Congressional Organizer

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Congressional Organizer
House
Senate
Leadership
Leadership
Size Elections
Size Elections
Qualifications
Qualifications
Term of office
Term of office
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Congressional OrganizerPage 50
House
Senate
Leader
Leader
Size
Size
Speaker of the House chosen by majority party
John Boehner is current Speaker (R)
The Vice President is President of the Senate.
Joe Biden is current Pres. (D). The Pro Tempore
takes over usually.
based on state population by the Census every
10 years. The 435 seats are reapportioned.
Each state has 2 Senators, for a total of 100.
1/3 elected every 2 years. The 17th Amendment
allows for election of Senators.
All 435 elected each term by district. Some
states districts have been gerrymandered.
Term
Term
Serve 6-yr terms-no limit on times
Serve 2-yr terms-no limit on times
Qualifications
Qualifications
Must be 25, 7-yr. Citizen State resident.
Must be 30, 9-yr. Citizen State resident.
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Notes on Congress

• Congress is bicameral. Define!
• This is the 114th Congress, 1st session.
• Term is a 2-year meeting of Congress.
• There are 2 sessions per term.
• Congress meets on Capitol Hill in the Capitol
  Building.

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Notes on the House, p. 51

• NC has 13 Congressional districts.
• Currituck County is in the 3rd District.
• Walter B. Jones, Jr. is our Representative. He
  is a Republican.
• The Republicans are the majority party.
• John Boehner (R) is the Speaker of the House.

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NCs Congressional Districts
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Redistricting Issues

• Some districts have been gerrymandered.
• What does this term mean?
• Wesbury v. Saunders (equal size, one person/one
  vote) and Baker v. Carr (compact and contiguous)
  limit gerrymandering.

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Notes on the Senate, p. 51

• NCs Senior Senator is Richard Burr (R). Our
  Junior Senator is Thom Tillis (R).
• The Republicans are the majority party.
• Senate Pro Tempore is Orin Hatch (R). Senate
  Majority Leader is Mitch McConnell. Senate
  Minority Leader is Harry Reid.

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Exit Ticket

1. Write your first and last name along with the
   date in the upper right-hand corner.
2. How is Congress like a shoe? Explain 2 ways.
   Think critically.
3. Tell me two facts you learned about Congress
   today.