Homework for unit

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Homework for unit

• Read Chapters 10 11 begins pg. 261
• Page 268 Interpreting maps
• Page 269 Interpreting time lines
• Page 270 Interpreting maps
• Page 274 Primary Sources 1,2,3
• Page 273 Section Assessment 1 thru 4
• Page 278 Section Assessment 1,2
• Page 308 Interpreting Charts

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What do you already know about Congress?Brainstor
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The United States Congress

• All legislative powers herein granted shall be
  vested in a Congress of the United States which
  shall consist of a Senate and a House of
  Representatives.

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Congress is bicameral (two houses)

• Two houses---House of Representatives and the
  United States Senate.
• Bicameralism resulted because of the influence of
  the British Parliament and the Great Compromise.

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When does Congress meet?

• A term of Congress last two years
• The first term began March 4, 1789
• 20th Amendment 1933 changed time to noon Jan. 3
  on odd numbered years.
• The current Congress is the 109th and they began
  their term on Jan. 3, 2005
• A session is a one year period with a term.
• Today Congress meets almost year round.
• President may call a special session (26 times
  but has not been needed since 1948)

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House of Representatives

• Representation to the House is based on
  population. The greater the population of a state
  the more representatives the state is entitled.
  Each state guaranteed at least one
• California 53 Wyoming 1 D.C. 0
• In 1789 there were 65 representatives in the
  House. In 1792 there was 106. In 1910 there were
  435.
• Reapportionment Act of 1929 set the size of the
  House at 435.

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Qualifications for the House

• 25 years old
• Citizen 7 years
• Inhabitant of the state
• Representatives serve a two year term of office.
• Current political makeup of House of
  Representatives---232 republicans
• 202 democrats and 1 independent.
• There a record number of Women (68), African
  Americans (42), and Hispanics(26).

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QUIZ TIME

• Congress has two houses this is called----.
• How long is a term of Congress?
• Which Amendment changed when a term began?
• What do you call a one year period in Congress?
• Who may call a special session of Congress?
• How many representatives does California have?
  Wyoming? Virginia? D.C.?
• Representation in the House is based on----
• What is the current size of the House? Has it
  always been that size?
• What are the three qualifications for a member of
  the House?
• How many republicans are there in the House
  today? Democrats? Independents?

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When are Congressional Elections held?

• First Tuesday following the first Monday in
  November of each even numbered year.
• All 435 seats are up for election at the same
  time. (house could have great change)
• Congressional elections held when there is not a
  Presidential election is called an off year
  electionturnout is usually lower.

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Reapportionment

• A census is taken every 10 years.
• The results of that census determines how many
  representatives each state gets to the U.S. House
  of Representatives.
• Some states will get more representatives, some
  states will get less, some will remain the
  same---total number remains 435.
• Once the number is determined the State
  Legislature of each state is responsible for
  drawing Congressional Districts. Example
  Virginia is entitled to 11 therefore Va. is
  divided into 11 districts, California 53

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Congressional Districts

• Virginia is divided by the Virginia General
  Assembly into Congressional districts.
• Each district is given a number (1 thru 11)
• There is one representative elected per district.
• You live in the 6th District and Bob Goodlatte
  (r) is your representative.

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Rules for Drawing Congressional Districts

• 1. They must be made up of contiguous
• territory. (all one piece)
• 2. They must be as close to equal in population
  as possible.
• 3. They must be compact.

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Gerrymandering

• Congressional districts drawn to the advantage of
  the political party that controls the state
  legislature.
• 1. concentrate opposition voters into
• a few districts.
• 2. spread opposition voters thinly
• among several districts.
• Example Texas
• The main goal is to create safe districts.
• Standard practice by both political parties.
• Today approximately 70 of nations 435 districts
  are
• safe districts the result is that 90 of
  Representatives are re-elected.

