CONGRESS

CHAPTERS 10, 11, AND 12

ARTICLE 1

ROLES
Makes laws: many proposals submitted,

100s are passed each year

Serve constituents (people who live in state
or district, link between DC and home)
Constituents often ask for help dealing with
bureaucracy, agencies and debts of the
executive branch that carry out policy

ROLES CONTINUED
Oversees executive branch:

investigations (info./hearings)
Voting: vote for what constituents want or
just use own judgment or their political
party

WHO MAKES UP CONGRESS

White well-educated males
Many lawyers and businessmen
Many are incumbents:
Recognize name
Easier to raise money
Use resources to handle problems

WHO THEY REPRESENT AND HOW DO

THEY COMMUNICATE
Closest to American people
Newsletters, surveys, make speeches,

come home, usually two weekends a

month come home, interviews, C-SPAN

WHEN THEY MEET

Const. Says once a year for as long as

necessary
Congressional term lasts 2 years
The session begins Jan 3rd every odd year
Before a new term begins, congressmen
choose committees
Party with more members, called the
majority party, other is called minority party

SENATE
100 members
2 from each state
Elected by state in Nov.
Senators from same state never run for

election the same term

If the following Occurs: death, retirement,
resign, or expulsion than a special election
occurs

SENATE CONT.
6 year term
1/3 up every 2 years
Gives stability
Requirements: US citizen 9 years,

30 years old, resident of state

2/3 can expel a member, rarely
happens
Leader of the senate is VPPresident of Senate, little influence

LEADERSHIP IN CONGRESS
Pres. Pro Tempore:
temp presides over senate, elected, endorsed by
majority party
Majority leader:
elected by members of majority party, plans
agenda, works with leaders, schedule when bills
will be debated
Minority leader:
heads opposition party, strong voice, influences
his side,
Whips:
assist leaders, provide info., advice, make sure
people are there

HOUSE
435
Based on pop.
DC, Samoa, Guam, PR, VI. Non-voting
Each state gets at least one member of the

house
Based on census every 10 years
Seats are proportionally distributed
Since 1910435 members

HOUSE CONT.
People have moved to west since WWII
sunbelt migrationN. states have lost seats
Since 1842, districts have existed
Each state draws up its own boundaries,
majority party gets to draw the lines.
(Issue of Gerrymandering)
Gerrymandering comes from a term from the
late 1700s, from Mass. Redrew districts
to favor his party (looked like a salamander)

HOUSE CONT.
One member represent 500,000 people
2 year term
25 yrs, citizen for 7 years, be a resident of

district
Speaker of the House: chosen by the majority
party

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

(KIND OF A BIG DEAL)
Speakers duties:
preside over house procedures, etc.
Must vote if there is a tie
If the same party as pres., help carry out

leg.
If not loyal opposition
Usually speaker has experience as majority
leader

CAUCUSES

Special interest groups that plan strategy

I.e.. Black caucus, womens caucus,

COMPENSATION FOR CONGRESS MEMBERS

Salary 174,000
Benefits:
Free office space
Pension
Insurance
Franking privilege: free mail
Travel money

PRIVILEGES
Cant be arrested while working (goes back

to the days of the colonies)

Free speech: congressional immunity: free
speech during open session
Exempt from discrimination
Congress doesnt have to abide by
Freedom of Info Act, executive branch open
files to public

WHO HELPS
Staffing
2 offices
AA: Administrative Assistant
LA: legislative assistants: case workers
Staffing does research, paperwork,

etc.
3700 congressional staff members
Collect info
Can hire 30 members per cong.man

LEGISLATIVE AGENCIES
Congressional budget: economic consequence, budget,

computer as.

General accounting: checks govt. spending

Govt printing: congressional record and other printing
Library of Congress: 20 million books
Office of Legislative Counsel: leg. Help
Office of Tech. Assessment: how tech will change society

CHAPTER 12 CONGRESSIONAL POWER

WHAT CONGRESS CAN DO
POWER OF THE PURSE:
CONGRESS CAN TAX, SPEND, AND BORROW

TAX
RAISE REVENUE, MONEY RAISED TO PAY FOR GOVT.
ACTIVITIES

1913 16 AMEND: CONGRESS CAN LEVY TAX

OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE: GAS, LIQUOR, TELEPHONE
HELP OUR ECONOMY
PROTECT AMERICAN INDUSTRIES
TH

