The Legislative Branch

Bicameral- two houses o House of Representatives o Senate Legislature- make the laws

The House of Representatives Number of reps is determined by population of state Currently has 435 members Each elected from a Congressional District Serve 2-year terms

The House of Representatives continued… Requirements At least 25 years old US citizen for at least 7 years Legal resident of the state you represent

House Leadership Speaker of the House elected presiding officer; leader of the majority party in the House o John Boehner (Ohio) Keeps order Interprets and applies rules Names members to committee May debate Votes to break a tie

NC’s Congressional Districts

Local Facts NC has 13 Representatives Richard Hudson (R)- represents the 8 th district Alma Adams (D)- represents the 12 th District

Richard Hudson 8 th District Alma Adams 12 th District

The Senate Equal representation for each state 100 members = 2 per state Serve 6 year terms

The Senate continued… Requirements At least 30 years old US citizen for at least 9 years Legal resident of the state you represent

The Senate Leadership President of the Senate = VP of US; presiding officer of the Senate but not a member Recognizes members Puts questions to a vote Cannot take floor to speak May only vote to break a tie

The Senate Leadership continued… President Pro Tempore – serves in the VP absence Elected by the Senate Leading senator member of majority party o Orrin Hatch (R)

Local Facts NC’s two senators currently include o Thom Tillis(R) o Richard Burr (R)

Senator Thom Tillis Newly Elected Senator

Senator Richard Burr up for re-election in 2016

Terms of Congress New representatives are elected in November of even-numbered years New Congressional term begins January 3 rd of the next odd-numbered year o 1 Congress = 2 sessions Each new Congress is given a number to identify it o 1789: 1 st Congress o 2013: 113 th Congress

Congressional Compensation Members of Congress = $174,000 (base) President = $400,000 VP = $230,700 Speaker of the House = $223,500 President Pro Tempore of Senate = $193,400

Congressional Compensation Continued… Non-Salary Compensation Special tax deduction Travel expenses Insurance and Medical care Retirement plan Office in Washington DC and at home Staff for each office Franking Privilege (free postage)

Congressional Committees Standing Committees- permanent committees in Congress Select Committees- created to do a specific job that does not fit into other committees o only meet for a specific time period and disband when they are done with their work o example: committee created to investigate the “Watergate Scandal” Joint Committee- any committee that has members from both the House and the Senate Conference Committee- a special form of a joint committee

Congressional Powers Legislative Powers Taxing and Spending/ Appropriations bills o Tax bills start in the House of Representatives o President makes budget o Congress approves Regulating foreign and interstate commerce

Congressional Powers continued… Legislative Powers continued… Declaring War o Congress declares war o President orders troops into battle Creating/ maintaining an army and navy Approving treaties o President makes o Senate approves

Congressional Powers continued… Non-Legislative Powers Proposing Amendments o Congressional action Proposal = 2/3 Congress Ratification = 3/4 state legislatures Counting electoral votes

Congressional Powers continued… Non-Legislative Powers Addressing presidential succession issues Approving/rejecting Presidential nominees o Senate Impeaching o House of Reps. = begins proceedings o Senate = acts as a jury Overseeing government activities = Watchdog

Power Denied to Congress Cannot pass laws that violate the Constitution Cannot suspend the writ of habeas corpus- bringing a prisoner to court & explaining he is being held Prohibited from passing bills of attainder- Laws that punish a person without a jury trial No ex post facto laws- Laws that make an act a crime after it has been committed

Getting to Know your Congressmen Getting to Know your Congressmen Spend 20 minutes reading a short biography of each leader and fill in the following chart 1.Who is the representative? 2.What is their title? 3.What are some of their key issues/priorities? 4.What political party are they? 5.Would you have voted for them? Why or why not?