1. The Non Legislative Powers
Chapter 11
Section 4

2. Key Terms
Successor
Impeach
Acquit
Perjury
Censure
Subpoena

3. Constitutional amendments
Article V says that Congress may propose amendments
Need 2/3’s of each house
Congress can also a national convention, but only if requested by 34 or 2/3’s of the states

4. Electoral Duties House can be called to elect a President
12th amendment states if no one receives a majority of electoral votes, the House voting by state can settle the issue
Each state casts one ballot

5. Electoral Duties
Senate must choose a Vice president if no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes
Vote by individual Senators

6. Electoral Duties House has chosen a President twice
Thomas Jefferson 1801
John Quincy Adams 1825
Vice President only once
Richard M. Johnson in 1837

7. Electoral Duties
25th Amendment provides for filling the vacancy of vice presidency
Successor-a replacement, someone to fill a vacancy
President nominates and the Houses hold a vote (need a majority)

8. Electoral Duties The process was used twice
Gerald Ford was confirmed 1973
Nelson Rockefeller 1974

9. Impeachment
Constitution provides that all civil officers of the United States
“Be removed from Office on Impeachment for, conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors
Politics has been the root of most impeachments

10. Impeachment House has the sole power to impeach
Impeach- to accuse, bring charges.
Senate has the sole power to try-to judge, to sit as a court in impeachment cases

11. Impeachment Requires only a majority of the House
Conviction requires 2/3’s of the Senate
The Chief Justice presides over the Senate when the president is tried

12. Impeachment Penalty is the removal from office
Senate can also prohibit a convicted person from ever holding office.
The person can then be tried in the criminal courts

13. Impeachments There have been 17 Seven convictions
All seven persons removed were federal judges
Two presidents impeached
Andrew Johnson 1868
Bill Clinton 1991
Both aquitted

14. Andrew Johnson Removal grew out of turmoil from the Civil War
Johnsons became then17th President following Lincoln’s assassination
Became enmeshed in a series of disputes

15. Andrew Johnson Radical Republicans controlled both Houses
President Johnson was conciliatory to the South as Lincoln wished
Republicans wanted a harsher approach to Reconstruction
Senate fell one vote short

16. Impeachment Bill Clinton
Impeachment came out of an inappropriate relationship
First article charge perjury-lying under oath
Members of the House supported it. Senate never convicted him

17. Impeachment Richard Nixon resigned from office
House voted on articles of impeachment
Subpoenas-a legal order directing one to appear and produce evidence
Nixon ignored the subpoenas

18. House would impeach and the Senate would convict Nixon
Nixon resigned
August 9, 1974
Several Cabinet members and presidential assistants were convicted of felonies

19. Executive Powers All major appointments are made by the President
Confirmed by the Senate and brought up for a vote
Cabinet members are rarely rejected
Senate has only rejected 12 of 600

20. Executive Powers Treaties
Made by the President with the advice of the Senate
2/3’s of Senate must concur
President consults with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

21. Treaties Senate may Accept or reject
Treaties sometime considered in Executive session
House hold the purse strings and is sometimes consulted

22. Power to Investigate
Congress can investigate anything under its jurisdiction
House and Senate do this with standing committees

23. Power to Investigate Inquiries are held
1. gather information for legislation
2. oversee operations of various agencies
3. focus public attention on a particular matter
4. expose questionable activities
5. promote interests of a member of Congress

24. Power to Investigate Three little known agencies in Congress
1. Congressional Budget Office- committee of both houses taxing, spending, budget related matters
2. Congressional Research Service in the Library of Congress-hundreds of employees provide information on any subject
3. Government Accountability Office-called Congress’s watchdog, monitors government work