Chapter 10
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• Objectives:
– Explain why the Constitution provides for a bicameral Congress.
– Describe a term of Congress.
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• Why It Matters:
– The Framers of the Constitution
created a Congress with two bodies: a small Senate and a much larger House of Representatives. Each Congress
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• Political Dictionary:
– Term
– Session – Adjourn – Prorogue
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• “Representative”
• Madison: “The first branch.”
– “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• A Bicameral Congress
– Historical
• British had two houses
• Most Colonies had two houses
– Practical
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• A Bicameral Congress (cont.)
– Theoretical
• “To cool it.”
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Section 1—The National
Legislature
• Terms and Sessions
– Two year terms. – Terms of Congress
• Noon of the 3rd day of January of every odd numbered year.
– Sessions
• Two sessions • Adjourns
Section 1—The National
Legislature
• Terms and Sessions (cont.)
– Special Sessions
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Objectives:
– Describe the size and the elective terms of the members of the House. – Explain how House seats are
reapportioned among the States after each census.
– Describe a typical congressional election and congressional district. – Analyze the formal and informal
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Why It Matters:
– The 435 members of the House of
Representatives represent districts of roughly equal populations but very
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Political Dictionary:
– Apportionment – Reapportion
– Off-year election
– Single-member district – At-large
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Size and Terms
– Size is set by Congress-435 since 1910 – Minimum of one representative per State. – “Unofficial” representatives.
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Reapportionment
– 1st Congress was 65 – Raised to 106 in 1792 – A Growing Nation
• Raised to 142 in 1800 • Raised to 186 in 1810
• 435 by 1912 (Arizona and New Mexico were added)
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Reapportionment (cont.)
– The Reapportionment Act of 1929
• Every ten years
• Permanent size of 435
• Represent about 675,000 citizens
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Congressional Elections
– Date—Since 1872, “first Tuesday,
following the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year.”
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Congressional Elections (cont.)
– Off-Year Elections
• Non-presidential election years.
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Congressional Elections (cont.)
– Districts
• 7 States with one representative • 428 divided among the rest.
• Single-member districts are the norm. • At-Large has occurred at times.
• Questions:
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Congressional Elections (cont.)
– Gerrymandering
• Can concentrate opposition in one or a few districts.
• Spread the opposition to make all districts open.
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Congressional Elections (cont.)
– Wesberry v. Sanders, 1964
• Established principle of equal representation.
• Later: One person---one vote principle. • Race cannot be the primary determinant
Section 2—The House of
Representatives
• Qualifications for House Members.
– 25 years of age.
– A U.S. citizen for 7 years.
– A inhabitant of the state from which they are elected.
Section 3—The Senate
• Objectives:
– Compare the size of the Senate to the size of the House of Representatives. – Describe how States have elected
senators in the past and present.
– Explain how and why a senator’s term differs from a representative’s term.
Section 3—The Senate
• Why It Matters:
– Each State has two seats in the Senate, the smaller and more prestigious house of Congress.
Senators are generally older and more experienced than representatives, and their longer terms offer some
Section 3—The Senate
• Political Dictionary:
Section 3—The Senate
• Size, Election, and Terms
– Size
• 1789—22 members • 1791—26 members • “Dispassionate.”
• Represent entire states.
– Election
Section 3—The Senate
• Size, Election, and Terms (cont.)
– Term
• 6 years
• Strom Thurmond-48 year record.
– Senator Robert Byrd—48 years in 2007
• Terms are staggered 33 or 34 each 2 year election.
• Continuous body.
Section 3—The Senate
• Qualification for Senators
– 30 years of age.
– Citizen of the U.S. for 9 years.
– An inhabitant of the State from which they are elected.
– Senate judges its own members.
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Objectives:
– Identify the personal and political
backgrounds of the current members of Congress.
– Describe the duties performed by those who serve in Congress.
– Describe the compensation and
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Why It Matters:
– Members of Congress must fill several roles as lawmakers, politicians, and
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Political Dictionary:
– Trustee – Partisan – Politico
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Personal and Political Backgrounds
– Not representative
– Median age of House is 55, Senate 60 – Mostly male. 68 women in House, 14
women in the Senate.
– 42 African Americans, 24 Hispanics, 5
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Personal and Political Backgrounds
(cont.)
– Most are married and average 2 children.
– 60% are Protestant, 30% Catholic, 6% Jewish.
– 1/3 of House and 1/2 of Senate are lawyers
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Personal and Political Backgrounds
(cont.)
– Most have political experience
• Senators average in second term • House members 4 terms
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• The Job
– Legislators
– Representatives of constituents – Committee members
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• The Job (cont.)
– Representatives of the people
• Trustees—independent judgment • Partisans
• Politicos—balancing act
– Committee Members
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Section 4—The Members of
Congress (112th)
• Compensation
– Salary + COLA
• $174,000
• Speaker=$223,500
• Senate president Pro Tempore=$193,400
– Non salary Compensation
Section 4—The Members of
Congress
• Compensation (cont.)
– The politics of pay
• Controversial
– Membership Privileges
