1. How Congress Works:
Art. I Sections 4-7

2. Article I Sect. 4: Elections & Meeting
Times
Who is responsible to hold the elections for Congress?

3. Article I Sect. 4: Elections & Meeting
Times
Who is responsible to hold the elections for Congress?
- the state legislatures, BUT Congress can regulate the
elections as it chooses
How often is Congress to meet?

4. Article I Sect. 4: Elections & Meeting
Times
Who is responsible to hold the elections for Congress?
- the state legislatures, BUT Congress can regulate the
elections as it chooses, and there are plenty of national
laws regulating how elections will be held
How often is Congress to meet?
- At least once every year
- Amendment XX changed the first day of meeting from the
first Monday in December to noon on Jan. 3 (or another
day as specified by Congress) following the most recent
November election

5. Article I Section 5: Proceedings
Discipline: Each house makes its own rules and judges its
own members
What are the advantages & disadvantages of this?

6. Article I Section 5: Proceedings
Discipline: Each house makes its own rules and judges its
own members
What are the pros and cons of this?
- pro: other branches of govt can't force their will on
Congress
- con: members are reluctant to judge one another for fear of
reprisals
A two-thirds majority is needed to expel a member of either
house
What's a quorum?

7. Article I Section 5: Proceedings
Discipline: Each house makes its own rules and judges its
own members
What are the pros and cons of this?
- pro: other branches of govt can't force their will on
Congress
- con: members are reluctant to judge one another for fear of
reprisals
A two-thirds majority is needed to expel a member of either
house
What's a quorum? The number needed in order to conduct
business; must be a simple majority (just over half present)
for both houses

8. Art. I Sect. 5 cont
What does Congress do when a vote needs to be taken and
there isn't a quorum?

9. Art. I Sect. 5 cont
What does Congress do when a vote needs to be taken and
there isn't a quorum?
- a quorum call is issued and the sergeant-at-arms brings in
the absent members

10. Art. I Sect. 5 cont
What does Congress do when a vote needs to be taken and
there isn't a quorum?
- a quorum call is issued and the sergeant-at-arms brings in
the absent members
What is the name of the journal kept by each house?

11. Art. I Sect. 5 cont
What does Congress do when a vote needs to be taken and
there isn't a quorum?
- a quorum call is issued and the sergeant-at-arms brings in
the absent members
What is the name of the journal kept by each house?
- The Congressional Record
Note: Votes can be kept secret, but if 1/5 of those present
request a written record of the vote, then it will be
recorded.
Also, members can revise their speeches before putting
them in the Record, so this isn't as helpful as it once was
Has anyone watched Congress on C-SPAN?

12. Art. I Sect. 5
What does the Constitution say about how Congress can
adjourn?

13. Art. I Sect. 5
What does the Constitution say about how Congress can
adjourn?
- Neither house can adjourn for more than 3 days without the
consent of the other house.
Why did the Founders include this?

14. Art. I Sect. 5
What does the Constitution say about how Congress can
adjourn?
- Neither house can adjourn for more than 3 days without the
consent of the other house.
Why did the Founders include this?
- to prevent one house from stopping all progress, which can
be a temptation when the houses are controlled by
different parties. Both houses have to meet in their
designated places, too.
Witness what happened in Wisconsin last year; the
Democratic legislators left the state so they wouldn't have
to vote on anti-union legislation.

15. Art. I Sect. 6: Salary
Senators & Representatives receive salaries for their work in
Congress
Current salaries:
- Senators & Representatives: $174,000/year
- Speaker of the House: $223,500
- Majority & Minority Leaders: $193,400
What's a COLA?

16. Art. I Sect. 6: Salary
Senators & Representatives receive salaries for their work in
Congress
Current salaries:
- Senators & Representatives: $174,000/year
- Speaker of the House: $223,500
- Majority & Minority Leaders: $193,400
What's a COLA?
- Cost of Living Adjustment = made every year unless
Congress votes not to accept it
- Ask your parents the last time they received a COLA

17. Art. I Sect. 6: Salary cont.
In addition to their salaries, members of Congress receive
other benefits such as:
- budget to hire staff & run their office
- franking privilege = the government pays for their mailings
- retirement & health care plans, free parking in DC, etc.
- may earn up to 15% of their salary from outside sources
such as speaking fees and legal fees
- can receive 100% of any book royalties they earn
- unofficial perks when lobbyists pay for vacations, dinners,
and other things (junket = trips abroad)

18. Art. I Sect. 6: Immunity
Immunity = ?

19. Art. I Sect. 6: Immunity
Immunity = protection from prosecution or arrest
What kind of immunity does Congress have under the
Constitution?

