1. US Senate Leaders Vice President: Joe Biden (D)
President pro tempore: Orrin Hatch (R)
Majority Floor Leader: Mitch McConnell (R)
Minority Floor Leader: Harry Reid (D)
Majority Whip: John Comyn (R)
Minority Whip: Richard Durbin (D)

2. US House Leaders Speaker: Paul Ryan (R)
Majority Floor Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R)
Minority Floor Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority Whip: Steve Scalise (R)
Minority Whip: Steny Hoyer (D)

3. CONGRESSIONAL POWERS

4. Taxing and Spending/ Appropriations bills
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Taxing and Spending/ Appropriations bills
Tax bills start in the House of Representatives
President makes budget
Congress approves
What is this an example of??

5. Regulating foreign and interstate commerce (trade)
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Regulating foreign and interstate commerce (trade)
What’s the difference between these types of trade?

6. Declaring War Congress declares war
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Declaring War
Congress declares war
President orders troops into battle
What is this an example of??

7. Creating and maintaining an army and navy
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Creating and maintaining an army and navy
What does it mean to “maintain?”

8. Approving treaties President makes Senate approves
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Approving treaties
President makes
Senate approves
What is this an example of??

9. NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Proposing Amendments
Congressional action
Proposal = 2/3 Congress
Ratification = 3/4 state legislatures

10. NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Counting electoral votes
Who is elected by these votes?

11. NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Addressing presidential succession issues
Why is this important?

12. NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Approving/rejecting Presidential nominees
Senate’s job
What is this an example of??

13. NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Impeaching
House of Reps. = begins proceedings
Senate = acts as a jury

14. NON-LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Overseeing government activities
Watchdog…meaning??

15. POWERS DENIED TO CONGRESS
Cannot pass laws that violate the Constitution
Why not?

16. POWERS DENIED TO CONGRESS
Cannot suspend the writ of habeas corpus
Police have to bring prisoner to court and explain why they are holding him.

17. POWERS DENIED TO CONGRESS
Prohibited from passing bills of attainder
Laws that punish a person without a jury trial

18. POWERS DENIED TO CONGRESS
No ex post facto laws
Laws that make an act a crime after it has been committed

19. POWERS DENIED TO CONGRESS
Checks and balances
Supreme Court determines constitutionality of laws
President can veto bills
Can only override laws with a 2/3 vote in both houses.

20. What’s Important?
On your note card write down the answers to the following:
Which legislative power do you think is most important and why?
Which non-legislative power do you think is most important and why?