1. Unit 3
Congress In Action

2. Organization of Congress
30,000 people work for the legislative branch
3 billion dollars is what it cost to operate each year
Parties- everything Congress does is based on the political party

3. Organization of Congress Continued
Majority Party is the party that has the most members:
House: Republicans 242
Senate: Democrats 51
Ohio’s General Assembly: Republicans 23

4. Organization continued
Partisan
Lawmakers who owe their 1st allegiances to their political party

5. Congress Convenes Opening day in the House Clerk calls roll
Speaker of the House is given an oath
Speaker swears in elected members
Rules are adopted, committee members are appointed

6. Congress Convenes Continued
Opening day in the Senate
This day is short and routine due to it being a continuous body
New members are sworn in, committee vacancies are filled

7. Presiding Officers of Congress
The House
Speaker of the House is the most powerful member
Chosen by member from the majority party
Presides and keeps order
Interprets and applies the rules
Refers bills to committee
Names members to select and conference committees
Signs all bills
Can vote and debate
Current Speaker is John Boehner

8. Presiding officers of Congress Continued
The Senate
There is a president of the Senate
The Vice President of the US holds this position
The Vice President is not a member of the Senate
They can not debate or vote unless there is a tie(This is the major power held by this position)

9. Presiding Officers of Congress Continued
The Senate continued
This power was given to the Vice President to give them something to do
Only position where party they are a member does not matter
Current Vice President/President of the Senate is Joseph Biden

10. Presiding Officers of Congress Continued
The Senate
President pro tempore is : Daniel Inouye
Jobs are to:
Serve when Vice President is absent
Longest serving member of the majority Party officers of Congress

11. Party officers of Congress
Party Caucus: closed meeting of members of each party in each house
Floor leaders
Carry decisions of their party
Chief spokesman for their party
Majority leader of the House: Eric Cantor
Minority leader of the House: Nancy Pelosi

12. Party Officers of Congress Continued
Majority leader in the Senate (most powerful member of the Senate): Harry Reid
Minority leader in the Senate: Mitch McConnell
Whips: assistants to the floor leaders, jobs are:
Keeps track of how members are voting
Makes sure members are present for important votes

13. Presidential Succession Act (1947)
Determines a list of officers to take the position of President if things where to happen to the elected President:
Vice President
Speaker
President Pro Tempore
Secretary of State
The rest of the cabinet in order that they were created

14. Committees in Congress
Standing Committees: permanent committee where all the work is done
Committees exist in both the House and the Senate
Every Congressmen serves on a committee
All Bills must go through a committee
The Majority Party has the majority of its members on each committee

15. Committee Chairman Chosen from the majority party
Decides when they will take up a bill
The Chairman will decide when hearings will be called
They will decide what witness will be called
The will manage debates
Committees run by Seniority Rule

16. Seniority Rule In Committees
This is an unwritten custom that the person with the longest record of service will be the chairman of the Committee

17. Ranking Members of Committees
Term given to the person serving a long time on the committee. Peoples positions based off of time serving

18. Select Committees
These committees are set up for a specific purpose for a limited time
Examples of these committees are:
Ageing in America
Watergate
Iran-Contra Affaire
Organized Crime

19. Joint Committees
These committees are made up of members from both the House and the Senate
These committees can be permanent or select

20. Conference Committee
These committees are temporary joint committees that are created to work out differences in bills passed by the House and the Senate
Only one Bill can be sent to the President, so this committee needs to work out the differences in the Bill and create one Bill that Both the House and Senate can agree on.

21. Congressional Powers Constitution
Expressed powers: powers directly stated in the Constitution says the government has
Implied Powers: powers that are established the government has by reasonable deduction
Inherent Powers: powers created by establishing a national government

22. States Powers Reserved Powers: Those powers that only the states have
Education
Licenses (marriage, hunting, drivers licenses
Concurrent Powers: Powers that are given to both the state and national government
Levy taxes
Borrow money
Establish courts
Enact/enforce laws