The Legislative Branch

Civic Civic

s s

The Legislative

Branch

• What are the two parts of What are the two parts of Congress?

Congress?

• Why did the framers decide two Why did the framers decide two houses in Congress?

houses in Congress?

• Who is your current House Who is your current House member?

member?

• Who are your current Senators? Who are your current Senators?

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Pair-Share

Historical:

Historical: The British Parliament consisted The British Parliament consisted of two houses since the 1300s, and many

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

colonial assemblies were similar in form.

Practical:

Practical: A bicameral legislature was A bicameral legislature was necessary to

necessary to compromisecompromise the Virginia and the Virginia and New Jersey plans of representation.

New Jersey plans of representation.

Theoretical:

Theoretical: The Framers favored a The Framers favored a bicameral Congress in order that

bicameral Congress in order that one house one house

The Constitution creates a bicameral legislature for three reasons:

Two Houses of Congress

A A termterm is the is the length of time length of time that officials serve that officials serve after an election, as in a

after an election, as in a twotwo or or sixsix-year term.-year term.

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The date for the start of each new term The date for the start of each new term

has been set by the

has been set by the 20 20

Amendment Amendment (1933) as “noon of the

(1933) as “noon of the 3rd 3rd day of day of January” of every

January” of every odd odd -numbered -numbered year.

year.

Terms

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

• Congress adjourns, or suspends until the next session, each regular session as it sees fit.

• If necessary, the President has the power to

prorogue, or adjourn, a session, but only when the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment.

• Only the President may call Congress into a special session—a meeting to deal with some emergency

situation.

Sessions of Congress

Comparative Government;

Legislative Bodies

The House of Representative

s

• The exact size of the The exact size of the House of

House of

Representatives, Representatives,

currently at

currently at 435435

members, is determined members, is determined by by CongressCongress..

• The Constitution provides The Constitution provides that the total number of that the total number of seats in the House shall seats in the House shall be be apportionedapportioned

(distributed) among the (distributed) among the

States

States on the basis of on the basis of their respective

their respective populations

populations.. ⁸⁸

 Members of the Members of the HouseHouse of Representatives

of Representatives serve

serve two-year termstwo-year terms..

 Although there have Although there have

been recent movements been recent movements

to limit terms, there are to limit terms, there are nono limitslimits set on the set on the

number of terms a number of terms a

representative may representative may

serve.

serve.

Size and Terms of the House

Article I of the Constitution directs Congress Article I of the Constitution directs Congress to reapportionto reapportion——redistributeredistribute—the seats in —the seats in

the House after each decennial

the House after each decennial censuscensus..

 As the United States As the United States grew in grew in population population , the , the number of

number of representatives representatives in the House also in the House also grew.

grew.

 The Reapportionment Act of 1929 The Reapportionment Act of 1929 set the set the

“ “ permanent permanent ” size of the House at ” size of the House at 435 435

Reapportionment

Current Apportionment

• Congressional elections are held on Congressional elections are held on the the Tuesday Tuesday following the first following the first

Monday in

Monday in November November of each even- of each even- numbered year.

numbered year.

• Off-year elections Off-year elections are those are those congressional elections held

congressional elections held between between presidential elections.

presidential elections.

Congressional Elections

• Under the single-Under the single- member

member districtdistrict arrangement, the arrangement, the

voter’s in each voter’s in each

district elect

district elect oneone of of the State’s

the State’s

representatives.

representatives.

• The general-ticket The general-ticket system, no longer in system, no longer in

use, provided that use, provided that

all of a State’s seats all of a State’s seats

were filled

were filled at-largeat-large..

• Districts that have Districts that have unusual unusual shapes

shapes or even defy or even defy

description have sometimes description have sometimes

been

been gerrymandered.gerrymandered.

• Gerrymandering refers to Gerrymandering refers to the act of

the act of drawing drawing

congressional districts

congressional districts to to the advantagethe advantage of the of the

political

political partyparty that controls that controls the State legislature.

the State legislature.

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Districts and Gerrymandering

• What is What is the the

opinion of opinion of the author the author

of this of this

cartoon?

cartoon?

14

Gerrymandering Political

Cartoon

SECTION 16

• The Constitution says that a member of the The Constitution says that a member of the House

House

(1) must be at least

(1) must be at least 2525 years of age, years of age,

(2) must have been a citizen of the United (2) must have been a citizen of the United

States for at least

States for at least seven yearsseven years, and, and (3) must have been an

(3) must have been an inhabitant inhabitant of the State of the State from which he or she is elected.

from which he or she is elected.

