THE LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
The Senate & The House of Representatives
Two Houses of Congress
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The legislative branch makes the country’s laws
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Constitution states that Congress shall be composed of two houses
• Senate
• House of Representatives
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Both small and large states would be fairly represented
• House of Representatives based on state population
• Each state represented equally in Senate (2 senators)
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Each house can check the actions of the other
• Prevents Congress from passing laws too hastily
House of Representatives
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Fixed number of 435
•
Number of representatives each state has
is based on that state’s population
•
After every census (10 years), Congress
determines how each state will be
represented
•
How will those 435 seats be divided up
among the states?
Congressional Districts
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Representatives are elected by voters
in a congressional district
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State legislatures must divide the
state into as many districts as it has
representatives
•
•
(13 representatives = 13 districts)
District boundaries must be drawn so
that each district is approx. equal in
population
Congressional Districts
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Some politicians draw district lines that favor a
certain political party or group of people
•
Gerrymandering
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For example, Democrats may draw district lines
that place Democratic voters as the majority in
those districts so they can get more votes
•
Republicans might draw district lines to gain
more white voters or keep out black voters
Electing Representatives
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Representatives are elected every
two years
•
Serve two year terms
•
Can serve as long as they are reelected (no term limits)
•
 Walter Jones, 3rd District, in office
since 1995
The Senate
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Each state, regardless of size, has two senators
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100 members, 2 from each of the 50 states
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Senators represent the entire state
•
Elected every six years
•
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Only 1/3 of the Senate is up for reelection every 2 years
1995- Supreme Court ruled that term limits for senators are unconstitutional
•
People have a right to choose their federal lawmakers- term limits infringe upon this right
Qualifications
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Representatives:
25 years old
• U.S. citizen for 7 years
• Legal resident of the state he/she represents
•
•
Senators
30 years old
• U.S. citizen for 9 years
• Legal resident of the state he/she represents
•
•
Ratio of women and ethnic minorities in Congress still well below percentages in the actual
population
Salary & Benefits
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Yearly salary of $145,100
•
The power of Congress to set its own salary was hotly debated
•
27th Amendment- no increase in pay can take place until after the next
congressional election
•
Allows voters to respond by voting for or against members who supported a pay
increase
Salary & Benefits
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Offices in the Capitol Building and receive an allowance to pay staff members
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Free trips to home states, other allowances
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Franking Privilege- can mail official letters or packages free of charge
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Immunity- cannot be arrested in a meeting of Congress, or on their way to or from a
meeting
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Ensures members of Congress are not kept from doing their jobs
Cannot be sued for what they say while speaking to Congress- freedom to debate
Rules of Conduct
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Senate and the House have a right to
decide who can become a member of
Congress
•
•
Debates over elected members rarely
happen
Congress has set rules of conduct for its
members
•
•
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Cannot use campaign finances for personal
expenses
Limit to the amount of outside income they
can receive
Must make a full disclosure of their financial
holdings
Rules of Conduct
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Expulsion- serious misconduct may
result in a member of Congress being
removed from office
•
•
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Two-thirds vote of whatever house it is
Usually a result of serious offenses
Vote of Censure- formal disproval of a
member’s actions
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Must stand alone in front of whatever
house it is and listen to the charges
brought against them
?
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How are states represented in the Senate? How are they represented in the House of
Representatives?
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Why is it possible that a state’s representatives in the House might change every 10 years?
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What is gerrymandering?
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When are senators elected? Why do they not have term limits?
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What is the significance of the 27th Amendment?