The Legislative Branch Chapter 5 Section One: Structure of Congress

Bell Ringer October 11, 2018 Page 163 – CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES Which type of committee has members from both houses? Why does both the HR & the Senate have committees that cover the same issues? Joint committees They both face the same issues

Structure of Congress Congress is the legislative, or lawmaking, branch of the national government. Senate House of Representatives.

Responsibilities of Congress The most important job of Congress is to make laws. The Framers wanted this branch to have the most power. 535 members of Congress

The House of Representatives HR is the largest of the two houses – 435 Number of representatives are determined by each state’s population. A census is used to find out how many representatives each state should have. States draw the districts.

Congressional Districts Congressional District: the area that a member of the House represents Today, districts contain an average of 647,000 people.

Representatives Representatives serve two years. They run for re-election or retire. AL U.S. Congressional District 1 Representative: Bradley Byrne

HR & Senate Top Leadership HR: Speaker of the House – Chosen by Majority Party 2nd in line to Presidency SENATE: Vice Pres. Of the U.S. is the presiding officer of the Senate Can vote only when there is a tie. President pro tempore: fills in when the VP is absent 3rd in line to Presidency

Senators Two Senators from each state – 100 Senators Senators are elected for six-year terms. The terms of Senators overlap, they are not all elected at the same time.

Essential Question Why is Congress composed of a HR & a Senate? It was made bicameral to please large & small states. Equal # of representatives in the Senate Based on population in the HR.

Bell Ringer Page 166 Why is the power to lay and collect taxes the one that the Constitution places in the very first clause? Why are there no clauses listed for each of the implied powers on the right-hand side of the chart? Without the taxes – Congress could not do anything else Implied powers means they are not stated in any clause of the Constitution

Legislative Powers Expressed or Enumerated Powers: those listed in the Constitution in Article I Section 8 Implied Powers: not stated in the Constitution but understood to be granted because of clause 18 Elastic Clause: “Necessary & Proper” to carry out its duties.

Lawmaking Powers: Raise & Spend money Manage Commerce: Trade Create & Maintain Military Congress alone declares war Create Postal Service Create Federal Courts

Nonlegislative Powers Power to approve or reject President’s nominees for Federal Courts Power to Impeach

Activity: Pg 167, 168, -Captions Why did the Founders make setting up a Post Office an expressed power in the Constitution? (pg 167) What does “acquitted” mean? (pg 168) Why is impeachment used rarely? Why use both Houses? (pg 168) Communication is necessary for a successful gov’t. Acquitted: not guilty The Congress must have convincing evidence to remove from office. Party politics should not play a part.

Essential Question What kind of powers are given to Congress by the Constitution? Enumerated Implied Lawmaking Nonlegislative

Bell Ringer October 15, 2018 Page 179. How a Bill Becomes a Law How do the steps of committee action in the House differ from those in the Senate? Why does the language approved in both the House and Senate have to be the same? After the committee reports the bill in the House, the Rules Committee sets the rules for debating it and adding amendments So the bill won’t be confusing or say contradictory things

From Bill to Law Three Main Sources for Bills Private citizens President Special Interest Group A bill can only be submitted by a member of Congress - The Sponsor Given a Title and Number (S.1 or H.R.1)

Standing Committee Standing Committee Pass it “Pigeonhole” it (ignore it) Kill it by a vote

On the Floor House or Senate Floor Debate House has time limits Senate has no time limits Filibuster: hold the floor by talking for hours to delay a vote hoping for the bill to be withdrawn. Cloture: end the filibuster by 3/5 of the Senate

The Vote on the Floor Three Ways to Vote 1. Voice Vote 2. Standing Vote 3. Roll Call Vote – Senate Electronic Vote – House Simple majority passes the bill – then it’s sent to the other house. If it does not pass – it dies

The President’s Part Sign it into law Veto: Reject the bill Goes back to Congress. May override veto with 2/3 vote in each house 3. Pocket Veto: killing legislation by ignoring the Bill till Congress adjourns. (10 days)

Essential Question How is legislation initiated? (Started) An individual House or Senate member proposes it.

Chapter 5 Review Population determines the representation in which House of Congress? ____________  HR When the House & the Senate do business together – it is called a _________________  Joint Committee A Bicameral or Two-House Congress was the result of what? Disagreement during the Constitutional Convention

Which Congressmen serve for six years  Senators Which Congressmen serve for two years? ____________________________________  HR The VP of the U.S. is the President of what? __________________________________  The Senate

The powers of the Legislative Branch are laid out in what part of the Constitution? Article 1 Section 8 A power written in the Constitution is called an Enumerated  Any Government Official caught in wrong-doing may be  Impeached

Regulating Public Schools is a power reserved for the ___________________________  States When the President rejects a bill, it is called a _________________________________  Veto Two-thirds of a vote from each house can do what to a Veto Override

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was debated or filibustered (stalled) in which House & by who? In the Senate by the Democrats for 57 days Talking & refusing to yield the Floor of the Senate in order to try and kill a bill is called: Filibuster Who decides when the HR or the Senate are ready to vote on a bill? The Standing Committee

Who breaks a tie in the Senate?  The VP of the United States Is it the Senator or the Representative who focuses on representing his district rather than the entire State?  Representative Which Branch of government should have the most power? Legislative Branch (Congress)

What is a Term in the House of Representatives?  Two Years How many Senators from each State? 2