PowerPoint PresentationOverviewStructureSlide 4Slide 5DemographicsSlide 7Slide 8Slide 9PowersProceduresPrestigeOrganizationSlide 14Party System in HouseParty System in SenateParty in CongressCommittee SystemSlide 19Slide 20Slide 21Functions of CongressSlide 23Legislative ProcessSlide 25RepresentationSlide 27Slide 28Slide 29ReapportionmentRedistrictingGerrymanderSlide 33Slide 34Slide 35ElectionsSlide 37Slide 38Useful LinksOverview•Structure•Organization•Functions–Legislative Process–Representation•Reapportionment and Redistricting•Gerrymandering•Elections/Demographics/DemocracyStructureCongressHouse of RepresentativesSenateStructureCongressHouse of RepresentativesSenate435 members2 year termlocal districts100 members6 year termstateStructureCongressHouse of RepresentativesSenateMust be 25 years oldUS citizen for 7 yearsResident of stateMust be 30 years oldUS citizen for 9 yearsResident of stateDemographicsCongressHouse of Representatives (435)Senate(100)257 Democratic178 Republican56 Democratic41 Republicans2 Independents1 race undecided yetDemographicsCongressHouse of Representatives (435)Senate(100)360 Men75 Women83 Men17 Women**Highest total everDemographicsCongressHouse of Representatives (435)Senate(100)364 White42 Black25 Hispanic4 Asian94 White1 Black3 Hispanic2 AsianDemographicsCongressHouse of Representatives (435)Senate(100)Average age: 57Average Age: 62PowersCongressHouse of RepresentativesSenateImpeach federal officalsOriginates all revenue raising billsConvict federal officals forimpeachable offensesAdvise and Consent role on presidential powersProceduresCongressHouse of RepresentativesSenateMore formal rulesMore partisanFewer rules and restrictionsMore individualisticPrestigeCongressHouse of RepresentativesSenateMore local/regional power baseMore local media exposureGreater national leadershipMore national media exposureOrganization•Both chambers rely on two overlapping organizational features to get work done:–The Party System–The Committee SystemOrganization•Parties determine leadership in both chambers•Leadership determines committee structure and assignmentsParty System in House•Majority Elects–Speaker–Leader–Whips•Minority Elects–Leader–WhipsOfficial House Leadership Webpages: http://www.house.gov/house/orgs_pub_hse_ldr_www.shtml Campaign Finance of Leadership http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/index.aspNancy Pelosi(D, CA)John Boehner(R, OH)Party System in Senate•Majority elects:–President Pro Tempore–Leader–Whips•Minority Elects–Leader–WhipsOfficial Senate Leadership Webpages:http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/a_three_sections_with_teasers/leadership.htmCampaign Finance of Leadershiphttp://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/index.asp President of the Senate(Vice President)Mitch McConnell (R, KY)Robert Byrd (D, VA)Harry Reid(D, NV)Party in Congress•Over the past 20 years we have seen a marked increase in partisan divide in Congress•Party unity scores (the number of times that members of party vote with other members of the party) have increased dramatically•Bipartisan agreements are more difficult to obtain (e.g., stimulus package vote)Committee System•Three (3) types of committees–Standing–Select–JointCommittee System•Three (3) types of committees–Standing•Semi-Permanent (they can be changed, but rarely are) committees in House and Senate devoted to relatively narrow area of public policylinks: http://www.house.gov/house/CommitteeWWW.shtmlhttp://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_with_teasers/committees_home.htmCommittee System•Three (3) types of committees–Select•Temporary committee established for a limited time period and for a specific purpose–House select committeeshttp://www.house.gov/house/CommitteeWWW.shtml–Senate select committeeshttp://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_with_teasers/committees_home.htmCommittee System•Three (3) types of committees–Joint•Legislative committee composed of members of both chambers of Congress•Most common is the “Conference Committee” which reconciles competing House and Senate versions of a billFunctions of Congress•Lawmaking•Representation•Constituent Service•Oversight•Public Education•Conflict ResolutionFunctions of Congress•Lawmaking–Enumerated Powers (most are in Article I, section 8)–Implied powers of “necessary and proper” clauseLegislative Process•Click here for a quick video description of the legislative processlink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dVo3nbLYC0Representation•Basic Theories of Representation–Delegate:Elected official attempts to determine as best as possible the views of the electorate and vote accordinglyRepresentation–Trustee: Elected official attempts to determine what is in the best interest of the electorate and vote accordinglyRepresentation•Politico: Combination of the preceding twoRepresentation•Representation in the House requires states to divide themselves into legislative districts, based on a number determined by the state’s population–Each state required (Art. I, clause 3) to have at least one (1) representativeReapportionment•Up through 1910 census, size of the House membership expanded as the population expanded•1911 Congress capped the membership at 435, so since 1920 census Congress must reapportion seats among the states to reflect shifts in population growth ratesRedistricting•Redrawing legislative districts within states to reflect population shifts and reapportionment results•Occurs every 10 years, after the decennial census•Next census is 2010•Districts are drawn according to state government plans (some states use the legislature, some use special “commissions”Gerrymander•Drawing congressional districts for partisan advantageGerrymanderPacking1234GerrymanderCracking1234Redistricting•Since the 1960s though, districts are required to contain roughly the same number of people–Baker v. Carr (1964)–Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)–Drawing gerrymandered districts is more difficult now than it was, but it can still be doneElections•Impact of districting:–fewer “competitive” seats•2008 New Jersey datahttp://www.opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=NJ&year=2006–higher re-election rates for incumbents•see chart in text for data from 1946 through the 2004 election•2008 results: 95.3% of incumbents reelectedElections•Other factors contributing to incumbent