• The realities of politics also require some The realities of politics also require some informal

informal qualificationsqualifications, such as , such as partyparty

Qualifications for House

Members

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The Senate

• The Constitution says that the Senate “shall be The Constitution says that the Senate “shall be composed of

composed of twotwo Senators from each Senators from each StateState.” .”

Today’s Senate consists of

Today’s Senate consists of 100100 Senators Senators..

• Originally, the Constitution provided that Originally, the Constitution provided that

senators were chosen by the State legislatures.

senators were chosen by the State legislatures.

• In 1912 the Seventeenth In 1912 the Seventeenth AmendmentAmendment was was passed and called for the

passed and called for the popular electionpopular election of of senators.

senators.

• Senators serve for Senators serve for sixsix-year terms-year terms..

• The Senate is a The Senate is a continuous bodycontinuous body, meaning , meaning that all of its seats are never up for election at that all of its seats are never up for election at he same time.

he same time.

Size, Election and Terms

• James Madison argued James Madison argued that the Senate was

that the Senate was more important than more important than

the House because the the House because the

longer terms

longer terms in office in office support

support continuity continuity in in law making

law making

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• The The requirements requirements for the U.S. Senate are for the U.S. Senate are higher

higher than for the House of Representatives.than for the House of Representatives.

• The Constitution says that a Senator The Constitution says that a Senator (1) must be at least

(1) must be at least 3030 years of age, years of age,

(2) must have been a citizen of the United (2) must have been a citizen of the United

States for at least

States for at least nine yearsnine years, and, and (3) must be an

(3) must be an inhabitant inhabitant of the State from of the State from which he or she is elected.

which he or she is elected.

Qualification for Senators

• There are ______ reasons for why we have a There are ______ reasons for why we have a

bicameral legislature. A bicameral legislature was bicameral legislature. A bicameral legislature was

needed to ________________ the Virginia and New needed to ________________ the Virginia and New Jersey Plans, & so that one house might act as a Jersey Plans, & so that one house might act as a

________ on the other. Only the _______________ may ________ on the other. Only the _______________ may

call Congress into a __________ _____________.

call Congress into a __________ _____________.

Districts that have

Districts that have unusual unusual shapes or even defy shapes or even defy description have sometimes been

description have sometimes been __________________.

__________________. In order to run for the House In order to run for the House of _______________ you must be ____ years old and of _______________ you must be ____ years old and

be a citizen for at least _____ years. House be a citizen for at least _____ years. House

members serve ___-year terms. The number of members serve ___-year terms. The number of

representatives is based on ______________ of each representatives is based on ______________ of each

state. The qualifications to become a state. The qualifications to become a

______________ include; must be ___ years old and ______________ include; must be ___ years old and

must be an _____________ of the state. Senators must be an _____________ of the state. Senators

serve ___-year terms. There are no ____ limits for serve ___-year terms. There are no ____ limits for

both the House and the Senate. There are ___

both the House and the Senate. There are ___

Senators per state.

Senators per state. ²²²²

Wrap-Up Review

• There are There are threethree reasons for why we have a reasons for why we have a

bicameral legislature. A bicameral legislature was bicameral legislature. A bicameral legislature was

needed to

needed to compromisecompromise the Virginia and New the Virginia and New

Jersey Plans, & so that one house might act as a Jersey Plans, & so that one house might act as a

check

check on the other. Only the on the other. Only the PresidentPresident may call may call Congress into a

Congress into a special sessionspecial session. Districts that have . Districts that have unusual

unusual shapes or even defy description have shapes or even defy description have sometimes been

sometimes been gerrymandered.gerrymandered. In order to run In order to run for the House of

for the House of RepresentativesRepresentatives you must be you must be 2525 years old and be a citizen for at least

years old and be a citizen for at least 77 years. years.

House members serve

House members serve 22-year terms. The number -year terms. The number of representatives is based on

of representatives is based on populationpopulation of each of each state. The qualifications to become a

state. The qualifications to become a Senator Senator include; must be

include; must be 3030 years old and must be an years old and must be an inhabitant

inhabitant of the state. Senators serve of the state. Senators serve sixsix-year -year

Wrap-Up Review KEY