House of Representatives Senate Leadership Committees Powers LEGISLATIVE BRANCH General Information House of Representatives Senate Leadership Committees Powers

CONGRESS: GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSE: TO MAKE LAWS CONGRESSIONAL TERMS 2 Years in Length Currently the 114th Term of Congress CONGRESSIONAL SESSIONS Regular Session – Must Meet once a Year (January 3 – December) Special Session – President Calls – Times of Crisis Joint Session – State of the Union Address

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BASIC INFORMATION Term Length – 2 Years Requirements for Members 25 years old 7 year US Citizen Resident of the State 435 Members Based on State Population Changes w/ Census (10 yrs) VOCABULARY Census – Population Count Constituents – people who vote in an election Gerrymandering – dividing a state into odd-shaped districts for political advantage

SENATE BASIC INFORMATION Term Length – 6 years (1/3 every 2 years) Requirements for Members 30 years old 9 year US citizen Resident of the State 100 members 2 per state

CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Speaker of the House – Chosen by the majority party Paul Ryan SENATE President – VP of the US Mike Pence

Committees (Little Legislatures) Types of Committees Standing – permanent; have in each term. Subcommittee – each standing committee is further divided into subcommittee. Select Committee – set up for a particular issue. Joint Committee – made up of members of both houses. Conference Committee – a joint committee that irons out differences in different versions of house bills. Committee Membership Each house leader chooses committee chairperson. Comes from majority party. Party leaders also decide who will be in the committees. Seniority System – those who have been in Congress longer get more favorable committee assignments.

POWERS OF CONGRESS EXPRESSED POWERS Powers specifically granted to Congress in the Constitution. TAX ESTABLISH POST OFFICES DECLARE WAR IMPEACHMENT RAISE & MAINTAIN REGULATE INTERSTATE ARMY, NAVY & FOREIGN TRADE COIN MONEY ESTABLISH LOWER COURTS BORROW MONEY NATURALIZATION RULES IMPLIED POWERS Necessary & Proper Clause – Congress may make all laws necessary & proper to the execution of government. (AKA – ELASTIC CLAUSE)

Powers Denied to Congress Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus Pass a Bill of Attainder Pass an Ex Post Facto Law Tax Exports No Titles of Nobility

Congressional Benefits/Staff/etc… Salary & Benefits - $174,000; free office space, parking, trips to/from home state/district, franking privilege. Staff – Gather info on bills, arrange meetings, write speeches, deal with requests from home state/district, deal with lobbyists. Committee Staff – Draft bills, gather info, organize hearings, negotiate with lobbyists. Agencies that Assist Congress Library of Congress Congressional Research Service General accounting Office Congressional Budget Office

CHECKS & BALANCES