Federal Congress (Morrawia): Difference between revisions
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The Federal Congress was created by the Morrawian Constitution and first met in 1836, replacing the [[National Assembly (Morrawia)|National Assembly]] in its legislative function. Although not legally mandated, in practice since the 19th century, Federal Congress members are typically affiliated with one of the two major parties, in contemporary period, that is the [[Liberal Party (Morrawia)|Liberal Party]] or the [[Republican Party (Morrawia)|Republican Party]], and and in fewer cases with third or other party or independents affiliated with no party. In the case of the latter, the lack of affiliation with a political party does not mean that such members are unable to caucus with members of the political parties. Members can also switch parties at any time, although this is quite uncommon. | The Federal Congress was created by the Morrawian Constitution and first met in 1836, replacing the [[National Assembly (Morrawia)|National Assembly]] in its legislative function. Although not legally mandated, in practice since the 19th century, Federal Congress members are typically affiliated with one of the two major parties, in contemporary period, that is the [[Liberal Party (Morrawia)|Liberal Party]] or the [[Republican Party (Morrawia)|Republican Party]], and and in fewer cases with third or other party or independents affiliated with no party. In the case of the latter, the lack of affiliation with a political party does not mean that such members are unable to caucus with members of the political parties. Members can also switch parties at any time, although this is quite uncommon. | ||
=== | ==Overview== | ||
=== | ==History== | ||
=== | ==Women in the Federal Congress== | ||
=== | ==Role== | ||
=== | ==Structure== | ||
=== | ==Procedures== | ||
=== | ==Public interaction== | ||
=== | {{Main|Federal Congress and citizens}} | ||
====Pay | ===Advantage of incumbency=== | ||
====Citizens and representatives==== | |||
====Expensive campaigns==== | |||
====Television and negative advertising==== | |||
====Perceptions==== | |||
===Smaller states and bigger states=== | |||
When the [[Constitution of Morrawia|Constitution]] was ratified in 1836, the ratio of the populations of large states to small states was roughly ten to one. The [[Sollandy Compromise]] gave every state, large and small, an equal vote in the Senate. Since each state has two senators, residents of smaller states have more clout in the Senate than residents of larger states. But since 1836, the population disparity between large and small states has grown. In 2010, for example, [[Elbennau]] had twenty times the population of [[Tawuii]]. Critics, such as constitutional scholar [[Florian Weinberg]], have suggested that the population disparity works against residents of large states and causes a steady redistribution of resources from ''"large states to small states"''. Others argue that the Sollandy Compromise was deliberately intended by the [[Founding Fathers of Morrawia|Founding Fathers]] to construct the Senate so that each state had equal footing not based on population, and contend that the result works well on balance. | |||
===Members and constituents=== | |||
A major role for members of the Federal Congress is providing services to [[List of Morrawian congressional districts|constituents]]. Constituents request assistance with problems. Providing services helps members of the Federal Congress win votes and elections and can make a difference in close races. Congressional staff can help citizens navigate government bureaucracies. One academic described the complex intertwined relation between lawmakers and constituents as ''home style''. | |||
===Motivation=== | |||
One way to categorize lawmakers, according to former [[University of Tatrany]] political science professor [[Richard Fenský]], is by their general motivation: | |||
# '''Reelection:''' These are lawmakers who ''"never met a voter they didn't like"'' and provide excellent constituent services. | |||
# '''Good public policy:''' Legislators who ''"burnish a reputation for policy expertise and leadership"''. | |||
# '''Power in the chamber:''' Lawmakers who spend serious time along the ''"rail of the House floor or in the Senate cloakroom ministering to the needs of their colleagues"''. Famous legislator [[Honoré Mallate]] in the mid-19th century was described as an ''"issue entrepreneur"'' who looked for issues to serve his ambitions. | |||
==Privileges== | |||
===Pay=== | |||
{{Main|Salaries of members of the Federal Congress (Morrawia)}} | {{Main|Salaries of members of the Federal Congress (Morrawia)}} | ||