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
SPEND------------------------------------------ PASS LAWS THAT USE FEDERAL FUNDS
APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO DEPT.S AND AGENCIES
WORK WITH FEDERAL BUDGET TO DECIDE
WHERE FUNDS WILL BE USED

CONGRESS HAS TO APPROVE PRESIDENTS

BUDGET

-----------------------------------BORROW
MONEY BORROWED MAKES UP NATIONAL DEBT
SELL BONDS, BORROW FROM FOREIGN NATIONS

COINING MONEY
ISSUE CURRENCY
DECIDES WHAT IS LEGAL AND TENDER

COMMERCE POWERS
GOVERN
INTERSTATE
TRADE, CHILD
LABOR, MIN. WAGE

CAN NOT TAX

EXPORTS OR
GOODS FROM
STATE TO STATE

OTHER POWERS
CONGRESS ISSUES COPYRIGHTS, PATENTS AND
TRADEMARKS

STANDARDIZE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

BANKRUPTCY LAWS

JUDICIAL POWERS
ORGANIZE AND SET UP COURTS
PUNISHMENTS FOR FEDERAL CRIMES

WAR POWERS
WAR POWERS ACT (1973)- 48 HOURS TO REPORT
TO CONGRESS AFTER TROOPS HAVE BEEN SENT,
LIMITED TO 60 DAYS UNLESS CONGRESS
APPROVES

FOREIGN RELATIONS
APPROVE TREATIES, WAR, REGULATE FOREIGN
TRADE, APPROVE PRESIDENTS APPOINTMENTS

IMPLIED POWERS
NOT MENTIONED IN CONSTITUTION NECESSARY
& PROPER

IDEA OF LOOSE VS. STRICT INTERPRETATION

DENIED POWERS
CANT SUSPEND HABEAS CORPUS
CANT ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR STATE CRIMES

NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS: WATCHDOG
WATERGATE 1972
IRAN CONTRA 1988

GOVERNING FEDERAL TERRITORIES

NATIONAL PARKS, FEDERAL PRISONS, POST
OFFICES, COURT HOUSES

TERRITORIES: GUAM, D.C., SAMOA, VIRGIN

ISLANDS

23

RD

AMEND: D.C. RIGHT TO VOTE 1961

CHOOSING EXECUTIVE OFFICIALS

NO PRESIDENT RECEIVES A MAJORITY OF
E.C. HOUSE SELECTS PRESIDENT

REMOVING OFFICIALS
HOUSE
CAN IMPEACH, FORMALLY BRING CHARGES
SENATE
SITS AS A COURT AND DETERMINES GUILT 2/3
FOR CONVICTION

CONGRESS OVER THE YEARS

WHEN CONGRESS BEGAN IT WAS LOOKED UPON
AS PART-TIME WORK

SESSIONS ARE LONGER

WORK LOAD INCREASED
WITH VIETNAM AND WATERGATE
STRENGTHENED CONGRESS

IM JUST A BILL

HOW A BILL BECOMES A

LAW

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

More than 10,000 bills introduced, about
700 are passed
Public Bill: effects everyone
Private Bills: Specific to only a few
Members of congress are placed on
coms to study bills
16 standing com. in the senate
22 standing coms in the house

BILL BECOMES A LAWCONTINUED

Committees are broken into sub committees to
study aspects of the bill
Select committees are formed for a specific
purpose for a limited time
Rules committee is the most important
committee, they examine bills and decides what
goes on the calendar

BILL BECOMES A LAW- CONTINUED

1. Bills are numbered and placed in the

appropriate committee.
2. After the bill has been examined by
committee, it goes through 2nd
reading, and floor action begins

BILL BECOMES A LAW

3. After the 3rd reading, amends are added
a. Only the senate can use the filibuster (endless
talk) to stall
legislation (S. Thurmond holds the record(24
hours)
b. RIDER-an amendment on a matter
unrelated to a bill that is added to the bill so
that it will
"ride" to passage through the Congress.
4. Congress votes: voice votes (most common) standing
vote, teller vote
(replaced by electronic voting), or a roll call vote

BILL BECOMES A LAW

5. Bills passed by senate are sent to

the house or vice versa
6. A conference com. is formed which
is a compromise of the legislation
7. Congress then votes again, if it
passes it is sent to pres.

BILL TO LAW.
8. President can sign it
After 10 days if pres does not sign
it, it becomes a law
Veto-2/3 vote to override
presidents veto
If congress adjourns within 10 days,
a bill can sit on the president's desk
and pres. does not sign it, it
becomes a pocket veto