Gov Ch 10

qualifications to be a member of the house of representatives

1) be at least twenty-five years old; (2) have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years; and (3) be (at the time of the election) a resident of the state they represent

number of Senate members

100

number of senate members for each state

2

number of members in the house of representatives

435

length of term for senate

6 years, ⅓ increments

how the senate is a "continuous body"

All of its seats are never up for election at the same time

district

An area of a country or city, especially one regarded as a distinct unit because of a particular characteristic

President's power related to sessions of Congress

Article II Section 3 of the Constitution gives the President the power to prorogue (end) a session, but only when the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment. The president can also call Congress back into special session

partisan

Believe they owe their allegiance to their political party

politico

Combine the elements of the delegate, trustee, and partisan roles. They try to balance these often conflicting factors: their own view on what is best, the political facts of life, and the peculiar pressures of that time

how membership in congress is changing

Congress is becoming more diverse. Today, Congress includes more women than at any other point in history. Congress also varies in race as well as religion and family life. An overwhelming majority of 94% have college degrees and two thirds have advanced degrees

the most important job that members of Congress do

Cooperate to represent (and serve) the people (makes laws and policies for the country and it responds to demands of the voters)

trustee

Every question they face must be decided on its merits, conscience and judgement are their guides

term of office in Senate v. House of Representatives

House of Reps: at least 25, been a citizen for at least 7 years, be an inhabitant of the state for which he or she is elected, unlimited number of two year terms (as long as they get voted back in); Senators serve for a 6 year term and the Constitution puts no limit on the number of terms any senator may serve. House Representatives serve for two year terms.

Who decides which bills go on to floor consideration

In every session of Congress, proposed laws, known as bills, are referred to various committees in each chamber. As a committee members, senators and representatives must screen those proposals. They decide, in committee, which measures will go on to floor consideration--that is, be considered and acted upon by the full membership of the House or Senate.

privilege that Article I, Section 6 grants to members of Congress

It grants the privilege for Congress members to set their own salary, and they have immunity from civil lawsuits or other actions they do while in office. (so they can't be thrown into jail if a president disagrees with them)

qualifications for senate

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

informal qualifications for members of Senate

Party, name familiarity, gender, ethnic characteristics, and political experience

How many senators from a state are elected in any given election

Senators are now elected by popular vote in statewide elections, Only one senator is elected from a state during any given election, There are no limits on how many six-year terms a Senator can serve, Senate terms are staggered so that one third of them expire every two years.

what Article I, Section 6 does not apply to

They can still be arrested for serious crimes (treason, robbery, etc.)

bill

a draft of a proposed law presented to Congress for discussion

session of Congress

a session of congress is that period of time during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business. two sessions to each term of congress.

franking privilege

a well-known benefit that allows them to mail letters and other materials postage-free by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for the postage

delegate

agents of the people who elected them. they should represent the ideas of the people at home and vote according to what those people think, often willing to suppress their own views, ignore those of their party's leadership, and their colleagues and other outside interests.

Supreme Court decision in Wesberry v. Sanders

an abrupt end to rural overrepresentation in the House; The Supreme Court held that the Constitution demands that the States draw congressional districts of substantially equal populations "one person, one vote"

what Article I, Section 6 applies to

any civil suit having to do with something they did or said during their time as a legislator

floor consideration

be considered and acted upon by the full membership of the House or Senate

off-year election

congressional election that occurs between presidential election years. Mid term elections very important for majority vote in Congress

how the reapportionment act of 1929 affected the house of representatives

created a permanent size of 435 members, the Census Bureau is to decide the number of seats each state should have, when the Bureau's plan is ready, the President must send it to Congress, if both houses do not reject the Bureau's plan, it becomes effective

apportioned

distributed

at-large

elected from a State as a whole, rather than particular districts

term of Congress

lasts for two years and each of those years is numbered consecutively.

Congress

legislative branch of federal government

theoretical reason the framers chose a bicameral legislature

one house might act as a check to the other, a bicameral legislature would lessen the power of congress and prevent it from taking over the other branches of government (Jefferson was explaining this to Washington- the senate cools down the temperament of the house)

what the seats in house of representatives are divided according to

population of state

reapportion

redistribute

three benefits that members of Congress enjoy

special tax deduction, generous travel allowances, and generous retirement plans

historical reason the framers chose a bicameral legislature

the British parliament was made up of two houses, most Americans were familiar with this system, colonial assemblies and state leglislatures

incumbent

the current office holder

gerrymandered districts

the districts have been drawn out to the advantage of the political party that controls the State's legislature. It is done to concentrate the opposition's voters into a single district or to spread them out widely between multiple districts

constituencies

the people and interest the senators represent

oversight function

the process by which Congress, through its committees, checks to see that the executive branch agencies are carrying out the policies that Congress has set by law

practical reason the framers chose a bicameral legislature

two-chambered body because of the differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. Each of the states is equally represented in the Senate and representation is proportional to the size of the state in the House of Reps, reflection of federalism

single-member district

voters in each districts elect one of the state's representatives from among a field of candidates running for a seat in the House from that district