Download Legislative(13) - McEachern High School

Legislative
Branch
Congressional Structure
Congress
SENATE
100 (2*50)
2 Per state
6 Yrs
Total people
# of Reps for state
Length of terms
30 Yrs
9 Yrs
State
State Gov.
Qualifications
Age
Citizen of US
Residency
Constituents
HOUSE
435
%Pop
2 Yrs
25 Yrs
7 Yrs
District
District Residents
Terms and Sessions
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•
•
•
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Congressional Term - 2 yrs
Session- 1 Year
Work day: Tuesday - Thursday.
Working time: Noon to 5 – 6 o’clock.
Recess = temporary break for 3 days or more
Special Session= Meeting Outside of regular
hours
• Joint Session= Both House and Senate Meeting
• “State of the Union” Called by president
Determining Representatives
• Census = Counting the population every 10 years
• Reapportion = Redistributing representatives based
on new population totals
• Redistrict = District lines are redrawn due to
population changes and to account for possible
addition or subtraction of representative districts
• Gerrymander = drawing district lines based on
some characteristic other than just population
– a) Discriminatory gerrymandering
– b) Misrepresentation
Congressional Representation
• Delegate- votes the way the people
(constituents) would vote
• Trustee – votes the way they believe,
they are the professional
• Politico – votes the way that will help
them get reelected
• Partisan – votes the way the party
wants them to vote
Congressional Leadership
Leadership in the
United States Senate
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
The Vice President of the United States
Vice President
Joe Biden
Job: Presiding Officer of
the Senate
Breaks tie in legislation.
Otherwise does not
vote.
Leadership in the
United States Senate
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
The Vice President of the United States
Job: Presides over the
Senate when the Vice
President is absent.
Orrin Hatch (R-PA)
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
Selected by majority party. Usually
most senior member of the Senate
majority party
Leadership in the
United States Senate
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Job: Leads the majority party
Job: Leads the minority
party and leads opposition
and shepherds legislation
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R)
Sen. Harry Reid (D)
Other Senate Positions
• Secretary of Senate – Top administrator
• Parliamentarian, Chaplain, Sergeant at
arms.
Georgia’s Representation
Senator David
Purdue
Senator Johnny
Isakson
AND
Leadership in the
House of Representatives
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Selected by the majority party
Job: Presiding Officer of the
House
Decides which committee a
bill goes to.
Makes Committee
Assignments
Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Elected Speaker in 2015
Leadership in the
House of Representatives
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Selected by the majority party
Majority Leader
Job: Leads the majority party
and shepherds legislation
Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca)
Minority Leader
Job: Leads the minority
party and leads opposition
Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca)
Other Congressional Positions
• Secretary of Senate/Clerk of House does
administrative duties.
• Parliamentarian keeps rule on debate.
• Sergeant at Arms keep order.
• Chaplain prays before debate.
• Official Reporters writes every single word in
meeting.
• Post Master sees that everything is
distributed.
Georgia’s Representation
• Georgia currently has
14 congressional
districts.
• McEachern’s current
congressional district
is the 13th represented
by: David Scott (D)
Georgia’s
Congressional
District Map
Congressional Rules and
Benefits
Congressional Rules
• Loyalty- do not share congressional
secrets with the media
• Civility – treat each other with respect
• Seniority – the most senior members get
choices of assignments and leadership
positions
• Specialization – become an expert in
areas on committees
• Reciprocity-support for each others bill
Compensation and Benefits
 Salary $174,000 per year
• The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and
Senate is.
•
•
Speaker of the House - $223,500, Other Leaders - $193,400
Outside Income allowed
• Pension Plan and Retirement Income
•
Increases as cost of living does. (27th Amendment)
 Office, Staff, Computer service
 Expense Accounts, Travel expense, Foreign Trips
 Franking Privilege – Free Stationary and Postage
 TV and radio broadcast
 Incumbent - currently in office and running for reelection
Privileges and Penalties
• Congressional Immunity
• Freedom of Expression in Congressional
Records
• Codes of Ethics
• Expel Members with 2/3rd vote.
• Censure Members – give a fine or penalty
Congressional Powers
Congressional Powers
Legislative Powers
1.Provide for common defense
2.Make rules on citizenship
3.Run Armed Services
4.Declare War
5.Run Washington D.C.
6.Raise Money
7.Regulate Trade
1. Duties – taxes on imports
2. Excises – taxes on particular goods
Congressional Powers
8. Spend Money
9. Coin and set standards on
money
10. Post Office
11. Copy Rights and Patents
12. Establish Federal Courts
13. Set number of Supreme Court
Justices
Congressional Powers
II. Non-Legislative Powers
1. Approve Presidential Appointments
(V.P., Justices, and Cabinet)
2. Approve Formal Agreements with
Foreign Nations (Treaties)
3. Impeachment (Majority in
House)/Convict and Remove
Federal Officials (2/3rds in Senate)
4. Admit New States to the Union
Congressional Powers
II. Non-Legislative Powers
5. Amend the Constitution
6. Counts Electoral Votes (If no
majority: -the House will elect the
Pres. / the Senate will elect the V.P.
7. Gov. “Watchdog” – Congressional
committees can hold hearings and
investigations, call witnesses, and
make recommendations.
Congress in Your Life…
Make
the Laws
Oversight
Inform us of the laws
Constituent
services
Congress is Important!
For Georgia!
And for you!