20. Art. I Sect. 6: Immunity
Immunity = protection from prosecution or arrest
What kind of immunity does Congress have under the
Constitution?
- they cannot be arrested while attending, going to, or
returning from a session of Congress
What are the exceptions to this?

21. Art. I Sect. 6: Immunity
Immunity = protection from prosecution or arrest
What kind of immunity does Congress have under the
Constitution?
- they cannot be arrested while attending, going to, or
returning from a session of Congress
What are the exceptions to this?
- charges of treason, felony, or breach of the peace
They also cannot face criminal charges for anything they
say in speech or debate in Congress
Why is this provision in the Constitution?

22. Art. I Sect. 6: Immunity cont.
The immunity section is included to protect members of
Congress from being arrested and even executed by their
political enemies (such as the President or a powerful
Cabinet member). Kings used this tactic all the time.
Con: Congressman sometimes say ridiculous things or even
lies in Congress b/c they can't be punished for them.
Pro: They can say unpopular things without fear

23. Art. I Sect. 6: Limitations
Can a member of Congress hold another federal office at the
same time?

24. Art. I Sect. 6: Limitations
Can a member of Congress hold another federal office at the
same time? No!
- They also cannot take any federal office that was created
by Congress until after their term is ended
- Nor can they take a federal office for which the pay was
increased during their term in Congress until after their
term has expired.
Why?

25. Art. I Sect. 6: Limitations
Can a member of Congress hold another federal office at the
same time? No!
- They also cannot take any federal office that was created
by their house of Congress until after their term is ended
- Nor can they take a federal office for which the pay was
increased during their term in Congress until after their
term has expired. Likewise, civil servants cannot serve in
Congress unless they first resign.
Why? To prevent Congress from giving themselves federal
jobs or jobs with increased salaries & to avoid conflicts of
interest
However, former Congressman & Senators can serve in
federal govt. once they are no longer in officde

26. More on How Congress Works
See pp. 246-260 of Bob Jones text
Who selects the leaders of Congress?

27. More on How Congress Works
See pp. 246-260 of Bob Jones text
Who selects the leaders of Congress?
- Each party selects their own leaders in a meeting called a
caucus.
- Which ever party has the majority picks the Speaker of
the House and the Majority Leader and Whip of both
houses.
What are term limits?

28. More on How Congress Works
See pp. 246-260 of Bob Jones text
Who selects the leaders of Congress?
- Each party selects their own leaders in a meeting called a
caucus.
- Which ever party has the majority picks the Speaker of
the House and the Majority Leader and Whip of both
houses.
What are term limits?
- a law that sets a limit on how many consecutive (or total)
terms an elected official can serve
Does the Constitution include term limits for members of
Congress?

29. More on How Congress Works
See pp. 246-260 of Bob Jones text
Who selects the leaders of Congress?
- Each party selects their own leaders in a meeting called a
caucus.
- Which ever party has the majority picks the Speaker of
the House and the Majority Leader and Whip of both
houses.
What are term limits?
- a law that sets a limit on how many consecutive (or total)
terms an elected official can serve
Does the Constitution include term limits for members of
Congress? NO, but some candidates have limited
themselves

30. Why are term limits popular with
some voters?
Because some congressmen serve for decades, inviting
corruption and complacency
What is an incumbent?

31. Why are term limits popular with
some voters?
Because some congressmen serve for decades, inviting
corruption and complacency
What is an incumbent?
- a current officeholder who is running for re-election
Why is it so hard to defeat an incumbent?

32. Why are term limits popular with
some voters?
Because some congressmen serve for decades, inviting
corruption and complacency
What is an incumbent?
- a current officeholder who is running for re-election
Why is it so hard to defeat an incumbent?
- b/c they have name recognition,
- have helped constituents through casework,
- have gathered support by bringing the bacon back to their
districts,
- have more financial backing & govt perks like franking

33. Congressional Committees
Why are the committees important?

34. Congressional Committees
Why are the committees important?
- Most of the work on legislation is done in committees
What are the four types of committees in Congress?

35. Congressional Committees
Why are the committees important?
- Most of the work on legislation is done in committees
What are the four types of committees in Congress?
- Standing: permanent committees & usually the most
powerful. See p. 254 for a list; which committee would
handle which bill (p. 254 TE)

36. Congressional Committees
Why are the committees important?
- Most of the work on legislation is done in committees
What are the four types of committees in Congress?
- Standing Committees: permanent committees & usually the
most powerful. See p. 254 for a list; which committee
would handle each of these bills?
1. construction of new tracks for Amtrak
2. research into additional uses for cottonseed oil
3. adding 5 new staff members to offices of federal district judges
4. research on predicting droughts in the U.S.
5. exempting companies with less than 25 employees from EPA inspections
6. restoring diplomatic relations with North Korea

