Article 1: The Legislative BranchChapter 6 Section 1

Article I=The Legislative Branch

Section I: Legislative Powers

Legislative Department = Law Making Branch

HOR+SEN= Congress, 535 Members

Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature which included the

Senate= Upper House

House of Representatives= Lower House

The framers of the Constitution wanted this to be the most powerful branch.

Terms in Congress

Each Congress = 2 years

Term starts Jan. 3 of odd years and given a #2011-2013 = 112th Congress

Calender

Sessions

• 2 sessions per term.• Usually from Jan.- Nov.• Will meet for special circumstances/ emergency • Joint Session- when both HOR and SEN meet

together

Section II: House of Representatives

435 Members

Clause I: Representatives serve 2 year terms and have no term limits

Clause II: Qualifications25 years of age

Be a citizen for at least 7 years

Maintain residence in which state that which you represent

Section II: House of Representatives

Clause III: Determining the # of Representatives

Each state is allotted at least one Representative

No more than 1 Rep. per 30,000 people

Census every 10 years will determine the allotted # of Reps.

Section II: House of Representatives

Clause IV: Filling VacanciesIf a Representative is unable to fulfill his duties as Reps then a Writs of Election will be issued to order a special election.

Section II: House of Representatives

Clause VSpeaker of the House is elected by the representatives. Typically belongs to the majority party.

Sets the HOR calendar. Gives power to the majority party.

Currently John Boehner

60 minutes

Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi

Section II: House of Representatives

Clause V cont.

House is given the power of impeachmentBringing charges against an official

Nixon's Impeachment

Congressional Districts

Each state is divided into at least 1 or more districts.

State legislatures draw the boundaries so that they include roughly equal number of constituents.

States abuse this process by gerrymandering which is an oddly shaped district to increase the strength of a certain party.

Ex) district 12

NC Representatives; Dist. 9& 12

http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Sue Myrick, R, District 9

Mel Watt, D, District 12

Perks of being a Congressman

$174,000 salary for both Representatives and Senators

Free parking, office space, trips to their home state, free job related mail, gym membership, medical clinic, restaurant deals, and low cost life insurance.