1. Everything You Need to Know About the Legislative Branch
Article I
The Legislative Branch
Everything You Need to Know About the Legislative Branch

2. Article I- The Legislative Branch REQUIREMENTS
 The House of Representatives
Minimum of 25 years of age
U.S. citizen for 7 years
Resident of the district they represent
The Senate
Minimum of 30 years of age
U.S. citizen for 9 years
Resident of the state they represent

3. Article I- The Legislative Branch TERMS
The House of Representatives
2 year terms (All up at the same time)
435 total members (this # is set by law)
Direct elected
Representation proportioned by population
The Senate
6 year terms (staggered-1/3 of Senate is up for reelection every 2 years)
100 total members (this # is set by Constitution)
Equally represented (2 per state)
State Leg. elected orig. 17th Amendment- Direct elections

4. Article I- The Legislative Branch ENUMERATED POWERS- Article 1, Section 8
War Powers
-Declare War
-To raise and support armies
-To provide and maintain a navy
-To provide for organizing the militia
Financial Powers
-To lay and collect taxes, duties to pay debt
-To borrow $
-To regulate interstate and foreign commerce
-To coin $
-Punish counterfeiting
Governmental Powers
-To establish rules of naturalization
-To establish post offices
-To establish and enforce patents
-To define and punish piracy and other crimes against the nation- TREASON
-Establish courts
The Elastic Clause
To make all laws which shall be “necessary and proper” WHY IS THIS POWERFUL????

5. Article I- The Legislative Branch OTHER POWERS
Impeachment -HOUSE: Impeaches -SENATE: Holds trial (2/3)
Power of the Purse: Congress controls the purse strings
Proposition of Constitutional Amendments -Must pass both houses by 2/3 majority
POWERS DENIED= CONGRESS MAY NOT..
Ex Post Facto laws
Bills of Attainder
Suspension of Habeas Corpus

6. Major Functions of Congress
Representation Delegate Theory vs Trustee Theory
At Large vs Single District Representation
Individually Responsive, not Collectively Responsive
Lawmaking a. Pork Barrel b. Logrolling
Oversight- Power to investigate
Confirmation & Ratification (Senate only)

7. Legislative Checks On the Legislative Judicial Checks On the Executive
* Can propose amendments to
overrule judicial decisions
* Approves appointments of federal judges
* Confirms executive appointments
* Can impeach and remove judges
* Can override President’s veto (2/3)
* Create lower federal courts
* Can impeach and remove President
* Appropriates money
* Ratifies treaties (2/3)
Judicial
Legislative

8. Article I- The Legislative Branch Leadership
SENATE
-Vice President *only power is to break ties
-President Pro Temp *figure head position
-Majority Leader (MOST POWER)/Minority Leader
-Majority/Minority Whips

9. SENATE LEADERSHIP Only in case of a tie VP Ceremonial POWER
Pres. Pro Tempore
POWER
MAJ. LEADER
MIN. LEADER
MAJ. WHIP
MIN. WHIP
OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
HOW DO THEY SELECT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

10. Article I- The Legislative Branch Leadership
HOUSE
-Speaker of the House (MOST POWER) elected to position by majority party
-Majority Leader / Minority Leader
-Majority/Minority Whips

11. HOUSE LEADERSHIP POWER SOTH HOW DO THEY SELECT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
MAJ. LEADER
MIN. LEADER
MAJ. WHIP
MIN. WHIP
OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
HOW DO THEY SELECT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

12. The Legislative Branch & Congress
SHOULD CONGRESS
LOOK LIKE AMERICA?

13. Facts About the 115th Congress
AVERAGE AGE Senate- 61 years House- 57 years
HOUSE MEMBERSHIP Democrats- 193 Republicans- 240
(2 Vacant)
SENATE MEMBERSHIP Democrats- 48
Republicans-52 Independents- 2 (Angus King, Bernie Sanders)
AVERAGE LENGTH OF SERVICE House- 9.1 years Senate- 10.4years

14. SENATE HOR

15. American Demographics

21. How A Bill Becomes a Law

24. General Knowledge Founders believed in a SLOW process
Founders believed efficiency was a trait of an oppressive government
Founders purposely created a system where it was difficult to pass legislation…WHY?
It forces COMPROMISES and DIALOGUE

25. 5 SETS OF POLITICAL FORCES
POLITICAL PARTIES
COMMITTEES
CAUCUSES
RULES OF LAWMAKING
THE PRESIDENT

26. Step 1 Every Bill starts out as an idea
These ideas can come from Congress, private citizens or from the White House
Special Interest Groups may also try to influence Congress to write a Bill

27. Step 2
Every Bill must start out and be introduced by a Congressman – either a Senator or a House Member
Every Bill is given a title and number when it is introduced – H.R.1 or S.1

28. Step 3
After it is introduced, each Bill is then sent to the standing committee that seems most qualified to handle it.

29. Step 4
Committees receive hundreds of Bills and they decide the life or death of these bills
Those that hold merit are sent to a subcommittee to research (public hearings may be held)

30. Step 5
The subcommittee will report to the standing committee who will decide if the Bill should
Pass without changes
Have changes and pass it along
Replace the Bill with a alternative one
Kill the Bill

31. Step 6
If a Bill is approved by the committee, then it is ready for consideration by the full House or the Senate.
When Bills reach the floor, the members argue their pros and cons
The Senate (only) can add riders
The Senate also allows filibusters which can only be stopped by a 3/5ths vote for cloture

32. Step 7 When members of Congress are ready to vote they may do so by
Voice Vote
Standing Vote
Roll-call or today’s Computerized Vote
A simple majority is all that is needed to pass a Bill. If either house refuses to pass it, it dies
The Bill must be passed in identical formats in both houses – conference committees may be needed

33. Step 8 Presidential Action is the final step Veto: refuse to sign
Congress can override the veto with a 2/3rds vote in each house – very unlikely
Sign the Bill into Law
Do nothing for 10 days
In session – the Bill becomes a Law
Out of session – the Bill dies – POCKET VETO

35. The End