Chapter 10: Congress

Why does the Constitution divide power between the two houses of Congress Practical?

A bicameral legislature was necessary to compromise the Virginia and New Jersey plans of representation.

What is a term of Congress?

is the length of time that officials serve after an election, as in a two- or six-year term.

What is a Session of Congress

is the regular period of time during which Congress conducts business.

How are House seats reapportioned among the States after each census?

reapportion—redistribute—the seats in the House after each decennial census.

What are the duties of the job of serving in Congress?

suits for libel or slander

Why does the Constitution divide power between the two houses of Congress Historically?

The British Parliament consisted of two houses since the 1300s, and many colonial assemblies were similar in form.

How does the size of the Senate differ from the size of the House?

The Constitution says that the Senate "shall be composed of two Senators from each State." Today's Senate consists of 100 Senators. and they serve for six-year terms.

Why does the Constitution divide power between the two houses of Congress Theoretical?

The Framers favored a bicameral Congress in order that one house might act as a check on the other.

How have States elected senators in the past and present?

(1) Originally, the Constitution provided that senators were chosen by the State legislatures. (2) In 1912, the Seventeenth Amendment was passed and called for the popular election of senators. (3) The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that all of its seats are never up for election at the same time. (Only a third of them are up for election every 2 years)

What are the formal and informal qualifications for serving in the House?

(1) must be at least 25 years of age, (2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and (3) must have been an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected. and informal qualifications, such as party identification, name familiarity, gender, ethnic characteristics, and political experience.

What are the qualifications for serving in the Senate?

(1) must be at least 30 years of age, (2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and (3) must be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.

How can we describe a typical congressional election and congressional district?

Congressional elections are held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. but on a Off-year elections are those congressional elections held between presidential elections.

What are the size and terms of the House of Representatives?

The exact size of the House of Representatives, currently at 435 members and the House of Representatives serve two-year terms.

How and why does a senator's term differ from a representative's term?

The six-year terms gives a somewhat greater degree of job security as the term gives some insulation from the rough & tumble of day-to-day politics and The six-year term also lessens the pressures of public opinion and the pleas of special interest groups.

How are members of Congress compensated, and what privileges do they have?

Today, senators and representatives are paid a salary of $174,300 a year. and Members of Congress are immune from arrest for noncriminal offenses while engaged in congressional business. also (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1) protects representatives and senators from suits for libel or slander arising from their official conduct.

What are the personal and political backgrounds of the current members of Congress?

Trustees Trustees believe that each question they face must be decided on its merits. Delegates Delegates see themselves as agents of the people who elected them. Partisans Lawmakers who owe their first allegiance to their political party are partisans. Politicos Politicos attempt to combine the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles.

What two powers does the President have in regards to the session of Congress

the President has the power to prorogue, or adjourn, a session, but only when the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment and Only the President may call Congress into a special session—a meeting to deal with some emergency situation.