congress IS representative

• Representing constituents 


  Must be residents of the state they represent
• Representing constituents

  A number of states also insist that House members should reside in the Congressional districts they represent -> “locality rule”
• Representing constituents 


  Typical Congress members would have been born, raised, educated and have worked in their state
• Representing constituents

  Anyone over 25 can stand for House of Representatives
• Representing constituents

  House members care about constitution’s view as they are elected every 2 years
• Engaging with constituents 


  Keep in touch with email/phone, visits, letters (E-democracy), make regular visits home
• Vote on legislation on the floor of the chamber
• Representing constituents

  Membership of select committees of particular interest to their constituents

  Lobbying executive departments and agencies on relevant policies
• Representing constituents

  Constituency casework -> student loans, passport and visa issues and receipt of federal benefits
• Representing constituents

  Trying to gain money and projects to benefit their states or districts
• Representative of the US

  • Jan 2021 - 142 women in Congress, up from 127 before the 2000 elections
  • Women make up 28th of Congress
  • 118th Congress is the most racially and ethnically diverse in history
  • ¼ of Congress is made up by ethnic minorities - 1945 non-white lawmakers represented just 1%
  • All 50 states have now had female representation
  • 13 members now lesbian, gay and bisexual