Welcome to The Dirksen Congressional Center's Communicator - a web-based e-newsletter providing educators with news and ideas to improve the understanding of Congress -- http://www.webcommunicator.org.

1. People Who Served in Congress
2. Congress Defined
3. Leaders for the Upcoming 110th Congress
4. November 21, 1963: A Multi-Media View from Capitol Hill
5. Christmas Cards by Dirksen
6. Congressional Representation
7. Knowing About Congress
8. Postscript Information


1. PEOPLE WHO SERVED IN CONGRESS
Sketches of famous and not-so-famous Senators and Representatives

Joseph William Martin, Jr., a Republican from Massachusetts, served in the U.S. House from 1925-67. He served as Speaker of the House on two occasions from 1947 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1955. During those four years, the Republicans held majorities in the House, but they were only brief interruptions in Democratic control until 1995. Martin came to the House following a career as a newspaper publisher and as a member of the Massachusetts House and Senate. Following the end of his second stint as Speaker, occasioned by large Republican losses in 1958, the House Republicans replaced him as their leader with Charles A. Halleck of Indiana. Martin continued to serve in the House until Margaret Heckler defeated him in the Republican primary in 1966. He died in Hollywood, Florida, in 1968.

Source: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000191. Accessed November 21, 2006.

2. CONGRESS DEFINED
Words and phrases that describe congressional processes

Enrolled Bill. The final official copy of a bill or joint resolution that both houses pass in identical form. Printed on parchment, it is certified by the chief officer of the house in which it originated and signed by both the House Speaker and the Senate president pro tempore. The measure then goes to the President for signature.

Source: Congressional Quarterly’s American Congressional Dictionary (2001):90.

3. LEADERS FOR THE UPCOMING 110TH CONGRESS

* NEW RESOURCE *

The 110th Congress will be sworn in on January 3, 2007. It will be in session from noon on January 3, 2007, until noon on January 3, 2009. Caucus totals are 229 Democrats and 196 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives and 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and 2 Independents (who plan to caucus with Democrats) in the U.S. Senate.

Find a complete list of the upcoming leaders for the 110th Congress at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_basics_110leaders.htm.

4. NOVEMBER 21, 1963: A MULTI-MEDIA VIEW FROM CAPITOL HILL

The 1960s: A Multi-Media View from Capitol Hill documents the public policy challenges resulting from those tumultuous times using a unique body of records housed in The Center's historical collections-the minutes and press conferences (both print and audio) of the Joint Senate-House Republican Leadership, 1961-69.

On November 21, 1963, during the Seventy-Second Meeting of the Republican leadership, Senate Minority Leader Dirksen made a statement about President John F. Kennedy's responsibility for a poor legislative record. Dirksen
pointed out Kennedy's request for increased spending and a tax cut and faulted the president for failing to live up to his promise to back a civil rights program in 1961. Dirksen also discussed Kennedy's mismanagement of the White House's legislative program.

Listen to Dirksen's statement and link to the transcript of this audio at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/emd_audio/1963.htm#nov.

5. CHRISTMAS CARDS BY DIRKSEN

For many years, Everett Dirksen composed and drew his own Christmas cards. Find examples drawn from his collection of papers at The Dirksen Congressional Center [Everett M. Dirksen Papers, Personal File, f. 7a-7d] at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_emd_xmascards.htm.

6. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION

* LESSON PLAN *

Students will explore the relationship between state population and federal congressional representation. Using Web site data or almanacs, students will graph state population, state size, and number of congressional representatives. Students will then infer the relationship between the three figures. Historical extensions allow students to discover why congressional representation was set up in this fashion.

Find Congressional Representation at: http://www.congresslink.org/print_teaching_relatedlessons.htm.

7. KNOWING ABOUT CONGRESS

Find out how much you already know about Congress, or learn as you go, using the online flashcards that help students learn that knowing about Congress can be an effective lobbying tool.

Find Knowing About Congress at: http://www.congressforkids.net/games/houseofrep/2_legislativebranch.htm.

Trivia: Who testified before the Senate Committee to investigate the Watergate scandal and revealed the presence of voice activated tape recorders in President Nixon's office?

A) John N. Mitchell
B) John W. Dean, III
C) Alexander Butterfield
D) Charles Colson

*Find the answer in next month's issue.

Answer to October's Fun, Facts, and Trivia: http://www.webcommunicator.org/classroom%20resources/funfactstrivia_ans1006.htm.

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