Name ______________________________
Participation in Government
The Legislative Branch: Members of Congress
Date _____________
Per ________
Objectives
• List the responsibilities of lawmaking
• Describe the day of a member of Congress at work
• Explore the jobs of representatives and senators
• Identify the requirements, and benefits for being a representative or senator
Vocabulary – Define the following terms
1. constituents
2. bill
3. interest groups
4. lobbyists
5. congressional districts
Guided Reading Questions – Read pgs. 211-217 in Civics: Government and Economics in
Action and answer the following questions.
The Responsibilities of Lawmaking
Local versus National Needs
1. A major responsibility of a congressman is to his/her constituents. Why?
2. What is a conflict some representatives/senators sometimes face?
Political Parties
3. What do political parties expect of representatives/senators into Congress?
4. Give an example of an issue representatives/senators face in Congress. (Use the one in the
book!)
Interest Groups
5. What is the purpose of interest groups?
6. By supporting a particular interest group’s goals, what does a representative receive in return?
Factors in Decision Making
7. Hundreds of bills are proposed each year. He or she must consider the following:
•
•
•
•
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Servants of the People
8. What makes a member of Congress a “servant of the people?”
Members of Congress at Work
9. List some of the things a member of Congress will do on a day-to-day basis.
Representatives and Senators
Representatives
10. What is the purpose of the census in regards to representation?
11. What is the average amount of people in each district across the nation?
12. How long is a term for representatives?
13. How many times can a representative be reelected?
Senators
14. Senators focus on the ______________________________________, not just one district.
15. How long is a senator’s term?
16. Why did the framers of the Constitution want senators’ terms to overlap?
Requirements, Salary, and Benefits
17. Members of Congress must live where?
18. How old?
Senators
Representatives
19. Must be a citizen of the U.S. for at least
how many years?