1. Legislative Branch

2. Presidential role in the Legislative Branch
In the Legislative Process, the president can make drastic changes to a bill if necessary.
A bill must pass both houses of Congress before it goes to the President for consideration.
When receiving a bill from Congress, the President has several options. If the President agrees substantially with the bill, he or she may sign it into law, and the bill is then printed in the Statutes at Large. If the President believes the law to be bad policy, he may veto it and send it back to Congress. Congress may override the veto with a two-thirds vote of each chamber, at which point the bill becomes law and is printed.

3. Whats the Difference between House of Rep. and Senate?
Minimum age: H-25 years S-30 years
Length of term: H-2 years S-6 years
Number of members: H-435 S-100
Citizenship: H-7 years S-9 years
Election: H-no limit S-every 2 years
Majority Leaders: H- initiate impeachment and pass articles of impeachment S- advise and consent on presidential appts
Minority Leaders: H-works to protect minorities rights S-select slate of readers

4. Requirements to Serve in the Senate

5. The Organization of Congress
Majority Leader
-manage legislation
-the majority leader is the chief spokesperson for the majority party
Minority Leader
-1st in command of the party
-floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature
Majority Whip
-persuades reps to vote
-help majority leader
Minority Whip
-Performs duties of whip for the minority party. Members of the minority party elect the Minority Whip

6. What is the purpose of a Congressional Committee?
Ease workload & divide work
Select worthy bills
Help public learn about bills
Types:
Standing- permanent committees
Select- temporary to study a specific issue
Joint- made up of members of both chambers
Conference- temporary committee to resolve issues over versions of a bill
Choosing Committee Members:
Membership is extremely important for congressmen
Each political party assigns members of Congress to standing committees

7. How a Bill Becomes a Law
*What power does the president have over a bill? *Where does a bill start?
Steps…(condensed)
Every bill starts out as an idea
Every bill must be introduced by a congressman (house or senate)
After each bill is introduced, they are sent to standing committees
The life or death of a bill is decided. The ones who survive are sent to committee to research
A committee meets in a markup session to make changes to the bill
If the bill is approved by committee, it’s ready for consideration by the full house or senate
When the members of congress are ready to vote, they can either have a voice vote, standing vote, roll-call, or recorded vote

8. how a bill becomes a law continued..
Less than 10% of bills become laws because the process is long and complicated, the sponsors of the bill have to compromise with the lawmakers and interest groups, and the members of congress support bills that never become a bill
The ideas of a bill usually comes from special interest groups and people of congress
Bills are given the title H.R.1 and S.1 when they are introduced
When the bill reaches the floor, 2 houses argue about changing the bill
The president has the power to veto, sign into law or do nothing for 10 days to the received bill