Representing the People Congress Representing the People

Ch. 6-2

Powers of Congress Legislative (law-making) Powers Expressed powers = powers of Congress specifically listed in the Constitution Implied powers = powers Congress infers through the “necessary and proper” clause of the Constitution. This clause is also sometimes called the “elastic clause” because it allows Congress to stretch its powers

Powers of Congress Legislative Powers Taxing and spending Regulating commerce (trade) Foreign relations and treaties

Non-legislative Powers Powers of Congress Non-legislative Powers Proposing constitutional amendments Counting electoral votes in presidential elections Check other branches of government

Non-legislative Powers The Power of Approval and Removal Senate can approve or reject presidential appointments Congress can remove elected officials when they have committed serious wrongdoing The House can impeach - accuse officials of misconduct in office The Senate then acts as a jury and votes to convict / remove the person from office

Non-legislative Powers Oversight and Investigation Congress can review how well a law is put into practice They can conduct special investigations

Limits on Congress’ Power Congress cannot suspend the writ of habeas corpus – this is a court order requiring police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person Congress cannot pass bills of attainder – this is a law that punishes a person without a jury trial Congress cannot pass ex post facto laws – these are laws that make an act a crime after the act has been committed

Limits on Congress’ Power Congress cannot do anything that is forbidden by the Bill of Rights Congress cannot favor one state over another Congress cannot tax interstate commerce Congress cannot tax exports

Ch. 6-3

Requirements for Senators Senators must: Be 30 years old Live in the state they represent Have been a U.S. citizen for 9 years before being elected

Requirements for the House Representatives in the House must: Be 25 years old Live in the state they represent Have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years before being elected

Senators and Representatives ½ are lawyers Almost all have college degrees Tend to be active in community organizations Most have held elected offices at the state or local level

Frank Salary and benefits $174,000 / year Free office space, parking, trips to home state Send job related mail without paying postage – this is the “Franking privilege” Frank

More benefits Low-cost life insurance Gym Special restaurants Medical clinic

Congressional Staff Serving in Congress is a full-time job (although it wasn’t always) Senators and Representatives hire staff to help them Assistants in offices in Washington, D.C. and in home districts Interns and pages (students) to help with research, office duties, run errands

Members of Congress at Work Sessions of Congress begin January 3rd every year Continue through most of the year Senators’/Representatives’ job is to represent the people of their district 3 major jobs

Lawmaking Write and introduce bills Take part in committee work Listen to input of people for and against a bill Vote on the floor of the House or Senate

Casework Helping people in their districts with problems dealing with the bureaucracy of the federal government Congress gets 80,000 emails per day

Helping the District or State Getting projects for the district or state Post offices, dams, military bases, veterans’ hospitals, mass transit systems, contracts for services that are going to benefit people in the district Pork-barrel projects = primarily benefit the home district or state

Do you remember Mr. Smith? Ch. 6-4 Do you remember Mr. Smith?

How a Bill Becomes a Law Private bills concern specific people or places Public bills apply to the entire nation – things like taxation, civil rights, terrorism Joint resolutions – passed by both houses of Congress… used for constitutional amendments, to designate money for a special purpose, correct errors in bills already passed

Committee Action and Floor Debate Committees research and review bills, pass them, kill them, change them, ignore them… Back to the floor of Congress Riders = completely unrelated amendments added to a bill Filibuster = talk a bill to death Cloture = end a filibuster with a 3/5 vote Vote

The bill passed the House and Senate… now what? Presidential action Veto = president refuses to sign Pocket veto = president does nothing and Congress adjourns… bill is dead President does nothing and Congress is still in session = LAW! 