1. Legislative Branch

2. Introduction Main Purpose: To make laws Bicameral (two houses)
House of Representatives
number of members based on state population
435 Members
Senate
two members per state
100 Members

3. 1. How do interest groups try to influence members of Congress?
Interest groups supply votes and money
Tries to convince members of Congress to support or oppose bills according to their needs
Problems:
Congress may choose to represent lobbyists’ interests instead of constituents
Bribery and corruption

4. 2. How do home offices help keep members of Congress in touch with their constituents?
Set up neighborhood meetings
Spending time in local offices
Talking with constituents
Living in the area represented
Problems:
Members often pulled in many different directions
Difficult to live in two places at once
Experiential/socio-economic barriers

5. 3. What are some differences between the jobs of senators and the jobs of representatives?
Represent interests of Congressional Districts
Letters, casework, visit constituents
Work hard to please constituents
Senators
Represent interests of the whole state
Longer, over-lapping terms allow more consistency
Not as susceptible to changing moods of constituents

6. 4. What are some of the benefits received by members of Congress?
High annual salary
Multiple offices
Travel
Free use of postal service

7. 5. Describe two powers that help Congress “promote the general welfare
General Welfare- needs of all the people of a nation
Regulate commerce
Collect taxes
Approve budget

8. 6. For what purposes does Congress conduct investigations?
If an official has violated the Constitution
If an official has lied under oath
If an official has abused their power
Two presidents impeached
Andrew Johnson, 1868
Bill Clinton, 1998

9. 7. Why are bills of attainder and ex post facto laws unfair?
Bills of Attainder- laws that convicts a person of a crime without a trial
Violates the Sixth Amendment (rights a fair and speedy trial)
Ex post facto- laws passed making an act a crime, then punish the person for committing the crime before the law was passed

10. 8. What powers and responsibilities does the Speaker of the House have?
Most powerful member of the House
Presides over sessions
Decides what will be discussed and who will speak
Appoints members of committees
Sends bills to committees

11. 9. What is the difference between standing committees and conference committees?
Deal with specific areas
Ex. Education, Banking
Conference committees
Tries to resolve issues between House and Senate so a bill can move on

12. 10. Describe the President’s role in the lawmaking process.
President signs bills into law
Vetoes bills
Holds bill for ten days, making it a law (pocket veto)

13. 11. Explain how opponents of S
11. Explain how opponents of S.837 were able to block its passage in 1988.
Filibuster- use of long speeches to prevent a vote on a bill

14. 12. How did the passage of a minimum wage bill in 1991 represent a compromise between Congress and the President?
The bill was re-written, combining both original bills
Bush vetoed it
Bill re-written to satisfy the president.
Signed into law

15. 13. Explain why the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 1998 was never voted on by the entire Senate.
It was sent to a standing committee
Never gained majority support of committee members

16. 14. Why did the framers set up so many hurdles in the lawmaking process?
Wanted Congress to study and debate every bill carefully
Avoid rash decisions
Make sure a majority party can’t oppress the minority
Better chance that it will be a good law