1. House of Representatives Senate Leadership Committees Powers
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
General Information
House of Representatives
Senate
Leadership
Committees
Powers

2. CONGRESS: GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSE: TO MAKE LAWS
CONGRESSIONAL TERMS
2 Years in Length
Currently the 114th Term of Congress
CONGRESSIONAL SESSIONS
Regular Session – Must Meet once a Year
(January 3 – December)
Special Session – President Calls – Times of Crisis
Joint Session – State of the Union Address

3. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BASIC INFORMATION
Term Length – 2 Years
Requirements for Members
25 years old
7 year US Citizen
Resident of the State
435 Members
Based on State Population
Changes w/ Census (10 yrs)
VOCABULARY
Census – Population Count
Constituents – people who vote in an election
Gerrymandering – dividing a state into odd-shaped districts for political advantage

4. SENATE BASIC INFORMATION Term Length – 6 years (1/3 every 2 years)
Requirements for Members
30 years old
9 year US citizen
Resident of the State
100 members
2 per state

5. CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Speaker of the House – Chosen by the majority party
Paul Ryan
SENATE
President – VP of the US
Mike Pence

6. Committees (Little Legislatures)
Types of Committees
Standing – permanent; have in each term.
Subcommittee – each standing committee is further divided into subcommittee.
Select Committee – set up for a particular issue.
Joint Committee – made up of members of both houses.
Conference Committee – a joint committee that irons out differences in different versions of house bills.
Committee Membership
Each house leader chooses committee chairperson. Comes from majority party.
Party leaders also decide who will be in the committees.
Seniority System – those who have been in Congress longer get more favorable committee assignments.

7. POWERS OF CONGRESS EXPRESSED POWERS
Powers specifically granted to Congress in the Constitution.
TAX ESTABLISH POST OFFICES DECLARE WAR IMPEACHMENT
RAISE & MAINTAIN REGULATE INTERSTATE
ARMY, NAVY & FOREIGN TRADE
COIN MONEY ESTABLISH LOWER COURTS
BORROW MONEY NATURALIZATION RULES
IMPLIED POWERS
Necessary & Proper Clause – Congress may make all laws necessary & proper to the execution of government.
(AKA – ELASTIC CLAUSE)

8. Powers Denied to Congress
Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus
Pass a Bill of Attainder
Pass an Ex Post Facto Law
Tax Exports
No Titles of Nobility

9. Congressional Benefits/Staff/etc…
Salary & Benefits - $174,000; free office space, parking, trips to/from home state/district, franking privilege.
Staff – Gather info on bills, arrange meetings, write speeches, deal with requests from home state/district, deal with lobbyists.
Committee Staff – Draft bills, gather info, organize hearings, negotiate with lobbyists.
Agencies that Assist Congress
Library of Congress
Congressional Research Service
General accounting Office
Congressional Budget Office

10. CHECKS & BALANCES