37. Other Committees
Select Committees: created for a special purpose, often to
investigate a problem; usually temporary
Joint Committees: permanent committees that include
members from both houses; they act in an advisory
manner and have very little real power
Conference Committees: ad hoc (temporary) committees
drawn from both houses to work out a compromise
agreement on a bill or proposed law

38. Other Committees
Select Committees: created for a special purpose, often to
investigate a problem; usually temporary
Joint Committees: permanent committees that include
members from both houses; they act in an advisory
manner and have very little real power
Conference Committees: ad hoc (temporary) committees
drawn from both houses to work out a compromise
agreement on a bill or proposed law

39. More on Committees
Who are the most powerful people on a committee?

40. More on Committees
Who are the most powerful people on a committee?
- The chairman, always a member of the majority party
- They control what bills get heard by the committee,
- They control the schedule, even to the point of making sure
opponents won't be present
- They have a lot of say over who can serve on their
committee
- They can kill a bill assigned to their committee without it
even appearing before the rest of the members
You get the idea

41. Article I Section 7: How Does a Bill
Become Law?
Member of Congress decides to carry a bill
After being drafted, the bill is turned over to a committee.
If not killed, the committee holds hearings on the bill.
Bill is submitted to the full house for debate and voting.
The other house assigns it to a committee for hearings and
revisions.
The second house passes the bill.
Any differences are ironed out by a Senate-House
conference committee.
Compromise bill is passed by both houses.
President signs the bill into law.

42. Art. I Sect. 7: More on Lawmaking
What happens to most bills?

43. Art. I Sect. 7: More on Lawmaking
What happens to most bills?
- They are killed without passing out of committee.
What is a filibuster?

44. Art. I Sect. 7: More on Lawmaking
What happens to most bills?
- They are killed without passing out of committee.
What is a filibuster?
- b/c unlimited debate is allowed in the Senate, the
opponents of a bill can try to “talk the bill to death.” All the
senator (or team of senators) has to do is to keep talking
about anything to delay the vote.
How is a filibuster broken?

45. Art. I Sect. 7: More on Lawmaking
What happens to most bills?
- They are killed without passing out of committee.
What is a filibuster?
- b/c unlimited debate is allowed in the Senate, the
opponents of a bill can try to “talk the bill to death.” All the
senator (or team of senators) has to do is to keep talking
about anything to delay the vote.
How is a filibuster broken?
- Either the filibustering team stops talking or a vote for
cloture (a motion to stop debate)is taken. 16 senators
have to sign a motion to invoke cloture and then 60
senators have to vote to end debate.

46. Art. I Sect. 7: More on Lawmaking
What's a lobbyist?

47. Lobbying
What's a lobbyist?
- someone who works to influence legislation
- they are called this b/c they traditionally talk with legislators
in the lobby outside of the legislative chambers
- they are often paid a lot of money to do this and must
register with the govt and follow strict rules
- they usually represent a special interest group (SIG)
- they try to influence other govt officials in addition to
Congress such as the president and various bureaucrats
- a necessary part of the political process but one that is
subject to corruption and abuse

48. Art. I Sect. 7: Revenue
Revenue = ?

49. Art. I Sect. 7: Revenue
Revenue = income, esp. of a government
What is a government's main source of revenue?

50. Art. I Sect. 7: Revenue
Revenue = income, esp. of a government
What is a government's main source of revenue?
- taxes, of course!
In which house do bills that raise money (revenue) originate?

51. Art. I Sect. 7: Revenue
Revenue = income, esp. of a government
What is a government's main source of revenue?
- taxes, of course!
In which house do bills that raise money (revenue) originate?
The House, but the Senate can make changes to it
This restriction only applies to bills that deal directly with
taxation. Appropriations bills, which allocate funds, can be
initiated by either house as can revenue bills that don't
deal with taxation.

52. The President's Role in Law-making
What are the President's options when a bill is passed on to
him?

53. The President's Role in Law-making
What are the President's options when a bill is passed on to
him?
He can sign the bill, making it law.
He can veto (send it back w/o his signature) the bill and kill
it. However, Congress can override the veto if 2/3 of both
houses vote for the bill after the veto.
He can ignore the bill, thus taking no position on it. If
Congress is in session the bill will become law in 10 days.
If Congress adjourns during those 10 days, and the
president does not sign it, the bill will die. This is called the
pocket veto. This is done to discourage Congress from
overloading the President with a bunch of bills at the end
of a session.

54. An Exception
What is the one act of both houses of Congress that does
not require the President's approval to be passed?

55. An Exception
What is the one act of both houses of Congress that does
not require the President's approval to be passed?
- The decision to adjourn; Congress can do this on their own
authority as long as both houses agree.