AP Government Notes
Unit 2
Congress
Terms
- The congressional term is the number of terms we are in
- Each term is 2 sessions, each session lasts a year
Membership
- 435 members of house of representatives (not in the constitution, set by legislation)
- 218 republicans, 215 democrats, 2 open seats
- Senate has 100 members
- 53 republicans, 45 democrats, 2 independent members
Terms of office
- 2 years in the house, 6 years in the senate
Qualification
- 25 citizen, 7 years US citizen, live in state which elected
Salary
- Members of the house and senate make 174,000 Dollars a year
- Speaker of the house of representatives makes 223,000 a year
- Set their own salaries
Apportionment
Safe v. marginal
- Safe means everyone knows which party is going to win the district
- Marginal means that its competitive, either side could win the district
Gerry mandarins
- Drawing a district in such a way to where your people will win the election
- Have to prove that some group did it on purpose
,Benefits
- Immune to crimes like slander and minor infractions as long as your on your way to your
job
- Pention system - gets paid for the rest of your life
- Congress has a separate healthcare system
- Private gym in the capital gym
- Private Subway system
- Business travel expenses paid for, also office expenses and staffing
Controls
- House and senate can vote by simple majority not to seat someone
- ⅔ to kick out, just their chamber
Misc.
50 % of congress is lawyers
Leadership
Senate
President
Vice president of the US.
- JD vance
Pres. pro tempore
- Runs the senate when the vice president isint there
- Given to a important member of the senate
Majority leader
- More powerful than the president and pro tempore
- Responsible for leading their parties
- Sets agenda for the party
Majority whip
- Makes sure all the members stay in line
- Gets people to lock in
- Called whips because its a fox hunting reference
House
Speaker
Much more powerful than everyone else
, - Group leader
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority L.
Minority W.
Staffing
AA, LA, Case worker
AA- administrative assistant
- Runs the congressmans schedule
LA- legislative assistants
- Helps members of Congress write legislation
- 2 or three on staff
- They read all the legislation
Caseworkers- recent college graduates
- Make 20 grand a year
- Great way to start a career
- Answers phone calls
- Respond to correspondence
Agencies
Library of congress
- Created at the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson (duh)
- Congress needs documents to research bills
- Anything that is written and copyrighted in the US goes to the Library of Congress
Congressional budget office
Helps Congress to collect information about how much they will spend this year
General accounting office
Chasing after the dollars after the law is passed
Government printing office
Prints off forms for you
Prior to the 1860’s there were no printing offices
- The government would hire independent contractors to print off documents (newspaper
businesses)
Unit 2
Congress
Terms
- The congressional term is the number of terms we are in
- Each term is 2 sessions, each session lasts a year
Membership
- 435 members of house of representatives (not in the constitution, set by legislation)
- 218 republicans, 215 democrats, 2 open seats
- Senate has 100 members
- 53 republicans, 45 democrats, 2 independent members
Terms of office
- 2 years in the house, 6 years in the senate
Qualification
- 25 citizen, 7 years US citizen, live in state which elected
Salary
- Members of the house and senate make 174,000 Dollars a year
- Speaker of the house of representatives makes 223,000 a year
- Set their own salaries
Apportionment
Safe v. marginal
- Safe means everyone knows which party is going to win the district
- Marginal means that its competitive, either side could win the district
Gerry mandarins
- Drawing a district in such a way to where your people will win the election
- Have to prove that some group did it on purpose
,Benefits
- Immune to crimes like slander and minor infractions as long as your on your way to your
job
- Pention system - gets paid for the rest of your life
- Congress has a separate healthcare system
- Private gym in the capital gym
- Private Subway system
- Business travel expenses paid for, also office expenses and staffing
Controls
- House and senate can vote by simple majority not to seat someone
- ⅔ to kick out, just their chamber
Misc.
50 % of congress is lawyers
Leadership
Senate
President
Vice president of the US.
- JD vance
Pres. pro tempore
- Runs the senate when the vice president isint there
- Given to a important member of the senate
Majority leader
- More powerful than the president and pro tempore
- Responsible for leading their parties
- Sets agenda for the party
Majority whip
- Makes sure all the members stay in line
- Gets people to lock in
- Called whips because its a fox hunting reference
House
Speaker
Much more powerful than everyone else
, - Group leader
Majority Leader
Majority Whip
Minority L.
Minority W.
Staffing
AA, LA, Case worker
AA- administrative assistant
- Runs the congressmans schedule
LA- legislative assistants
- Helps members of Congress write legislation
- 2 or three on staff
- They read all the legislation
Caseworkers- recent college graduates
- Make 20 grand a year
- Great way to start a career
- Answers phone calls
- Respond to correspondence
Agencies
Library of congress
- Created at the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson (duh)
- Congress needs documents to research bills
- Anything that is written and copyrighted in the US goes to the Library of Congress
Congressional budget office
Helps Congress to collect information about how much they will spend this year
General accounting office
Chasing after the dollars after the law is passed
Government printing office
Prints off forms for you
Prior to the 1860’s there were no printing offices
- The government would hire independent contractors to print off documents (newspaper
businesses)
