Unit 4: Congress 2

Question 1

Congress is established by Article 1 of the Constitution - The Legislative branch

Answer 1

• The US Congress is bicameral-2 houses. House of Representatives and the Senate
• Felt as though Congress would be the most powerful in the Government
• The Senate has 2 members per State (purpose to have the states have a say in what was happening in the Government) ORIGINAL GOAL WAS TO have a place for the State government to have a say in passing and not passing laws

Question 2

Why does the United States have a bicameral legislature?

3 reasons

Answer 2

1. British Parliament: We’ve always had a bicameral legislature the people who wrote the Constitution grew up British
2. Settle Conflict: Nj v. Virginia Plans leading to the Great Compromise where they BOTH agreed to a bicameral legislature
3. Check on it’s own power (having two houses means there’s a really strong check and balance on Congress, built into Congress

Question 3

How Congress Meets

3 things

Answer 3

• Session: Period of time during the year Congress meets (seperated into semesters)
• Adjourn: Suspend. Congress adjourns at the end of each session. Both houses must agree
• Special Session: A meeting called by the President to discuss urgent matters with Congress when they are in recess (adjourned) (requiring Congress to come in to work NO MATTER WHAT)

Question 4

House of Representatives Qualifications

Members, Term Length, Age Requirement, Citizenship, Location

Answer 4

• Members: 435
• Term Length: 2
• Age Requirement: 25
• Citizenship: 7 years
• Location: Live in the State from which he or she is elected

Question 5

Senate Qualifications

Members, Term Length, Age Requirement, Citizenship, Location

Answer 5

• Members: 100 (2 per state)
• Term Length: 6 years
• Age Requirement: 30
• Citizenship: 9 years
• Location: Live in the State from which he or she is represented

Question 6

Informal Qualifications of memebrs of the House (something voters expect)

3 things

Answer 6

• Party identification: peope vote for those in their own party
• Political experience: some look for those who are most experienced, or new people who can bring change
• Personal characteristics: Voting for people based on appearance, height, personality, etc.

Question 7

House Elections

Answer 7

• Held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years
• Off-year elections: often called Mid-term elections. Held two years after a presidential election
• Party which holds the Presidency usually loses seats in Congress. Why?
• Because they crave balance and want a majority of same party seats as possible

Question 8

Congressional (House) Districts

Answer 8

• Constitution requires that House seats be reapportioned/redistributed every 10 years after the census
• The House grew from the original 65 members in 1790 to 435 members in 1910
• Reapportionment Act

Question 9

Census

Answer 9

• Seeing how many people live in the US
• Use a census for donating money, how many resources areas need for natural disasters, see gains and loss of population. Changing how many votes each States has in the house
• Utilized by the Congressional (House) District

Question 10

Reapportionment Act

Answer 10

• Permanent size of the House is 435. The Census Bureau determines how many representatives each state should have. The President and Congress must approve
• Congress created this and they have the ability to change it
• Today, each Representative serves a district of about 650,000

Question 11

Senate Elections

Answer 11

• Until 1913 Senate members were selected by the State Legislature - The Millionaires Club
• 17th amendment - popular election of US Senators. Creates popular election for senators instead of the government

Question 12

Advantage of the 6 year term in the Senate

Answer 12

• Continuous body: all of its seats are never up for reelection. 1/3 expire every 2 years. NEVER ALL AT ONCE
• More job security: less subject to political opinion. Unlike the 2 year term you have the ability to make up bad decisions to the people, to be up for reelection
• The “Upper House” - The Senate is more prestigious. Focused on national issues instead of localities. Deal with bigger picture issues like health care, national security
• More time to learn about more complex issues. Congress can work together for 6 years in order to solve a serious issue and problem

Question 13

Congressional Compensation

Answer 13

• Congress is responsible for setting their own salaries
• 27th Amendment - any salary raises do not take effect until the next term. You have to be reelected to earn this salary, if you say you are going to make 10 million dollars your opponent would bring it up
• Tax deductions for 2nd homes, they want those in Congress to be able to own a house in DC
• After leaving office they get an average annual pension
• Franking Privilege: use of the mail without paying postage
• Cannot be used for slander or libel actions done in the course of the job. Want Congress to be able to debate all of the main issues, if they were worried about getting sued