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Wesberry v. Sanders 1964

• Supreme Court ruled that population differences
  among Georgias congressional districts were so
  great as to violate the Constitution.
• Through this case the Supreme Court
• came up with the One person, one
• vote doctrine.

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Can a state purposefully create a district with
an African American majority?

• No
• However, race can be taken into consideration
  when districts are drawn.

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QUIZ TIME

• When are Congressional elections held?
• How many of the 435 seats in the House come up
  for election at the same time.
• What do you call a Congressional election held
  when there is no Presidential election.
• How often is the census taken?
• Who has the responsibility of drawing
  Congressional Districts within a state?
• Which Congressional District do you live in?
• Who is your representative? What party?
• What do you call Congressional districts drawn to
  the advantage of the political party that
  controls the state legislature?
• What is safe district?
• What is the importance of Wesberry v. Sanders
  1964
• Can a state purposefully create a district with
  an African American majority?

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Leaders in the House of Representatives

• The House is organized by political party. They
  even sit by political party with the republicans
  sitting on the right and the democrats on the
  left.
• Currently the Republicans are the majority party
  (232-202-1) so they get to pick the
  Speaker---Dennis Hastert.
• The Majority party leader is Tom Delay.
• The Minority party leader is Nancy Pelosi.
• Both the Majority Party and the Minority party
  leader have assistants known as whips.

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The United States Senate

• Originally Senators were chosen by each
  individual state legislature
• The 17th Amendment in 1913 gave the citizens of
  each state the right to elect United States
  Senators.
• Each state has two United States Senators. (50
  states 100 Senators)
• The first Unites States Senate in 1789 had 22
  members.

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Term of Office for the Senate

• Each Senator is elected to a term of 6 years.
• However, Every two years 33 or 34 Senators are up
  for election on the first Tuesday following the
  first Monday in November on even numbered years.
• Unless there has been a death, or resignation no
  state elects both their Senators on the same
  year.
• This past election, Nov. 6 2004 Virginia did not
  have a Senator up for election.

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Limits on Senators

• There are no limits on how many terms a Senator
  or Representative can serve.
• They can serve for as long as they can win
  elections.
• Strom Thurmond was elected to the United States
  Senate 9 times (record).
• Unlike the House the Senate is said to be a
  continuous body because not all of its members
  are up for election at the same time.

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Pay for Congresspersons

• Members of Congress determine their own pay.
• However, the 27 Amendment to the Constitution
  says that they may not receive that raise until
  they come up for an election cycle.
• From 1789-1815 it was 6.00 per day.
• From 1935-1947 it was 10,000 a year.
• Today it is 158,100 per year for both Senators
  and Representatives.
• Majority and Minority Leaders in both houses get
  175,700 per year. The Speaker of the House gets
  203,000 per year.

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Qualifications for the Senate

• 30 years old
• 9 years a citizen
• Inhabitant of the State the represent.
• (Hillary)
• Virginias Senators are John Warner
• and George Allen

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Todays Senate leadership

• President of the Senate---the Vice President Dick
  Cheneymay only vote if there is a tie.
• Majority LeaderSenator Bill Frist (republican
  from Tennessee)
• Minority Leader---Senator Harry Reid (democrat
  from Nevada)
• President Pro Tempore of the Senate-84 year old
  Republican from Alaska Ted Stevens. (He has been
  a Senator for 36 years.

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Special powers of the Senate

• Trial of President on impeachment charges the
  Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court
  presides over the Senate during this trial.
• Approve Presidential appointments
• Approve Treaties (2/3 vote)
• Filibuster ---60 votes to stop filibuster
• record for longest filibuster held by Strom
  Thurmond ( a little over 24 hours)

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Non legislative powers of Congress

• Amendments to the Constitution (2/3 vote in both
  houses)
• Election duties---12 Amendment Presidential
  election decided in House if no one gets required
  electoral votes. (V.P. decided in Senate)
• Impeachmentjudges and President
• Approve Presidential Appointments and Treaties
  (Senate only)
• Investigatory PowerForm committees to
  investigate government operations, particular
  financial and social problems---Committees
  investigated 9/11, steroid use in baseball, and
  Kennedy Assassination.