Some critics complain congressional pay is high compared with a median Morrawian income. Others have countered that congressional pay is consistent with other branches of government. Another criticism is that members of the Federal Congress are insulated from the health care market due to their much better coverage. Others have criticized the wealth of members of the Federal Congress. In January 2014, it was reported that for the first time over one third of the members of the Congress were millionaires. Federal Congress has been criticized for trying to conceal pay raises by slipping them into a large bill at the last minute. | Some critics complain congressional pay is high compared with a median Morrawian income. Others have countered that congressional pay is consistent with other branches of government. Another criticism is that members of the Federal Congress are insulated from the health care market due to their much better coverage. Others have criticized the wealth of members of the Federal Congress. In January 2014, it was reported that for the first time over one third of the members of the Congress were millionaires. Federal Congress has been criticized for trying to conceal pay raises by slipping them into a large bill at the last minute. | ||
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Members of Congress make fact-finding missions to learn about other countries and stay informed, but these outings can cause controversy if the trip is deemed excessive or unconnected with the task of governing. For example, The [[Imperial Street Journal]] reported in 2015 that lawmaker trips abroad at taxpayer expense had included spas, ₮1 800-per-night extra unused rooms, and shopping excursions. Some lawmakers responded that ''"traveling with spouses compensates for being away from them a lot in [[Králowec, F.D.|Králowec]]"'' and justify the trips as a way to meet officials in other nations. | Members of Congress make fact-finding missions to learn about other countries and stay informed, but these outings can cause controversy if the trip is deemed excessive or unconnected with the task of governing. For example, The [[Imperial Street Journal]] reported in 2015 that lawmaker trips abroad at taxpayer expense had included spas, ₮1 800-per-night extra unused rooms, and shopping excursions. Some lawmakers responded that ''"traveling with spouses compensates for being away from them a lot in [[Králowec, F.D.|Králowec]]"'' and justify the trips as a way to meet officials in other nations. | ||
===Postage=== | |||
The [[Franking|franking]] privilege allows members of the Federal Congress to send official mail to constituents at government expense. Though they are not permitted to send election materials, borderline material is often sent, especially in the run-up to an election by those in close races. Some academics consider free mailings as giving incumbents a big advantage over challengers. | The [[Franking|franking]] privilege allows members of the Federal Congress to send official mail to constituents at government expense. Though they are not permitted to send election materials, borderline material is often sent, especially in the run-up to an election by those in close races. Some academics consider free mailings as giving incumbents a big advantage over challengers. | ||
===Protection=== | |||
Members of Congress enjoy parliamentary privilege, including freedom from arrest in all cases except for treason, felony, and breach of the peace, and freedom of speech in debate. This constitutionally derived immunity applies to members during sessions and when traveling to and from sessions. The term ''"arrest"'' has been interpreted broadly, and includes any detention or delay in the course of law enforcement, including court summons and subpoenas. The rules of the [[House of Representatives (Morrawia)|House]] strictly guard this privilege. A member may not waive the privilege on their own but must seek the permission of the whole house to do so. [[Senate of the Republic (Morrawia)|Senate]] rules are less strict and permit individual senators to waive the privilege as they choose. | |||
The [[Constitution of Morrawia|Constitution]] guarantees absolute freedom of debate in both houses, providing in the Constitution that ''"for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place"''. Accordingly, a member of the Federal Congress may not be sued in court for slander because of remarks made in either house, although each house has its own rules restricting offensive speeches, and may punish members who transgress. | |||
Obstructing the work of the Federal Congress is a crime under federal law and is known as [[Contempt of the Federal Congress|contempt of the Federal Congress]]. Each member has the power to cite people for contempt but can only issue a contempt citation – the judicial system pursues the matter like a normal criminal case. If convicted in court of contempt of the Federal Congress, a person may be imprisoned for up to one year. | |||
{{Template:Anteria info pages}} | {{Template:Anteria info pages}} | ||
[[Category:Anteria]] | [[Category:Anteria]] | ||
[[Category:Morrawia]] | [[Category:Morrawia]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:00, 15 August 2024
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Federal Congress of Morrawia Morawský federální kongres | |
|---|---|
| 48th Federal Congress | |
 Official seal of the Federal Congress of Morrawia | |
 Official logo of the Federal Congress of Morrawia | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Senate of the Republic House of Representative |
| History | |
| Founded | March 1, 1836 |
