Transcript Government

Government
Unit 3: The
Legislative Branch
The Role of Congress
1. What are factors that could influence you
when you vote?
2. What are characteristics you want in a person
who represents you?
3. Have you ever gone along with other people,
even though you disagree with them? When
and Why?
4. If you could make a law right now, what would
it be? Why do you want this law?
The Role of Congress
1. Making Laws
• Personal Beliefs- How do I
feel about this new law?
• Constituents’ InterestsWhat do the people who
elected me want?
• Interest Groups and
Lobbyists- These people are
promising support if I agree
with them.
• Party Loyalty- I’m a
Democrat...shouldn’t I vote for
what other Democrats are
supporting?
What was John
F. Kennedy’s
opinion about
where his
loyalty should
be when
making laws?
The Role of Congress
2. Overseeing Agencies (OVERSIGHT)
•
Investigating govt. agencies.
•
Oversight has been called the “neglected
function” of Congress.
What do you think
“neglected function”
means?
The Role of Congress
3. Helping
Constituents
•
Congressmen listen
to and help the people
in his state or district.
These people are
called “constituents.”
A congressman is
listening to the
concerns
of his constituents
Open-book Quiz
Read the “Gerrymandering” section
on page 100 of your textbook.
1. Summarize the information about
gerrymandering.
2. Answer the question in the caption of
the map of Louisiana on page 101.
Answer in complete sentences
Vocabulary
• Census- population count
• Apportion- to distribute.
• Franking Privilege- free mail (postage)
• Immunity- legal protection
(can’t be detained by police for minor
infractions if on the way to work.)
• Impeach- to formally bring charges
against
Bill Clinton was
impeached, but
was not voted out
of office
The census is taken every 10 years.
We use the population info. for redistricting
purposes. If there is population increase
in an area, Congress will apportion
more Congressmen.
Why is the district shaped like a paint splatter?
What are some of the cities in our district?
Congress At Work
VS.
Who would you
vote for?
Sometimes we
struggle to find
good candidates.
US Capitol
Building
Where Congress
meets
Vocabulary (Ch. 6.1)
•Quorum- a majority (over 50%) members
must be present for vote to count.
•Term Limit- President can serve twice.
Congress has NO term limit.
•Incumbent- current officeholder...usually
has better chance of being re-elected.
•Censure- strong disciplinary action against
Congressman
•Expulsion- removal from office-requires 2/3
vote
Expelled in 2002 after
being convicted of taking
bribes and tax evasion.
Served in prison until
2009.
Newt Gingrich
Former Speaker
of the House.
Censured for
alleged tax
violations. Fined
$300,000...He
was later cleared
by the IRS.
James Traficant
Congressional Leadership
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
Speaker of the House
Most Powerful position—resides over House. Controls
floor debates and assigns legislation to committees.
Majority Floor Leader
Minority Floor Leader
Each party chooses their leader; serves as an assistant to the Speaker.
The 2nd most influential member of House; acts as party spokesperson.
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Monitors and influences his party’s members vote on legislation
Congressional Leadership
Senate
Tie-breaking vote
Vice President of the US
The formal head of the Senate.
The longest serving member
of the majority party
President Pro Tempore
Majority Floor Leader
Minority Floor Leader
Each party chooses their leader; serves as an assistant to the Speaker.
The 2nd most influential member of House; acts as party spokesperson.
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Monitors and influences his party’s members vote on legislation
Warm Up Quiz
• What is it called when a Congressman is
formally charged with an offense?
• What is needed in order for a vote in
Congress to be valid?
• This happens every 10 years and helps to
determine how Congress is apportioned.
• What is the term that is used for a current
officeholder?
• The Vice President is the head of which
house of Congress?
Current Congress
Speaker of the
House- John
Boehner (R-OH)
President Pro
Tempore- Patrick
Leahy (D-VY)
Channelview
Representatives
- Gene Green
district 29 (D) &
Steve Stockman
district 36 (R)
Senate Majority
Leader- Harry
Reid
(D-NV)
Texas
SenatorJohn Cornyn
(R)
Texas SenatorTed Cruz (R)
The Committee System
• 2 General Classes of Committees
− Authorizing- Establishes Public Policies
− Appropriations- Determines how to pay for
policies
Each house has many Authorizing committees but
only one Appropriations committee.
Examples of Committees:
HOUSE (19 Total)
SENATE (16 Total)
•Agriculture
•Armed Services
•Energy and Natural Resources
•Veterans’ Affairs
•Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
5 Categories of Committees
• Standing Committees- The Permanent
Committees.
• Subcommittees- Standing committees are
broken into these more specialized committees.
• Select Committees- Created to deal with special
issues not covered by standing committees.
• Joint Committees- Made up of members of both
House and Senate working together.
• Conference Committees- Temporary; meant to
work out compromises between two houses.
How a Bill Becomes a Law
President Obama is
shown here signing
a bill into law
What is wrong with these people?
• Interest group- people with similar goals
that band together to become a stronger
voice.
− Criticism: They try to influence voting
behavior sometimes through campaign
donations.
− Examples: AARP, Greenpeace, NRA, NOW,
PETA.....Do you know these
organizations?
• “Home Cookin”- Sometimes Congressmen
try to get benefits for only their
district...this is called PORK-BARREL
Spending.
The Pig Book
The Congressional Pig Book is CAGW's annual
compilation of the pork-barrel projects in the federal
budget. The 2009 Pig Book identified 10,160 projects at a
cost of $19.6 billion in the 12 Appropriations Acts for fiscal
2009. A "pork" project is a line-item in an appropriations
bill that designates tax dollars for a specific purpose in
circumvention of established budgetary procedures.
Actual Year 2009 EXAMPLES:
•$800,000 for the University of South Alabama for oyster rehabilitation
• $550,000 for the Chesapeake Bay office for blue crab research
•$7,100,000 for the conservation of endangered Hawaiian sea turtles.
• $250,000 for tuna tagging and research program at the Monterey Bay
Aquarium.
•$50,000 earmark for a tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo
•$550,000 for Dr. Seuss Memorial
Pork Barrel Pig
Why do you
think a Pig is
the symbol for
nationally
funded
spending
projects?
Quiz
• What is the role of the Appropriations
Committee?
• Which man is Channelview’s Rep.?
• What is a candidate who is currently in
office called?
• What is a criticism of Interest Groups?
• What is Pork Barrel spending?
• What is it called when district boundaries
are drawn like paint splatters?