Chapter 5 Flashcards
What is the Legislative Branch also known as
Congress
What is the purpose of Legislative Branch
Make laws
What kind of Legislative Branch does the US have
Bicameral
The Two Branches of Legislature are
- House of Representative
2. Senate
Congressional Session/Term lasts for how long
Two years
House of Representatives has how many members
435
House of Representatives
- Congress sets the number of representatives
- Membership is based on population
- Every state is guaranteed at least one representative
- Congress decides how many representatives a state has
- State Legislature draws the districts
Reapportion
- Every 10 Years there is a Federal Census, this means that every ten
years there is a Reapportion
DEFINITION: Redistributing the House of Representatives
What is an exemption of reapportion
Wesberry vs. Sanders: States that the districts must have equal population
Gerrymanding
The political party that controls the State Legislature
draws the districts in a way that will benefit their party
Qualifications To be A Member of the House of Representatives:
Must Be
- 25
- A US Citizens for 7 years
- A resident of the state that you are going to represent
Members of the House of Representatives serve for how long
2 years
- All of them stand for re-election (can be voted out)
Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives is known as
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Current Speaker of the House of Representatives
John Boehner
Who are the Three Tennesseans who have been the Speaker
- John Bell
- James K. Polk
- James Byrnes
Senate
- Each state gets two Senators (100 members)
- No matter of the population
How long do Senators serve
6 years
How does the Senate elections work
They have Staggered Elections
Staggered Elections
Every two years 1/3 of them are up for re-election
Who votes on the Senators
According to the 17th Amendment Senators are chosen by the voters
Qualifications to be a Senator:
Must be:
- 30
- A citizen for 9 years
- A resident of the state you will represent
Who is the Presiding Officer
Vice President
Current Presiding Officer
Joe Biden
When the VP isn’t there who is in charge
President Pro Tempore
How do you become the President Pro Tempore
Senior member of the
majority party
Current Pro Tempore
Patrick Leahy
Tennesseans who have been President Pro Tempore:
- Joseph Anderson
- Hugh Lawson White
- Isham Harris
- Kenneth McKellar
Responsibilities/Duties of Congressmen
- Legislators: They make the laws
- Committee Member
- Represent your constituents (district members)
- Servant of your constituents
- Politician
Voting Options of Congressmen
They can vote as a:
- Trustee
- Delegate
- Partisan
- Politico
Trustee
They use their own judgement to vote
Delegate
Vote the way their constituents
Partisan
Vote the way your political party wants you to
Politico
Try to combine Trustee, Delegate, and Partisan
How much money does a congressman, senators, and house members
make?
174,000
Benefits for Congressmen:
- Free medicare
- Excellent retirement ($100,000)
- Money for a home office
- Travel expenses from home to Washington are paid for
- Franking Privilege: Government pays for your mail-out
- Government pays for monthly newsletters
- Parking is free
- They can’t be arrested while congress is in session
Constitutional Powers of Congress
- Expressed Powers
- Implied Powers
- Non-legislative Powers
Expressed Powers
Specifically stated powers
What are the Expressed Powers
A. Tax B. Borrow Money C. Regulate Commerce D. Currency Power E. Sets up Bankruptcy Laws F. Foreign Relations - Congress must approve all treaties G. War power H. Naturalization I. Postal Power J. Copyrights and Patents K. Weights and Measures L. Territories and Washington D.C. M. Judicial Power - Federal Judges are approved by the Senate