1. The Legislative Branch

2. The Legislative Branch
Bicameral- two houses
House of Representatives
Senate
Legislature- make the laws

3. The House of Representatives
Number of reps is determined by population of state
Currently has 435 members
Each elected from a Congressional District
Serve 2-year terms

4. The House of Representatives continued…
Requirements
At least 25 years old
US citizen for at least 7 years
Legal resident of the state you represent

5. House Leadership
Speaker of the House elected presiding officer; leader of the majority party in the House
Paul Ryan (Wisconsin)
Keeps order
Interprets and applies rules
Names members to committee
May debate
Votes to break a tie

7. NC’s Congressional Districts

8. Local Facts NC has 13 Representatives
Richard Hudson (R)- represents the 8th district
Alma Adams (D)- represents the 12th District

9. Richard Hudson
8th District
Alma Adams
12th District

10. The Senate Equal representation for each state
100 members = 2 per state
Serve 6 year terms

11. The Senate continued… Requirements At least 30 years old
US citizen for at least 9 years
Legal resident of the state you represent

12. The Senate Leadership
President of the Senate = VP of US; presiding officer of the Senate but not a member
Recognizes members
Puts questions to a vote
Cannot take floor to speak
May only vote to break a tie

13. The Senate Leadership continued…
President Pro Tempore – serves in the VP absence
Elected by the Senate
Leading senator member of majority party
Orrin Hatch (R)

14. Local Facts NC’s two senators currently include Thom Tillis(R)
Richard Burr (R)

15. Senator Thom Tillis Newly Elected Senator

16. Senator Richard Burr up for re-election in 2016

17. Terms of Congress
New representatives are elected in November of even-numbered years
New Congressional term begins January 3rd of the next odd-numbered year
1 Congress = 2 sessions
Each new Congress is given a number to identify it
1789: 1st Congress
2013: 113th Congress

18. Congressional Compensation
Members of Congress = $174,000 (base)
President = $400,000
VP = $230,700
Speaker of the House = $223,500
President Pro Tempore of Senate = $193,400

19. Congressional Compensation Continued…
Non-Salary Compensation
Special tax deduction
Travel expenses
Insurance and Medical care
Retirement plan
Office in Washington DC and at home
Staff for each office
Franking Privilege (free postage)

20. Congressional Committees
Standing Committees- permanent committees in Congress
Select Committees- created to do a specific job that does not fit into other committees
only meet for a specific time period and disband when they are done with their work
example: committee created to investigate the “Watergate Scandal”
Joint Committee- any committee that has members from both the House and the Senate
Conference Committee- a special form of a joint committee

21. Congressional Powers Legislative Powers
Taxing and Spending/ Appropriations bills
Tax bills start in the House of Representatives
President makes budget
Congress approves
Regulating foreign and interstate commerce

22. Congressional Powers continued…
Legislative Powers continued…
Declaring War
Congress declares war
President orders troops into battle
Creating/ maintaining an army and navy
Approving treaties
President makes
Senate approves

23. Congressional Powers continued…
Non-Legislative Powers
Proposing Amendments
Congressional action
Proposal = 2/3 Congress
Ratification = 3/4 state legislatures
Counting electoral votes

24. Congressional Powers continued…
Non-Legislative Powers
Addressing presidential succession issues
Approving/rejecting Presidential nominees
Senate
Impeaching
House of Reps. = begins proceedings
Senate = acts as a jury
Overseeing government activities = Watchdog

25. Power Denied to Congress
Cannot pass laws that violate the Constitution
Cannot suspend the writ of habeas corpus- bringing a prisoner to court & explaining he is being held
Prohibited from passing bills of attainder- Laws that punish a person without a jury trial
No ex post facto laws- Laws that make an act a crime after it has been committed

27. Getting to Know your Congressmen Spend 20 minutes reading a short biography of each leader and fill in the following chart
Who is the representative?
What is their title?
What are some of their key issues/priorities?
What political party are they?
Would you have voted for them? Why or why not?