The U.S. Congress Article One of the Constitution

The U.S. CongressArticle One of the Constitution

4 Parts of the Constitution

• Articles (7)– 1. Legislative Branch– 2. Executive Branch– 3. Judicial Branch– 4. Relations Among States– 5. Provisions for Amendments– 6. Supreme Law– 7. Ratification

• Sections• Clauses• Amendments (27 Formal)

ARTICLE 1

• The Legislative Branch is commonly known as Congress.

• Congress is often called the first branch of Government.

• Bicameral Body (2 Houses)• Result of the Great Compromise

(Sherman)

ARTICLE 1

• Upper House– Senate (Vice-President Presides)

• Based on Equal Representation

• Lower House – House of Representatives (Speaker Presides)

• Based on Population• Closest to the people• It has the most powers

ARTICLE 1

• A term of Congress last 2 years– January 3rd at Noon (20th Amendment)– 2 Sessions in each term– Neither house may adjourn without the

consent of the other.

ARTICLE 1

• Special Sessions can be called by the President. (Not likely)

• Before WWII a session lasted on 4 or 5 months.

• FDR had to call one after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

• The last was called by Truman in 1948 to deal with inflation and welfare.

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• 435 Members (based on Population)• 1st had only 65 seats (1 per 30,000)• Today 1 seat for about 720,000• Each state guaranteed at least one seat no

matter what its population.• 7 states currently have only one.

(4 delegates from Guam, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Samoa. 1 Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico)

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Requirements:

– 25 years old– 7 year citizen– Resident of the state you represent (does not

say you have to live in the district)

Blake Farenthold

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Term: 2 years

– All 435 are elected at the same time.

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Vocabulary

– Apportionment – The way the seats in the house are distributed among the states.

– Reapportionment – The way the seats are distributed among the states after each decennial census.

– Decennial – occurs every 10 years– Census – Government count of total U.S.

population every 10th year ending with a zero.

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Until the first Census could be held, the

constitution set the size of the House at 65. – After 1st Census the number was increased to

106.– By 1910 the size had grown to the current

number. It was too large for effective floor action so it was capped at this number by the Reapportionment act of 1929.

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Reapportionment Act of 1929

– Set the permanent size at 435– The Census Bureau determines the number of

seats each state will receive. – Bureau sends results to the President and he

sends it to Congress. – After 60 days, if neither house rejects it, it

becomes effective.

Reapportionment

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Congressional Elections

– Held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even numbered year. (All 50 States)

– Off Year Elections: Elections that occur in Non-Presidential election years.

Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives• Members of the House of Reps. Represent

districts (except for those who only have one). These are called single-member districts. Some states used At-Large Districts until 1842.

• Now State Legislatures are responsible for drawing districts. – This is a problem that leads to numerous

lawsuits.

Congressional Districts

Congressional Districts

• Gerrymandering – District lines were drawn to the advantage of the dominate political party that controlled the state legislatures.


– Censure: To formally condemn – Power of members of Congress to discipline members for improper conduct. Only 5 members of the house have been expelled.

Improper solicitation of funds,

inaccurate financial disclosure

statements, failure to pay taxes.

Charles Rangel – Dem NY


– Impeachment – To formally accuse (Just like Indict) The House of Representatives Impeaches (only the House of Reps.), the Senate convicts.

Article 1 Section 3: The Senate

• 2 Senators from Each State. There were 22 in the first Senate.

• Until 17th Amendment, Senators were elected by State Legislatures.

• Today there are 100 Senators


John Cornyn Ted Cruz


• Senators serve 6 year terms.• The terms are staggered. Only 1/3 are up

for election every 2 years.• The Senate is sometimes called a

continuous body. • The Senate is sometimes called the

World’s Most Exclusive Club.• The framers intended to make senators

less subject to pressures of public opinion.


• Qualifications– 30 Years Old– Citizen for 9 Years– An Inhabitant of the State He/She Represents.


• The Senate also has the power of censure. With 2/3rds vote, it may remove a member. (15 members have been expelled)

John Ensign (Rep) Nevada - Charged with financial

improprieties stemming from an extramarital affair.

Resigned before vote.

Article 1 - CONGRESS

• Congress does not represent a cross-section of the American people.– 20 Women in Senate– 78 Women in the House– Average age: 57– Minorities 19%– 41% are former lawyers (Now you know whats

wrong with it)

Article 1- CONGRESS

• Vocabulary– Constituents – the people of the state or

district an elected person represents.

Article 1- CONGRESS

• Traditional Roles– Legislators – people who make law– Committee Members – Oversee various

agencies to make sure they are working effectively.

– Servants of their constituents– Politicians

Article 1- CONGRESS

• How Members of Congress Vote On An Issue.– Trustee: vote based on the merit of the law,

not how the law is viewed by their constituents.

– Delegates: Vote based on how constituents think they should.

– Partisans: Vote based on stance taken by the party.

– Politicos: Combines the Trustee, Delegate, and Partisan elements.

Article 1- CONGRESS• Various Facts

– Avg. Salary - $174,000– Speaker Makes same as V.P.– Life and Health Insurance (Not Obamacare)– Tax Breaks for 2 Residences– Full Medical– Pension Plan– Office, Staff, Funds for running office– Franking Privileges – Free use of mail– Free Printing – Free Parking– Travel Allotments– Gyms, Swimming Pools, Saunas– Freedom from prosecution in certain cases (libel/slander)

Documents

The U.S. Congress Article One of the Constitution