| Preceded by | National Assembly |
New session started | March 8, 2024 |
| Leadership | |
President of the Senate | |
President pro tempore | |
Senate Majority Leader | |
Speaker of the House | |
House Majority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 140 (Senate of the Republic) 741 (House of Representatives) |
 | |
Political groups | Majority (71)
Minority (69)
|
 | |
Political groups | Majority (428)
Minority (313)
|
| Committees |
|
| Committees |
|
Joint committees |
|
Length of term | 4 years (House) and 6 years (Senate) |
| Authority | Legislative |
| Salary | ₮457,440 (ACU 114,360) |
| Elections | |
| Single Transferable Vote (Senate) | |
| Instant-runoff (House) | |
First election | March 3rd, 1836 (founding) |
First election | March 3rd, 1842 (all congressional seats filled) |
Last election | March 7th, 2024 (Senate) |
Last election | March 7th, 2024 (House) |
Next election | March 9th, 2026 (Senate) |
Next election | March 9th, 2028 (House) |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Capitol Building Republic of Morrawia | |
| Website | |
| federalcongress | |
| Constitution | |
| Morrawian Constitution, article II | |
The Federal Congress, or simply Congress, is the legislature of the federal government of the Republic of Morrawia. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the Morrawian House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Morrawian Senate of the Republic. It meets in the Capitol Building in Králowec, F.D. Morrawian Senators and Morrawian Representatives are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a governor's appointment. Federal Congress has 881 voting members: 140 senators and 741 representatives. The Morrawian vice president, as President of the Senate, has a vote in the Senate only when casting a tie-breaking vote. The House of Representatives has one non-voting member.
Federal Congress convenes for a four-year term, commencing in March. Elections are held every even-numbered year on Election Days. The members of the House of Representatives are elected for the four-year term of a Federal. The Reapportionment Act of 1995 established that there be 741 representatives, and the Uniform Congressional Redistricting Act requires that they be elected from single-member constituencies or districts. It is also required that the congressional districts be apportioned among states by population every ten years using the Morrawian census results, provided that each state has at least one congressional representative. Each senator is elected at-large in their state for a six-year term, with terms staggered, so every two years approximately one-third of the Senate is up for election. Each state, regardless of population or size, has seven senators, so currently, there are 140 senators for the 20 states.
Article Two of the Morrawian Constitution requires that members of the Federal Congress must be at least 18 years old for the House and at least 30 years old for the Senate of the Republic, be a citizen of the Morrawia for five years for the House and nine years for the Senate, and be an inhabitant of the state which they represent. Members in both chambers may stand for re-election an unlimited number of times, though they are limited by the national retirement age as per relevant legislation.
The Federal Congress was created by the Morrawian Constitution and first met in 1836, replacing the National Assembly in its legislative function. Although not legally mandated, in practice since the 19th century, Federal Congress members are typically affiliated with one of the two major parties, in contemporary period, that is the Liberal Party or the Republican Party, and and in fewer cases with third or other party or independents affiliated with no party. In the case of the latter, the lack of affiliation with a political party does not mean that such members are unable to caucus with members of the political parties. Members can also switch parties at any time, although this is quite uncommon.
Overview
History
Women in the Federal Congress
Role
Structure
Procedures
Public interaction
Advantage of incumbency
Citizens and representatives
Expensive campaigns
Television and negative advertising
Perceptions
Smaller states and bigger states
When the Constitution was ratified in 1836, the ratio of the populations of large states to small states was roughly ten to one. The Sollandy Compromise gave every state, large and small, an equal vote in the Senate. Since each state has two senators, residents of smaller states have more clout in the Senate than residents of larger states. But since 1836, the population disparity between large and small states has grown. In 2010, for example, Elbennau had twenty times the population of Tawuii. Critics, such as constitutional scholar Florian Weinberg, have suggested that the population disparity works against residents of large states and causes a steady redistribution of resources from "large states to small states". Others argue that the Sollandy Compromise was deliberately intended by the Founding Fathers to construct the Senate so that each state had equal footing not based on population, and contend that the result works well on balance.
