Ch10 Sec 1 Govt.

Reasons we have a Bicameral
Congress!!

⚫ Historical – British had it! We tried it and

it worked in most colonies.

⚫ Practical – Compromise in the

Constitutional Convention

⚫ Theoretical – Checks and Balances and

Separation of Powers

Article I of the Constitution creates the

legislative branch (congress)

Characteristics of Members of Congress

⚫ There are 535 members of Congress

⚫ They are not a representative cross

section of the American people.

Characteristics of Members of

117th Congress

House of Representatives
Senate

⚫ 212 Republicans, 220 Democrats, and

3 vacancies

⚫ 123 Females, 4 delegates

⚫ 236 Protestant, 134 Catholic, 25

Jewish, 6 Morman, 3 Muslim, 2 Hindu

⚫ 56 African-Americans

⚫ 35 Hispanics

⚫ 13 Asian-Americans

⚫ 5 Native Americans

⚫ 14 physicians, 141 lawyers, 40 MBA

⚫ longest serving - 59 years

⚫ 9 openly LGBT

⚫ 48 Democrats & 50 Republicans; 2

Independents

⚫ 24 Females
⚫ 58 Protestant, 24 Catholic, 8 Jewish, 3

Morman, 1 Buddist

⚫ 3 physicians

⚫ 6 Hispanics

⚫ 2 Asian-Americans

3 African Americans

⚫ 33 lawyers, 4 physicians, 3 Ph.D

⚫ Served the longest today - 47 years

⚫ Served the longest ever - 51 years, 5

months

Characteristics of Members of 117th

Congress

⚫ Nearly all are married
⚫ Average age is 58.4 in HR; 64.3 in Senate
⚫ HR 96% college degrees; 18 no college
⚫ Senate 100% college degrees
⚫ Several are millionaires
⚫ Most have had considerable political

experience

⚫ 85 teachers in House; 28 teachers in Senate
⚫ 55 lawyers in S; 67 lawyers in HR
⚫ Protestants are a majority; 90.7% Christians
⚫ Average yrs. In Senate 11 yr.; HR 8.9 yr.

Women in Congress

House of

Representatives

Senate

Dianne Feinstein

Nancy Pelosi

Shelia Jackson

Maxine Waters

Deb Fischer

Elizabeth Warren

Oldest and Youngest

Senate

House of Representatives

Jon Ossoff 39

Dianne Feinstein 89

Chuck Grassley - 88

Madison Cawthorn - 27

Four Ways a Lawmaker can vote

1.
Trustee: Believe that each question they
face must be decided on its merits

2.
Delegate: Act as the agent of the people
that elected them.

3.
Partisan: Vote how their political party
wants them to vote.

4.
Politicos: Attempts to combine trustee,
delegate and partisan ways.

Legislator

⚫ Make laws

⚫ Screen and study bills
BILL – proposed laws

Congressperson’s Job

Committee Member

Servants

⚫ They screen proposed laws and

decide which bills will go to the
floor for vote.

⚫ Oversight function:

Congressional committees
check to see that the various
agencies in the executive
branch are working effectively
& acting in line with the
policies of that Congress has
set by law.

⚫ Try to help constituents with

problems such as Social
Security benefits; a passport
application; ect.

⚫ Secure a government contract

⚫ Getter-outer of Armed Forces

⚫ Recommend someone to a

Military academy

⚫ Law explainer

⚫ Find lost luggage

⚫ Constituents: The people you

represent

The Job of a Congress Person

⚫ Legislator

⚫ Representative

⚫ Committee member

⚫ Servants of their

constituents

⚫ politicians

Kevin McCarty
Minority leader
of the House

Chuck Schumer
Senate Minority
Leader

Mitch
McConnell
Majority Leader

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House

Compensation

Salary

⚫ $174,000 a year

⚫ Speaker of the House

gets $223,500 a year

⚫ President Pro temp of

the Senate and Majority
& Minority Leaders of
both houses receive
$194,400 a year

Nonsalary

Compensation

⚫ Special tax deduction

⚫ Generous travel

allowances

⚫ Pay small amounts for life

and health insurance

⚫ Full medical care at very

low rates at military
hospitals

⚫ Offices and office staff

⚫ Franking privilege: free

postage for mailings
related to congressional
work.

Terms and Sessions of Congress

⚫ Term: two-year period of

time during which Congress
meets

⚫ Session:period of time

during which, each year, Congress
assembles and conducts business.

⚫ Convenes: start a new

session

⚫ Adjourns:suspends

⚫ Prorogue: adjourns

⚫ Recess:a time when both

houses of Congress
temporarily suspend business

⚫ Special Session: an

extraordinary session of a
legislative body, called to deal
with a emergency situation

Membership Privileges

⚫ “privileged from arrest during their

attendance at the session of Congress”
There because in old England, king’s
officers harassed legislators on petty
grounds.

⚫ “Speech or Debate Clause” – Protects

congressmen from suits of libel or slander
arising out of their official conduct.