1. Legislative Branch (Congress)
Organization of Congress

2. House of Representatives
Requirement: 25years old, U.S. citizen for 7 years, resident of state representing
Terms: 2years terms, focus on concerns in their district
Larger Body--Total size: 435, representation based on size of state
Make laws
Article I Section 2 Constitution
Republican or Democratic
Elected by the people
Sole Power of Impeachment

3. House of Representatives
Speaker of the House: Most powerful leader in House. He steers legislation, chooses who belongs to which committees, & other duties. He is always a member of the majority party (political party with the most members in Congress)
Majority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the majority party (party with the most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.
Minority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the minority party (party with the 2nd most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.
Party Whips: Helps the floor leader. The Democrats have a party whip and the Republicans have a party whip. The Party Whips help keep track of the members of Congress and how they vote on issues.

4. Senate
Requirements: 30years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, resident of state representing
Terms: 6 years terms, unlimited amount
Total size: 100, two per state
Article I Section 3
Meets in secret sessions
Republican or Democratic

5. Senate
Vice President of the United States: the official leader of Senate. The presiding officer. Rarely attends debates over legislation. Votes in case of a tie only.
President Pro Tempore: acts as chairperson and monitors debates. Member of the majority party. Title means “for the time being”; in charge when vice president is absent.
Majority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the majority party (party with the most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.
Minority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the minority party (party with the 2nd most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.
Party Whips: Helps the floor leader. The Democrats have a party whip and the Republicans have a party whip. The Party Whips help keep track of the members of Congress and how they vote on issues.

6. Congressional Leaders
House and the Senate
Majority party- political party to which more than half the members belong
Minority party- fewer members
Speaker of the House-most powerful with the House of Representatives
President pro tempore-chairperson of the Senate

7. Congressional Committees
Committees study, revise, and debate bills that could become a law, a budget, resolution, or act.
Their job is to decide if this is good for America and is it possible.
Committee assignments are chosen by the leader of each house of Congress often based on seniority

8. Congressional Committees
Type of Committee
Purpose of committee
Duration of committee
Examples
Standing Committee
Education
Veterans Affairs
Commerce
Permanent
Senate 17
House 19
Chart 181
Select Committee
Special Jobs
Limited Period
Assassinations death/ JFK MLK
Joint Committee (4)
Economic conditions
Federal tax policy
Library of Congress
Government Printing
Temporary
Conference Committee
Helps the House and Senate
Agree on details of a proposed law

9. Non-Legislative Powers Powers Denied to Congress
Chart 186
Non-Legislative Powers
Powers Denied to Congress
Collect taxes
Approve bills spend money
Impeach federal officials
Can’t favor one state over another
Expressed powers
Power of Approval and Removal
Can’t pass laws violate Constitution
Implied powers
Oversight and Investigation
Writ of habeas corpus- requires police bring prisoners
Elastic clause
Check other government branches
Bills of attainder- laws punish person without a jury trial
Regulate Commerce
Ex post facto laws- make an act a crime after the act been committed
Foreign Relations and Treaties
Supreme Court – declare laws unconstitutional

10. How a Bill Becomes a Law http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0

11. Step 1
Starts with an idea from a citizen, member of Congress, or the president.
idea sponsored by member of Congress, put into draft form, & introduced into Congress
Assigned a number (S.123) (HR 123)

12. Step 2
Bill assigned to Committee. The committee studies, researches, and revises the bill. They can:
Send the bill to next step
Kill the bill (bill will not become a law)
Pigeonhole the bill (set it aside for later)

13. Step 3
Subcommittee studies bill, gets citizen input, then has the same options as Step 2 (send, kill, or pigeonhole)

14. Step 4
Full committee: votes to sent to full House or Senate (which ever one it started in)

15. Step 5 Bill read to full House or Senate Debated
vote (voice, standing, or roll-call)-must have a 2/3 approval to go to next step

16. Step 6 If passes, must go to other house
Bill must pass in the same form (no changes can be made)
If changes are made must call a Conference committee to work out compromises
If changes are approved by both House and Senate, goes to next step

17. Step 7 *sign bill into law/declare it law
Sent to President for final approval ,he/she can:
*sign bill into law/declare it law
*Pocket veto (put aside, if after days Congress is in session it becomes a law, if not in session it dies)
*Veto (refusal to sign it into law)

18. Step 8
If vetoed by president, Congress can override the veto but 2/3 vote in each house. Very difficult to achieve.

19. NORTH CAROLINA STATE GOVERNMENT
Chapter 13 Section 1 Legislative Branch of North Carolina

20. SHARING OF POWER BETWEEN NATIONAL (FEDERAL) AND STATE GOVERNMENTS
FEDERALISM
SHARING OF POWER BETWEEN NATIONAL (FEDERAL) AND STATE GOVERNMENTS

21. THE TWO GOVERNMENTS
FEDERAL: USA
STATE: NORTH CAROLINA

22. SEPARATION OF POWERS LEGISLATIVE BRANCH EXECUTIVE BRANCH
JUDICIAL BRANCH

23. NC STATE CONSTITUTION PG 355 3/5 VOTE OF PROPOSAL IN HOUSE & SENATE
“FIRST IN FREEDOM”
NC FREEDOM FOR ENGLAND
NC CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES
PREAMBLE: INTRODUCTION: WE THE PEOPLE
PG 355
AMENDMENT PROCESS (2 TIERED)
3/5 VOTE OF PROPOSAL IN HOUSE & SENATE
MAJORITY VOTE OF THE NC CITIZENS
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
25 GUARANTEES OF FREEDOM
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
PEOPLE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF POWER GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT
LIMITED GOVERNMENT
SEPARATION OF POWERS
CHECKS AND BALANCES

24. NC LEGISLATIVE Called General Assembly
2 house legislature (bicameral)- Senate and House of Representatives

25. N.C. LEGISLATURE 435 MEMBERS, SPEAKER
NC GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SERVE 2 YR TERMS WITHOUT LIMITS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATE
120 MEMBERS, SPEAKER
SENATE
50 MEMBERS, LT. GOV & PRESIDENT PRO TEMP
POWERS
LONG SESSION (JAN-JUN)
SHORT SESSION (MAY-6WK)
NEW BUDGET YEAR OR FISCAL YEAR 6/1
US CONGRESS
2 YR TERMS HOUSE
6 YR TERMS SENATE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATE
435 MEMBERS, SPEAKER
SENATE
100 MEMBERS, V.P. & PRESIDENT PRO TEMP
POWERS
SESSION LAST 2 YRS
NO LONG OR SHORT
NEW BUDGET OR FISCAL YEAR: 10/1

26. Requirements
To be a member of the General Assembly, you must be a citizen of the state, live in district they represent and meet an age requirement. (Senator-25 yrs old, Representative- 18 yrs. old)
Elected every two years

27. Function of General Assembly
Main job is to make laws
Each house has a leader;
Lieutenant governor resides over
Senate and President Pro Tempore is in charge if Lt. Governor is not there.
Introduce, sent to committee, study, revise, debate and pass or kill bills.

28. Activity Venn Diagram: Comparison Chart: Legislative Branches
U.S. Legislative and N.C. Legislative