The Legislative Branch is divided into two sectors. . .
One being the House of Representatives and the other being Senate, together they comprise the entirety of Congress.
The photo to the left displays a presidential address to Congress.
A Portrait of Congress:
Just the facts:
Being a member of Congress is not a glamorous job. It includes dashing from meeting to meeting and continuous travel between Washington and their constituencies (residents in an electoral district), constant fund-raising, and perhaps the most stressful of all: feeling as if nothing is being accomplished.
Of course their are benefits as well, first and foremost being power. Their salary is also three times the income of the average American family; they earn $174,000. They also receive lavish retirement and health benefits. Members of Congress are in no way ordinary citizens however, quite the contrary. Senators and Representatives usually come from high status occupations and relatively large incomes. That being said, the prominence of lawyers and businessmen in Congress is not shocking. These two fields attract persons interested in politics and provide the financial support to wage election campaigns.
In order to become a Senator (qualifications): In order to become a Representative (qualifications):
Just the facts:
Being a member of Congress is not a glamorous job. It includes dashing from meeting to meeting and continuous travel between Washington and their constituencies (residents in an electoral district), constant fund-raising, and perhaps the most stressful of all: feeling as if nothing is being accomplished.
Of course their are benefits as well, first and foremost being power. Their salary is also three times the income of the average American family; they earn $174,000. They also receive lavish retirement and health benefits. Members of Congress are in no way ordinary citizens however, quite the contrary. Senators and Representatives usually come from high status occupations and relatively large incomes. That being said, the prominence of lawyers and businessmen in Congress is not shocking. These two fields attract persons interested in politics and provide the financial support to wage election campaigns.
In order to become a Senator (qualifications): In order to become a Representative (qualifications):
- Must be at least 30 years of age. • Must be at least 25 years of age.
- Have been an American citizen for nine years. • Have been an American citizen for seven years.
- Must reside in the state from which they are elected. • Must reside in the state from which they are elected.
Our Wisconsin Senators: Herb Kohl on the left and Ron Johnson on the right.
Wisconsin Representatives
Kimberly High School is on the border of the the 8th congressional district and the 6th congressional district. Tom Petri is the representative for Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. Reid Ribble is the representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district.
MORE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
Congress as a Whole
Congress in not equal in proportion in regards to the number of people that are minorities in Congress. African Americans make up about 10% of Congress, while they make up about 13% of the total population; in addition, there is not African American in the Senate. Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans are also underrepresented. However, women are perhaps the most underrepresented group. Females account for more than half of the total population, yet only 17% of Congress is female.
Furthermore, Congress is predominantly a group of white, upper-middle class, middle-aged Protestant males.
Furthermore, Congress is predominantly a group of white, upper-middle class, middle-aged Protestant males.
Congressional Committees
Most of the real work of Congress is done in committees.
- They regularly hold hearings to investigate problems and possible wrongdoings in both houses.
- They oversee the executive branch.
- Most importantly, they control congressional agenda and guide legislation from its first introduction all the way to the hands of the president (to get his signature).
We are able to group congressional committees into four major groups.
- Standing committees handle bills in different policy areas. Each house has its own standing committee. Examples of the Senate standing committee are the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Finance. Examples of the House committees are Agriculture, Budget, and Homeland Security. Keep in mind both houses can have a committee targeting a specific policy area (both the Senate and the House have standing committees for Agriculture).
- Joint committees exist in a few policy areas, and draw membership from both houses.
- Conference committees are formed when the Senate and the House pass different versions of the same bill. Party leadership appoints members from each house to compromise and bring out a single bill.
- Select committees are temporary and usually have a focused responsibility, such as intelligence.