Members and constituents
A major role for members of the Federal Congress is providing services to constituents. Constituents request assistance with problems. Providing services helps members of the Federal Congress win votes and elections and can make a difference in close races. Congressional staff can help citizens navigate government bureaucracies. One academic described the complex intertwined relation between lawmakers and constituents as home style.
Motivation
One way to categorize lawmakers, according to former University of Tatrany political science professor Richard Fenský, is by their general motivation:
- Reelection: These are lawmakers who "never met a voter they didn't like" and provide excellent constituent services.
- Good public policy: Legislators who "burnish a reputation for policy expertise and leadership".
- Power in the chamber: Lawmakers who spend serious time along the "rail of the House floor or in the Senate cloakroom ministering to the needs of their colleagues". Famous legislator Honoré Mallate in the mid-19th century was described as an "issue entrepreneur" who looked for issues to serve his ambitions.
Privileges
Pay
Some critics complain congressional pay is high compared with a median Morrawian income. Others have countered that congressional pay is consistent with other branches of government. Another criticism is that members of the Federal Congress are insulated from the health care market due to their much better coverage. Others have criticized the wealth of members of the Federal Congress. In January 2014, it was reported that for the first time over one third of the members of the Congress were millionaires. Federal Congress has been criticized for trying to conceal pay raises by slipping them into a large bill at the last minute.
Members elected since 1979 are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Like other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 2.5% of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 5.2% of their salary in Social Security taxes. And like federal employees, members contribute one-third of the cost of health insurance with the government covering the other two-thirds. The size of a congressional pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest three years of their salary. By law, the starting amount of a member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of their final salary. In 2018, the average annual pension for retired senators and representatives under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) was ₮154,491, while those who retired under FERS, or in combination with CSRS, was ₮95,480.
Members of Congress make fact-finding missions to learn about other countries and stay informed, but these outings can cause controversy if the trip is deemed excessive or unconnected with the task of governing. For example, The Imperial Street Journal reported in 2015 that lawmaker trips abroad at taxpayer expense had included spas, ₮1 800-per-night extra unused rooms, and shopping excursions. Some lawmakers responded that "traveling with spouses compensates for being away from them a lot in Králowec" and justify the trips as a way to meet officials in other nations.
Postage
The franking privilege allows members of the Federal Congress to send official mail to constituents at government expense. Though they are not permitted to send election materials, borderline material is often sent, especially in the run-up to an election by those in close races. Some academics consider free mailings as giving incumbents a big advantage over challengers.
Protection
Members of Congress enjoy parliamentary privilege, including freedom from arrest in all cases except for treason, felony, and breach of the peace, and freedom of speech in debate. This constitutionally derived immunity applies to members during sessions and when traveling to and from sessions. The term "arrest" has been interpreted broadly, and includes any detention or delay in the course of law enforcement, including court summons and subpoenas. The rules of the House strictly guard this privilege. A member may not waive the privilege on their own but must seek the permission of the whole house to do so. Senate rules are less strict and permit individual senators to waive the privilege as they choose.
The Constitution guarantees absolute freedom of debate in both houses, providing in the Constitution that "for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place". Accordingly, a member of the Federal Congress may not be sued in court for slander because of remarks made in either house, although each house has its own rules restricting offensive speeches, and may punish members who transgress.
Obstructing the work of the Federal Congress is a crime under federal law and is known as contempt of the Federal Congress. Each member has the power to cite people for contempt but can only issue a contempt citation – the judicial system pursues the matter like a normal criminal case. If convicted in court of contempt of the Federal Congress, a person may be imprisoned for up to one year.
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