Download Congress Chapter 10

Congress
Chapter 10
Guiding Question: Whose views
should members of Congress
represent when voting?
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Standards
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USG.2.4 Explain the history and provide examples of foundational ideas of
American government embedded in the Founding-Era documents such as: natural
rights philosophy, social contract, popular sovereignty, constitutionalism,
representative democracy, political factions, federalism, and individual rights.
USG.3.2 Explain the constitutional principles of federalism, separation of powers,
the system of checks and balances, republican government or representative
democracy, and popular sovereignty; provide examples of these principles in the
governments of the United States and the state of Indiana.
USG.3.3 Identify and describe provisions of the United States Constitution and the
Indiana Constitution that define and distribute powers and authority of the federal
or state government.
USG.3.7 Explain the relationships among branches of the United States
government and Indiana government, which involve separation and sharing of
powers as a means to limited government.
USG.3.9 Explain how a bill becomes law in the legislative process of the United
States and the state of Indiana.
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Entrance Ticket
• Please work either
independently or with a
partner to define the
following terms:
• Bicameral
• Senate
• Session
• Term
• Adjourn
• Special session
• Census
• Reapportionment
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Off-year election (again)
At-large
Gerrymandering (again)
Continuous body
Bill
Delegate
Trustee
Partisan
Politico
Floor consideration
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Bill vs.
Executive Orders - Bypass Congress (1:26)
(3:00)
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Questions to Consider…
• Is Congress broken? If yes, do the American
people share some of the blame?
– throughout the unit, you should connect this question
to the bill process, elections and gerrymandering, etc.
• Are our representatives the “enlightened”
individuals that our founders intended?
• Does Congress deserve the respect of the
American people?
– this can be connected to the demographics, structure,
elections, bill process, and interest groups.
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DID YOU KNOW……
That fewer than three in ten
people can name the House
member from their district,
and fewer than half can
name even one of the two
senators from their state?
Source: American Government and Politics Today, by Schmidt, Shelley and Bardes (2005-2006 )edition)
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Rep. Susan Brooks
5th District Indiana
Republican
Took Office: Jan 3, 2013
Hamilton County
Jr. Senator
Sen. Joe Donnelly
Democrat
Took Office: Jan 3, 2013
Next Election: 2018
Senior Senator
Sen. Dan Coats
Republican
Took Office: Jan 5, 2011
Next Election: 2016
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“If the president is
the head of the
American body
politic, Congress is its
gastrointestinal
tract.”
– Anonymous
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Bill vs.
Executive Orders - Bypass Congress (1:26)
(3:00)
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Chapter 10, section 1
Learning target: I can describe what the Constitution establishes a
bicameral legislature.
THE NATIONAL LEGISLATURE
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The Bicameral Congress
• The united states bicameral Congress is set up
in article 1 of the U.S. Constitution.
– Bicameral – A legislative body made of two
chambers.
• The two houses of Congress:
– House of representatives (the lower house) – A
governing body that makes rules and laws.
– Senate (the upper house) – A governing body that
makes rules and laws.
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Why do we have a bicameral Congress?
• The framers established a bicameral (2 house)
Congress for three reasons:
1. Past governments were set up this way.
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For example, the British Parliament had two houses.
2. Having two houses settled a conflict during the
Constitutional convention.
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Large states have more representation in the house of
representatives.
Small states have equal representation in the Senate.
3. The two houses of Congress check each other.
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This literally means that each house keeps the other from
becoming too powerful.
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The terms and sessions of Congress
• The Senate and House of Representatives begin their
sessions in Washington, DC early in January.
– Session – the period of time each year when Congress meets.
• Each term of Congress has two sessions.
– Term – An assigned period time for an elected official to serve.
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Each session of Congress is adjourned only when the work
is completed.
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Adjourn – to bring a meeting to an end.
The president of the United States may call Congress back
into special session if necessary.
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Special session – A session called to deal with an emergency.
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Chapter 10, Section 2
Learning target: I can describe how seats in the house are distributed and
what qualification house members must have.
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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The terms and size of the House of
Representatives
• The House of Representatives has 435 elected
officials.
• Each representative is elected for a two year
term.
• The House of Representatives reflects the size of
each state’s population.
– Each state is divided into districts based on
population.
– A representative is elected from each district in the
state.
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How are seats in the House of
Representatives apportioned?
• Representatives to the house of representatives are elected from each
congressional district in each of the 50 states.
• Congressional Districts are apportioned based on the census. States with
larger populations receive more districts. States with only one district get
only one representative “at-large”.
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Apportion – to distribute seats
Census – A count of the population conducted every 10 years.
Reapportionment – to distribute seats differently based on a revised census.
At-Large –describes an election of a candidate by the whole state rather than
a single district.
– Gerrymandering (again) – the unfair drawing of district lines giving a party or
group the advantage.
• Representatives in the House of Representatives serve two-year terms.
Only half of the house is reelected in any given election.
• This means that only half of the house is elected at the same time as the
president of United States. The other half is elected during the off year
election cycle.
– Off year election – an election for Congress that takes place between
presidential election years.
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Qualifications for House members
• Formal qualifications (found in the Constitution):
– Representatives must be at least 25 years of age.
– Representatives must have been US citizens for at
least seven years.
– Representatives must be residents of the state from
which they are elected.
• Informal qualifications:
– These vary overtime.
– Must be able to get votes.
– Political experience is not required but helps.
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Chapter 10, section 3
Learning target: I can describe how the Senate differs from the House of
Representatives.
THE SENATE
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The Senate
• Each of the 50 states elects to Senators to serve in the
Senate.
• There are 100 senators serving in the U.S. Senate today.
• There are no term limits for US senators. This means they
can serve for as long as they can get reelected.
• The Senate is known as the upper house.
• Senators serve six year terms.
– Only one third of the Senate is elected at any one time (1/3 is
reelected every two years).
– Only one senator from a state is elected to a full-term in any
given year. This means that the Senate is a continuous body.
• Continuous body – A government body who seats are never up for
election all at the same time.
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Qualifications for the Senate
• Formal qualifications (found in the U.S. Constitution):
– Senators must be at least 30 years old.
– Senators must have been citizens of the US for at least
nine years.
– Senators must be residents of the state they represent.
• Informal qualifications:
– Same as those for the house and US Pres.
• Note: only 15 members of the Senate have been
expelled or forced to leave office by their peers.
– Expelled – forced to leave office.
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Chapter 10, section 4
Learning target: I can describe the roles and functions performed by
members of Congress.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
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What is the job of a member of
Congress?
• Senators and representatives work for the people who elect them.
• They cast hundreds of votes for or against laws (bills) during each
session of Congress.
– Bill – A suggested new law
– Floor consideration – the consideration of and action on a bill by the
full membership of the House or Senate.
• When voting on laws, senators and representatives may behave in
one of four ways:
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2.
3.
4.
Delegate – A person who votes as instructed.
Trustee – A person who votes according to their own conscience.
Partisan – A person who votes the party line.
Politico – A person that tries to balance being a delegate, Trustee,
and partisan.
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Activity
• Working with your assigned group please locate
the USC in your text (page 706) then:
1. Review Article I
2. Create a Section by Section outline of your
group’s assigned clause from Article 1 on large
paper. (Summarize and bullet point all relevant
information).
3. Circle the most surprising information in Red.
4. Draft a “Conclusion” stating what the point of
the clause is anyway…
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Homework
• Please read and take notes on chapter 11
sections 11.1 through 11.4.
• Please review your notes on chapter 10.
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