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Mc Culloch v. Maryland 1816

• Congress creates Second National Bank of the
  United States.
• Maryland taxes the bank.
• Many question if Congress can create a bank(not
  an expressed power)
• Supreme Court says that Congress may create the
  bank because it is an implied power (implied by 4
  expressed powers of taxing, borrowing money,
  coining money, and regulating commerce.)
• Court also ruled that states may not tax the
  federal government.

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Quiz Time

• How many republicans in the House? Democrats?
• Who is the majority party leader?
• Who is the minority party leader?
• Who is the Speaker of the House?
• What do you call an assistant to the majority or
  minority leader?
• How were Senators originally elected? What
  Amendment changed this?
• How many United States Senators?
• What is the term of office for a Senator?
• How many Senators come up for election every two
  years?
• How many terms may a Senator or Representative be
  elected ?

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Quiz continued

• 11. How many times was Strom Thurmond elected as
  Senator for South Carolina?
• 12. What are the qualifications for a U.S.
  Senator?
• 13. What type of vote is necessary for the Senate
  to approve a treaty?
• 14. What is a filibuster? How is it stopped?
• 15. Who presides over the Senate during a trial
  on impeachment charges?

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Quiz continued

• 16. Which Supreme Court case established that
  there are implied powers that belong to Congress
  and that states may not tax the federal
  government?
• 17. What vote is needed to pass an amendment to
  the Constitution through each house?
• 18. If no candidate receives the required
  electoral votes how is the President selected?
• 19. Give two examples of the Congress using its
  investigative powers.

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Congress Part 2How does Congress Work?
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Powers of CongressExpressed, Implied, Inherent

• 1. Expressed powers---those specifically granted
  to Congress in the Constitution---coin money,
  raise army, regulate interstate commerce, borrow
  money, declare war, etc.
• 2. Implied Powers---powers that belong to
  Congress because they can be reasonably deduced
  from an expressed power.
• Created by Necessary and Proper Clause in
  Constitution (sometimes called elastic clause
• Example---coin money also means print
  money---raise an army also means raise an air
  force.
• 3. Inherent powerpowers that all governments of
  nations possess (regulate immigration, determine
  citizenship)

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Influences on Congress

• Executive Branch
• Party leadership
• Media
• Constituents
• Special Interest Groups

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Committee Structure of Congress

• Both Houses of Congress have been called a
  collection of committees that come together
  periodically to approve one anothers actions.
• Congress does almost all its work in
  Committee---Most Bills die in committee and never
  make it to the floor of the House or Senate.

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Committee Structure continued

• Both the House and Senate have organized
  permanent committees known as standing
  committees.
• 19 Standing Committees in the House
• 17 Standing Committees in the Senate
• In order for a bill to get to the floor of the
  House or Senate for consideration it must first
  get a majority vote in one or more of the
  Standing Committees.

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Committee Structure Continued

• Each Standing Committee further divides the work
  by creating Sub-Committees (80 in House, 70 in
  Senate).
• Standing Committees and their Sub-Committees have
  the power to subpoena witnesses to testify before
  the committee. (baseball playerssteroids)
• Chairpersons of Standing Committees are extremely
  powerfulthey can make it easy for a bill to pass
  or difficult.
• The majority party in each house gets to choose
  the Chairpersons of each committee.

