Article 1, Section 1Article 1, Section 1  Congress and only Congress can make laws!!  Congress is a bicameral body (two chambers)  House of Representatives  Senate

Article 1, Section 2Article 1, Section 2  Every 2 years, voters pick who will represent them in the House of Representatives.  “Qualifications requisite” – Each state much allow anyone who can legally vote in state elections also to vote for US Representatives.  House = 25 years old, citizen for 7 years & live in the state  Representation in house based on population.  If a seat becomes vacant mid-term, state’s governor should call a special election.  House picks who is Speaker of the House (leader)  Power to impeach executive and judicial officers deemed unfit

Article 1, Section 3Article 1, Section 3  Each state gets two seats in the Senate!  Senators term = 6 years.  Originally, senators were chosen by their state legislatures.  17 th Amendment changed this!! People pick!!  “Continuing body” – 1/3 rd of Senators are up for election every two years.  Senate = 30 years old, citizen for 9 years & resident of state.  Vice President is President of the Senate (Leader)  Senates President pro-tempore runs the show when VP isn’t there (like always)  Senate serves as the judge and jury when House wants to impeach!

Article 1, Section 4Article 1, Section 4  Congress can set new rules for federal elections.  1842 – Requiring single- member district elections in every state AND standard election day (Tuesday after the first Monday in November)  1 session of Congress must meet each year (January 3 rd )

Article 1, Section 5Article 1, Section 5  The House and Senate have the power to judge the qualifications of their own members.  Example: 2 people claim to have won the vote for senator, the Senate can decide which candidate gets the seat.  A majority of either chamber’s membership is required to be present to constitute a quorum.  House and Senate can set rules of parliamentary procedure and kick out their own members  Expulsion requires a 2/3rds vote.  Congress must publish official record of their proceedings.  Neither the House nor the Senate can go out on extended vacay while the other remains.

Article 1, Section 6Article 1, Section 6  Congressmen get paid by the government, at a salary they set themselves!!  27 th Amendment made it so they couldn’t give themselves raises  $175,000-$220,000 (average)  You can only serve in 1 branch of government at a time.  Congressmen can’t resign from his/her seat in order to take another government job.

Article 1, Section 7Article 1, Section 7  All tax and tariff laws must start in the House of Representatives.  Senate can amend any bill sent to it from the House.  How a bill becomes a law…  Passes in both chambers, then on to the Pres.  Signs it = law  Vetoes it = back to Congress. 2/3rds can override his veto.  POTUS does nothing? It becomes law!  Pocket veto: Congress adjourns less than 10 days after sending POTUS the bill and he doesn't’t sign

Article 1, Section 8Article 1, Section 8  All the powers that Congress has!!!  Taxing  Congress can go into debt to pay for gov. programs/services (Deficit spending)  Regulating business between states  Congress sets up process for immigrants to become citizens.  Set up laws for bankruptcy  Minting money and setting its value  Punish fake money  Set up post offices and build roads

Article 1, Section 8 con’t…Article 1, Section 8 con’t…  Set up a system of copyrights and patents.  Set up lower level federal courts that report so Supreme Court.  Congress can punish pirates!  Declare war!  Also, power to hire pirates to attack the nation’s enemies: “letter of marque”  Congress pays or doesn’t pay for military actions and they cannot fund military action more than 2 years in the future  Provide and maintain a navy, set rules for the behavior of the armed forces & Congress can call out our Army!  Elastic clause: Congress can make any law that is “necessary and proper”.  Laws may not be stated, but are IMPLIED.  EX: Creation of a bank is not a power but collecting taxes is.

Article 1, Section 9Article 1, Section 9  The Constitution barred any attempt to outlaw the slave trade before  In 1808, Congress blocked the slave trade (Even though slavery lasted for another 60 years)  Writ of Habeas Corpus: You can’t be held in jail without facing legit charges of some kind  Abe Lincoln suspended this during the Civil War!  George W. argued that terrorist suspects at GITMO had no right to HC.  NO Bills of attainder: declares someone guilty of a crime without a trial  NO Ex post facto laws: Something becomes illegal after the act was already committed.

Article 1, Section 9 con’t…Article 1, Section 9 con’t…  Taxes used to be based on state population, now it’s individual income.  Congress can’t tax exports but can tax imports…  Congress must treat states fairly  “Power of the purse” – control of $$$ **  No dukes, counts or earls!  No titles of nobility!

Article 1, Section 10Article 1, Section 10  Only Congress, not states, can conduct foreign diplomacy or print money.  States can’t pass bills of attainder or ex post facto laws.  Basically, states can’t act like independent countries.  States can’t charge tariffs on imports from other states.  States can’t run their own armies or start their own wars.