Notes on Legislative Branch Congress: Borrows Money Coins Money Admits new states to the Union Declares war Creates lower federal courts Is Established by Article I of Constitution

House of Representatives Can elect a President (in case of tie or no one gets majority of electoral votes) Brings charges of impeachment All members are up for re-election every 2 yrs. Introduces all tax bills 435 members- size set by Congress, not Const. Members must be 25 yrs old, citizen 7 yrs, and live in state they represent # of Reps based on population; guaranteed 1 rep.

Senate Can elect Vice President (tie or no majority of electoral college) Conducts the impeachment trials Is a continuous body Approves Presidential appointments (w/ 2/3’s vote) 100 members (2 senators for each state) Qualifications- 30 yrs old, 9 yr citizen, live in state they represent

A special session of Congress may be called by the President The President can veto bills passed by Congress (however, Congress can override a veto with 2/3’s vote in both Houses)

Vocabulary Rules Committee- House committee that schedules bills for consideration Conference committee- settles differences between House & Senate versions of a bill Joint committee- has members from both H & S Select committee- temporary for a specific purpose Standing committee- permanent comm in H or S Logrolling- support each other’s bills Pigeonhole- kill a bill in committee Rider- unrelated measure attached to a bill

Vocab (cont.) Appropriation- money set aside for specific purpose Advise&Consent- Senate approval for Pres. App’t 16 th Amendment-direct income tax 17 th Amendment- direct election of senators 27 th Amendment- congressional pay raises take effect after next election Filibuster- abuse of free speech in Senate Gerrymandering- odd shaped districts

Vocab (cont.) Off year elections- held in non-presidential election years Seniority rule- committee chair goes to most senior member of majority party Franking privilege- free postage for Congress

Multiple Choice Info At first reading of bill, it is titled, numbered, and sent to the appropriate committee War Powers Act- limits pres. Powers; must inform Congress when troops are sent overseas Subpoena- requires a person to appear at hearing or produce requested documents Impoundment- refusal to spend $ Expressed powers- Article I section 8

Speaker of the House- presiding officer of House; most powerful position in Congress; elected by members of House. Implied powers- derived from necessary and proper clause (aka elastic clause; Art. I sec. 8 clause 18.) loose construction- Congress has more power Pres. Of Senate- also VP of US; votes only to break a tie in Senate Whips- assist floor leaders in H & S Bicameral- two houses

Subcommittee- further division of a committee with more specialization Redistricting- reapportion seats after election Revenue bills- raise tax money Fed. Money and jobs come come from federal grants and contracts Pork Barrel- public works bills for local projects Private bills- effect individual people or places Public bills- effect entire US; most bills are public Most of fed budget used for uncontrollables (entitlements) such as Soc. Security(largest entitlement)

Wesberry vs. Sanders- “one person, one vote” Reps must live in state they represent; only custom to live in district they represent A federal law limits the size of HR to 435 members President can call special sessions of Congress All revenue(tax) bill must begin in House Reps Only members of Congress can introduce bills Each state guaranteed 1 representative Speaker of House is elected by members of House

U.S. Senators for Texas Kay Bailey Hutchison, R John Cornyn, R

Representatives for the Klein Area Ted Poe, R- District 2 Michael McCaul, R – District 10

Officers of the 110 th Congress US Senate President of Senate- Joe Biden President Pro Tempore- Robert Byrd, D –WV Senate Majority Leader- Harry Reid, D- Nevada Majority Whip- Richard Durbin, D- Illinois Senate Minority Leader- Mitch McConnell, R- KY Minority Whip- Trent Lott, R- Mississippi

Officers of Congress (cont.) House of Representatives Speaker of the House- Nancy Pelosi, D- California House Majority Leader- Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland Majority Whip- James Clyburn, D-South Carolina House Minority Leader- John Boehner- R- Ohio Minority Whip- Roy Blunt, R-Missouri