Unit 3 Congress In Action

Organization of Congress 30,000 people work for the legislative branch 3 billion dollars is what it cost to operate each year Parties- everything Congress does is based on the political party

Organization of Congress Continued Majority Party is the party that has the most members: House: Republicans 242 Senate: Democrats 51 Ohio’s General Assembly: Republicans 23

Organization continued Partisan Lawmakers who owe their 1st allegiances to their political party

Congress Convenes Opening day in the House Clerk calls roll Speaker of the House is given an oath Speaker swears in elected members Rules are adopted, committee members are appointed

Congress Convenes Continued Opening day in the Senate This day is short and routine due to it being a continuous body New members are sworn in, committee vacancies are filled

Presiding Officers of Congress The House Speaker of the House is the most powerful member Chosen by member from the majority party Presides and keeps order Interprets and applies the rules Refers bills to committee Names members to select and conference committees Signs all bills Can vote and debate Current Speaker is John Boehner

Presiding officers of Congress Continued The Senate There is a president of the Senate The Vice President of the US holds this position The Vice President is not a member of the Senate They can not debate or vote unless there is a tie(This is the major power held by this position)

Presiding Officers of Congress Continued The Senate continued This power was given to the Vice President to give them something to do Only position where party they are a member does not matter Current Vice President/President of the Senate is Joseph Biden

Presiding Officers of Congress Continued The Senate President pro tempore is : Daniel Inouye Jobs are to: Serve when Vice President is absent Longest serving member of the majority Party officers of Congress

Party officers of Congress Party Caucus: closed meeting of members of each party in each house Floor leaders Carry decisions of their party Chief spokesman for their party Majority leader of the House: Eric Cantor Minority leader of the House: Nancy Pelosi

Party Officers of Congress Continued Majority leader in the Senate (most powerful member of the Senate): Harry Reid Minority leader in the Senate: Mitch McConnell Whips: assistants to the floor leaders, jobs are: Keeps track of how members are voting Makes sure members are present for important votes

Presidential Succession Act (1947) Determines a list of officers to take the position of President if things where to happen to the elected President: Vice President Speaker President Pro Tempore Secretary of State The rest of the cabinet in order that they were created

Committees in Congress Standing Committees: permanent committee where all the work is done Committees exist in both the House and the Senate Every Congressmen serves on a committee All Bills must go through a committee The Majority Party has the majority of its members on each committee

Committee Chairman Chosen from the majority party Decides when they will take up a bill The Chairman will decide when hearings will be called They will decide what witness will be called The will manage debates Committees run by Seniority Rule

Seniority Rule In Committees This is an unwritten custom that the person with the longest record of service will be the chairman of the Committee

Ranking Members of Committees Term given to the person serving a long time on the committee. Peoples positions based off of time serving

Select Committees These committees are set up for a specific purpose for a limited time Examples of these committees are: Ageing in America Watergate Iran-Contra Affaire Organized Crime

Joint Committees These committees are made up of members from both the House and the Senate These committees can be permanent or select

Conference Committee These committees are temporary joint committees that are created to work out differences in bills passed by the House and the Senate Only one Bill can be sent to the President, so this committee needs to work out the differences in the Bill and create one Bill that Both the House and Senate can agree on.

Congressional Powers Constitution Expressed powers: powers directly stated in the Constitution says the government has Implied Powers: powers that are established the government has by reasonable deduction Inherent Powers: powers created by establishing a national government

States Powers Reserved Powers: Those powers that only the states have Education Licenses (marriage, hunting, drivers licenses Concurrent Powers: Powers that are given to both the state and national government Levy taxes Borrow money Establish courts Enact/enforce laws