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Senate Standing Committees

• Agriculture, Nutrition, Forestry
• Appropriations
• Armed Services
• Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
• Budget
• Commerce, Science, Transportation
• Energy and Natural Resources
• Environment, and Public Works
• Finance
• Foreign Relations
• Governmental Affairs
• Indian Affairs
• Judiciary
• Health and Education
• Rules and Administration
• Small Business
• Veteran Affairs

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House Standing Committees

• Agriculture
• Appropriations
• Armed Services
• Budget
• Education and the Workforce
• Energy and Commerce
• Financial Services
• Governmental Reform
• House Administration
• International Relations
• Judiciary
• Resources
• Rules
• Science
• Small Business
• Standards of Official Conduct
• Transportation
• Veterans Affairs
• Ways and Means

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How does a Bill become a Law?

• 1. A bill may be introduced in either the House
  or the Senate (except bills that have to do with
  taxes must start in House)
• 2. A member of the House or Senate must introduce
  the Bill. They would be called the Bills
  sponsor. Sometimes there is more than one Sponsor.

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3. We will start this example in the House by
dropping the Bill into a Hopper near the
Speakers desk. Clerk gives bill a number.4. The
Bill is then sent by the Speaker to one of the
Standing Committees.5. Bill is sent by
Chairperson of the Standing Committee to one of
the Sub-Committees where Public Hearing will be
held.
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• 6. Subcommittee reports bill back to Standing
  Committee. Standing Committee can do five things
  with the bill with a majority vote in the
  Committee
• A. report favorably
• B. refuse to report billpigeonhole
• C. report bill in amended form
• D. report bill unfavorably (rare)
• E. report committee bill(brand new bill)

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• 7. Bill goes to House Rules Committee.
• This Committee will determine the rules by
  which this bill will be considered on the Floor
  of the House.
• (examples length of debate or if the bill may
  be amended on the floor)
• 8. Bill is then considered on the floor of the
  House and passed with a majority vote (usually at
  one of 48 computer stations on the House Floor).
• This whole process can sometimes be sped up by
  suspending the rules of the House with a two
  thirds vote.
• Committee of the Whole also speeds up business.

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• 9. Bill is taken by hand to the United States
  Senate where it is placed on the Presidents
  desk. (President of the Senate)
• 10. Bill is sent to appropriate Standing
  Committee and then to a sub-committee for
  hearings and consideration.
• 11. Sub committee sends bill to Standing
  Committee where bill is voted on.
• 12. Bill sent to Senate floor where debate takes
  place---possible filibuster60 votes to stop.
• Majority vote passes bill in Senate.
• 13. Conference Committee----resolves differences
  between House and Senate version of the bill.
• Work of Conference Committee must be approved
  by a majority vote in both houses.

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• 14. Final version of Bill is taken to the White
  House for consideration by the President.
• President may take 4 actions on the bill
• A. Sign bill into lawceremony
• B. Veto billreturned to house where bill
  originated. It takes a two thirds vote in each
  the House and the Senate to override a veto.
• C. Let it become law without his/her signature
• by not acting on it within the required 10
  days (Sundays dont count).
• D. Pocket veto10 days pass-- the President
  does not act and Congress adjourns.

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Line item veto

• In 1996 Congress gave the President the line item
  veto which would have allowed the President to
  veto just part of a bill.
• Most Governors have the line item veto.
• The Supreme Court ruled that the law creating the
  line item veto for the President was
  unconstitutional in Clinton v. N.Y. City in 1998.

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quiz

• What type of Congressional power is the power to
  declare war?
• What type of Congressional power is the power to
  print money, create a national bank, and prohibit
  discrimination in public accommodations?
• What type of Congressional power is the power to
  regulate immigration?
• What clause in the Constitution creates implied
  powers? (both nicknames)
• What are the 5 basic influences on the Congress?
• Where does Congress do most of its work?
• Where do most bills die?
• What do you call a permanent committee in the
  House and Senate?

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Quiz continued

• 9. How many standing committees in the House?
  Senate?
• 10. How are standing committees further divided?
• 11. What type of power does a standing committee
  have?
• 12. Who gets to determine the Chairperson of a
  committee?
• 13. What is line item veto?
• 14. What are four actions a President may take on
  a bill once he or she receives it?