Agenda 9/26/2012 Essential Question: Does our government function as it was intended? Enduring Understandings: The powers of the U.S. government have expanded and evolved over time. The different branches of government have interdependent and overlapping roles.

Institutions of Government Unit 2—American Government and Economic Systems

Lesson Warm-Up List the formal (Constitutional) requirements one must meet in order to become a: Congressman Senator Describe those other qualities that an ideal senator or representative should possess. List three (3).

Legislative Branch Commonly referred to as “Congress” Many Founding Fathers considered it to be the most important branch of government Responsible for making laws Gives the people a voice in setting public policy

Congress Society needs laws to maintain order and avoid anarchy/chaos Gives citizens the freedom to pursue their own lives while still enjoying the benefits of a lawful society

Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick

Senator Patrick Toomey

Senator Robert Casey

There ought to be a law Take a moment and think of an idea for a new law Find a partner close to you and discuss an idea for a new law. Be prepared to share

Powers of Congress Expressed powers Powers specifically listed in the Constitution Implied powers Powers not specifically listed in the Constitution but which the government can reasonably claim as part of its governing responsibility Necessary and proper clause—the basis for Congress’s implied powers; gives Congress wide latitude to exercise expressed powers

Powers of Congress Congress shall have the power to tax… To tax means to take public money for government use It is important because it helps to finance services such as education, national defense, infrastructure, etc.

Powers of Congress Regulate interstate and foreign trade Borrow money Create a monetary system for the country Grant patents and copyrights Declare war

Implied Powers of Congress Expressed PowerImplied Power To lay and collect taxes To create tax laws and punish tax evaders To use tax revenue to finance welfare, public schools, health, housing, etc. Taxing, Borrowing, Currency, Commerce To establish the Federal Reserve System of banks To establish naturalization law To regulate and limit immigration To raise armies and a navy To draft Americans into the military To regulate commerce To establish a minimum wage To ban discrimination in workplaces and public facilities To pass laws protecting the disabled To regulate banking

How a bill becomes a law A five-step process… 1) Bill is introduced 2) Committee hearings 3) Floor action 4) Conference committee 5) Presidential signature

Step 1 An idea for a law is drafted into a bill and introduced to each representative If approved, the bill is referred to a series of committee hearings

Step 2 The bill is studied, reviewed and revised by a series of committees If the bill survives committee action, it is then referred back to the representatives for “floor action”

Step 3 “Floor action” refers to the second reading of a bill in either house of Congress Representatives debate the bill once more If approved, the bill is referred to the other house of Congress for approval

Step 4 The bill must be passed in both houses of Congress in identical form In some cases, the two houses of Congress might approve different versions of a bill; when this happens, a conference committee resolves the differences between the versions

Step 5 House and Senate vote on final passage of the bill Approved bill is sent to the president, where he may sign into law or veto

How a bill becomes a law A bill can only be approved with a majority in both houses If the president vetoes a bill, Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 vote of the full membership of each house

How a bill becomes a law Only a small percentage of bills become laws (~ 5-7%); most bills “die” in the early stages of the legislative process In the Senate, individuals may delay or prevent action on a measure through use of the filibuster

Filibuster Senator Strom Thurmond vehemently opposed the Civil Rights Bill of 1957, so much so that he set a record for longest filibuster by any one single person. Speaking in excess of twenty-four hours (24 hours, 18 minutes to be exact). Thurmond began with readings of every state’s election laws in alphabetical order, followed by a recitation of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and George Washington’s Farewell Address.

Cloture To limit the amount of time that may be spent debating a bill (i.e. the mechanism by which a filibuster is cut off in the Senate) 60 senators must agree to invoke cloture

Let’s look at some bills.