Legislative Branch of the Federal Government

Please answer the following questions: Yes, write the question!!!!

1. How many voting members are there in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate?

2. What is the length of term for a representative and senator?

3. What is a majority? Minority ? 4. Who is the leader in the House of Representatives?

Senate? Who are these positions held by in 2009? 5. What is the job of a floor leader? 6. What is the job of a party whip? 7. What is the difference between a standing and select

committee?

535 is the magic number (This is the total membership in the U.S. Congress.)

The framers intended to make the Legislative branch more powerful than any other branch.

Each term of congress begins on Janurary1st of odd numbered years. For example, the 112th term started in January of 2011.

Each term is given a number to identify it The Congress currently in session is the 112th

Typical session Typical sessions are from January until

November or December. Congress may also meet in times of crisis A joint session is when both houses of

Congress meet; this usually occurs when the President gives his yearly State of the Union address.

House of Representatives

435 voting members allotted to the states according to population every 10 years a census, or population

count taken by the Census Bureau, adjusts the number of representatives given to each state

each state is divided into congressional districts

What congressional district do we live in? The 3rd district

the boundaries are drawn by the state legislatures and must be roughly equal in the number of people, or constituents, in each district

Sometimes gerrymandering may occur, which is when a district is drawn or shaped for political reasons.

For example, is most a of a state’s representatives are Democratic, they might draw the lines so that as many districts as possible have more Republican voters than Democratic voters.

The members of the House of Representatives are closer to their district constituents than the Senate

Each senator represents his or her state’s interests

Senators serve six- year terms but elections are staggered so that no more than one-third of the senators are up for reelection at any one time.

Majority and Minority The party that has more than half of the

members is know as the majority party The remaining party is the minority

party The House of Rep. is lead by the

Republican Party and the US Senate is lead by the Democratic Party

The Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi D-CA)

The members of the majority party meet in a caucus, or closed meeting to choose the speaker.

The entire membership of the House then approves the choice

The Speaker is the most powerful person within the H.O.R.

The Speaker steers legislation, is in charge of house debates, and is third in line in the presidential succession

http://republicanleader.house.gov/

the presiding officer is the Vice President of the United States and is called the President of the senate

The president pro tempore, which means “for the time being” is the ceremonial leader

The floor leaders are the most powerful leaders in the senate

http://mcconnell.senate.gov/ http://byrd.senate.gov/

The floor leaders make sure that the laws Congress passes are in the best interest of their party.

they speak for their parties push bills along try to sway votes Party whips help the floor leaders round

up votes and report to the floor leader where things stand

Types of Committees Permanent committees are called

standing committees. the senate has 17 standing committees the house has 19 standing committees the standing committees cover things like

education, veteran affairs, and commerce

select committees are created to do a special job

for example in 1976 the House formed the Select committee on Assassinations to investigate the assassinations of J.F.K. and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

when the work is done in select committees they are disbanded

 

joint committees include members from both houses deal with taxation, printing, economics,

and the library of Congress

Conference committee a conference committee helps both

houses of Congress agree on details of a proposed law

Representatives and Senators want to be on committees that affect their districts and states

For example, a representative from a district that is a farm area might want to serve on a agriculture committee

Seniority the leaders of political parties make committee

assignments they look at expertise, seniority, and members’

preferences, and loyalty to the party

the chairperson of the committee is normally the person who has the most seniority

the chairperson is one of the most powerful positions in Congress because he or she will

decides when and if a bill will be studied when a committee will meet and who will serve on a subcommittee