee on RulesCommittee on Rules

Committee on Science Committee on Science

Committee on Small BusinessCommittee on Small Business

Committee on Standards of Official Committee on Standards of Official ConductConduct

Committee on Transportation and Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureInfrastructure

Committee on Veterans AffairsCommittee on Veterans Affairs

Committee on Ways and MeansCommittee on Ways and Means

Joint Economic CommitteeJoint Economic Committee

Joint Committee on PrintingJoint Committee on Printing

Joint Committee on TaxationJoint Committee on Taxation

U.S. Senate CommitteesU.S. Senate Committees

Agriculture, Nutrition, And Forestry Agriculture, Nutrition, And Forestry CommitteeCommittee

Appropriations CommitteeAppropriations CommitteeArmed Services CommitteeArmed Services Committee Banking, Housing, And Urban AffairsBanking, Housing, And Urban Affairs Budget CommitteeBudget Committee Commerce, Science, And Transportation Commerce, Science, And Transportation

CommitteeCommitteeEnergy And Natural Resources CommitteeEnergy And Natural Resources Committee Environment And Public Works Committee Environment And Public Works Committee

Finance CommitteeFinance Committee Foreign Relations CommitteeForeign Relations Committee Governmental Affairs CommitteeGovernmental Affairs Committee Judiciary CommitteeJudiciary CommitteeHealth, Education, Labor And Pensions Health, Education, Labor And Pensions

CommitteeCommittee Rules And Administration CommitteeRules And Administration Committee Small Business CommitteeSmall Business Committee Veterans' Affairs CommitteeVeterans' Affairs Committee

Special, Select, and OtherSpecial, Select, and Other

Senate Select Committee On Senate Select Committee On IntelligenceIntelligence

Senate Select Committee On EthicsSenate Select Committee On Ethics

Senate Select Committee On Indian Senate Select Committee On Indian AffairsAffairs

Senate Special Committee On AgingSenate Special Committee On Aging

Joint Economic Committee Joint Economic Committee

Joint Committee On TaxationJoint Committee On Taxation

  

Filibuster Filibuster Filibuster: Filibuster:

Any attempt to Any attempt to block or delay block or delay Senate action on Senate action on a bill or other a bill or other issue by an issue by an elongated elongated debate, by debate, by offering many offering many different different motions, or by motions, or by any other any other delaying or delaying or obstructive obstructive actions.actions.

Longest Filibuster in U.S. Longest Filibuster in U.S. HistoryHistory

Record: Record: Strom Strom Thurmond Thurmond holds the holds the longest longest filibuster in filibuster in US historyUS history (24 hours and (24 hours and 18 minutes) 18 minutes) as he argued as he argued against the against the Civil Rights Civil Rights Act of 1957. Act of 1957.

ClotureCloture Cloture: Cloture: The only way the Senate can The only way the Senate can

vote to place a time limit on vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter consideration of a bill or other matter (defeating a filibuster). Under the cloture (defeating a filibuster). Under the cloture rule, the Senate may limit consideration rule, the Senate may limit consideration of a bill or other issue to 30 additional of a bill or other issue to 30 additional hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of the full Senate (normally 60 votes). the full Senate (normally 60 votes).

Pork Barrel Legislation or Pork Barrel Legislation or Pork?Pork? Pork Barrel Pork Barrel

Legislation:Legislation: spending that is spending that is intended to intended to benefit benefit constituents of a constituents of a politician in politician in return for their return for their political support.political support.

Example of Good Pork Example of Good Pork Barrel SpendingBarrel Spending

Began in 1974: Began in 1974: $25 million by 30 $25 million by 30 House members House members for the National for the National Writing Project Writing Project which is a which is a nationwide nationwide network of network of educators educators working together working together to improve the to improve the teaching of teaching of writingwriting in the in the nation's schools, nation's schools, a useful a useful educational goal.educational goal.

Example of Bad Pork Barrel Example of Bad Pork Barrel SpendingSpending Proposed in October 2005: $320 million Proposed in October 2005: $320 million

for a bridge in Alaska dubbed "The Bridge for a bridge in Alaska dubbed "The Bridge To Nowhere" (a bridge which would To Nowhere" (a bridge which would replace the current ferry system from replace the current ferry system from Alaska to the Gravina Island). This is Alaska to the Gravina Island). This is viewed as a waste of money considering viewed as a waste of money considering the populations of both Alaska and the populations of both Alaska and Gravina Island, which are both very small. Gravina Island, which are both very small.

GerrymanderingGerrymandering What is gerrymandering?What is gerrymandering?  

Gerrymandering is a term that describes the Gerrymandering is a term that describes the deliberate rearrangement of the boundaries of deliberate rearrangement of the boundaries of congressional districts to influence the outcome congressional districts to influence the outcome of elections.of elections.    

Where did gerrymandering come from?Where did gerrymandering come from?The original gerrymander was created in 1812 The original gerrymander was created in 1812 by Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who by Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who crafted a district for political purposes that crafted a district for political purposes that looked like a salamander.looked like a salamander.    

What is the purpose of gerrymandering?What is the purpose of gerrymandering?The purpose of gerrymandering is to either The purpose of gerrymandering is to either concentrate opposition votes into a few districts concentrate opposition votes into a few districts to gain more seats for the majority in to gain more seats for the majority in surrounding districts (called packing), or to surrounding districts (called packing), or to diffuse minority strength across many districts diffuse minority strength across many districts (called dilution). (called dilution).

Original GerrymanderingOriginal Gerrymandering

LobbyistsLobbyistsThe largest, comprehensive The largest, comprehensive

database of 22,000 database of 22,000 registered lobbyists.registered lobbyists.

22,000/536=41 lobbyists 22,000/536=41 lobbyists per member of congress per member of congress and the presidentand the president

Congress Who?Congress Who?