1. The Legislative Branch
Congress:
The House of Representatives
The Senate

4. Congress: -House of Rep.’s: directly elected
Based on population (census)
Capped at 435
-Senate: first chosen by state legislatures
2 per state
17th Amendment: chosen by voters
-Qualifications:
House: 25 yrs.,7 yr. citizen,resident/ 2 yr. term
Senate: 30 yrs.,9 yr. citizen, resident/ 6yr.

5. Leadership Roles House of Representatives The Senate
Speaker of the House: chosen by the majority party
VERY POWERFUL!!!
The Senate
President: VP of the US
Pres. Pro Tempore: senior member of majority party

6. Leaders Speaker of the House – Paul Ryan, R. Wisconsin
President of the Senate – Mike Pence, R. Indiana
President Pro Tempore – Orrin Hatch, R. Utah

7. Sean Patrick Maloney

8. NY Senators

9. Fun Facts! The original House of Representatives had 65 members
Average age of today’s rep.s? 53
Most are married, half are lawyers and a large percentage worked in banking, business and education.
Nearly all members have advanced college degrees
They make about $140,000 a year, with many little extras: travel $, free postal service, etc,. (Leaders in H & S make more $$$).

10. What is the role of the Legislative Branch???
The #1 job of the House of Reps and the Senate is to MAKE LAWS!!!
I'm Just a Bill
Ideas: pres., Congress, interest groups, citizens
Fun Fact: 11,000 proposed over two year session, but only 1,000 actually become law!

12. Special / Specific Terms
Filibuster
Senator can speak for as long as they want during debate
1957 Senator Strom Thurmond tried to stop the passage of a civil rights bill. He spoke for more than 24 hours.
He talked about civil rights for several hours
He read the voting rights laws from every state
He then read the Declaration of Independence aloud
***The bill did pass just two hours later, but Thurmond set a new record for the filibuster
All revenue bills (which raise $) must start in the House of Reps

13. Non-Lawmaking Powers and Responsibilities

14. Powers of Legislative Branch
Implied powers: Not specifically granted
to make all laws necessary & proper to carry out their delegated powers
Elastic Clause or necessary & proper clause
Gives Constitution flexibility
Delegated or enumerated: Specifically granted:
Declare war
coin $
regulate trade – between states and U.S. and foreign
raise taxes

15. Powers (cont.) Non-Legislative Powers: non-law-making powers:
House and Senate:
admit new states
propose Constitutional amendments
Only the Senate can:
Approve treaties

16. Powers – Checks and Balances
Congressional Override - 2/3 to override president’s veto
Senate Approves Presidential Appointments – Cabinet positions and Supreme Court
Impeachment powers:
“for treason, bribery & other high crimes & misdemeanors”
House: brings charges - must determine if there is enough evidence
Enough evidence = impeached and heading to trial
Senate: tries case
2/3 vote needed to remove official from office

17. The Intentions of the Founding Fathers and the Constitution
The Legislative Branch was supposed to be the strongest/most powerful branch of the government
As time has passed and our government has evolved the Executive Branch, or president, has become more powerful