1. The Congress

2. Function of Congress Make law
Basic function of government in a democratic nation
Law is the means of translating the public will into policy

3. Terms and Sessions Term Session Special Sessions
2 years - starts at noon on January 3
# consecutively from 1st Term in now 111
Session
2 sessions per term - one per year
usually meets for most of the year
may not adjourn sine die
Special Sessions

4. House of Representatives
Size
Term
Reapportionment
Election
Districts
Gerrymandering
Qualifications

5. The Senate
Size
Election
Term
Continuous Body
Qualifications

6. Members of Congress Average member
Not a cross-section of American population

7. Job of Congressmen Legislators Committee members
Represent constituents
Servants of constituents
Politician

8. Compensation Members of both houses
Speaker of the House and President of the Senate
Floor Leaders and President Pro tempore
Fringe benefits
Limits on Pay
Privileges of members

9. Powers of Congress Congressional Power Strict Construction
Source of power
Source of limits on power
Strict Construction
Thomas Jefferson
Loose Construction
Alexander Hamilton

10. Expressed Powers Article I Section 8 Clauses
1 lay and collect taxes, duties, and excises
laid to meet public needs; protect domestic industry
limitations -
must be to pay debts, provide for common defense and welfare
can’t tax exports
direct taxes must be apportioned among the States according to populations
taxes must be uniform throughout the States
2 borrow money
3 regulate foreign and interstate commerce
vital to the formation of a strong union
Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824
commerce power is not unlimited
can’t favor the ports of one State over another
can’t lay duties on goods sent from one State to another
slave trade compromise allowing importation until 1808

11. Expressed Powers (cont.)
4 establish naturalization and bankruptcy laws
5 coin money & regulate its value; set standards of weights and measures
6 punish counterfeiters
7 establish post offices and post roads
8 grant patents and copyrights
9 create courts inferior to the Supreme Court
10 define and punish piracies & felonies on the high seas and international law
17 exercise jurisdiction over federal property

12. Implied Powers 18 Necessary and Proper Clause
responsible for vitality and adaptability of the Constitution
First controversy over national bank
McCulloch v. Maryland
There is a real limit
must be based in expressed powers

13. War Powers
Clauses
11 declare war; grant letters of marque and reprisal; make rules of captures on land and sea
12 raise and support and army
13 provide and maintain a navy
14 make laws governing land and naval forces
15 provide for calling forth the militia
16 provide for organizing, arming, and governing the militia when called up

14. Nonlegislative Powers
Constitutional Amendments
Electoral Duties
Impeachment and Trial
Executive Powers
Investigatory Powers