1. Special Powers of Congress
Non-Legislative Powers

2. Election Duties (12th Amendment)
If no Presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes needed to win the election (270 electoral votes or more)
House of Representatives (voting by state delegation) will elect the President (26 to elect)
This occurred in 1800 and 1824
If no Vice Presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes needed to win the election (270 electoral votes or more)
The Senate will elect the Vice President (each Senator having 1 vote, 51 votes needed to elect)

3. Ratification or Approval Power
President appoints: ambassadors, his Cabinet, federal judges, and the heads of agencies
Presidential appointments must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate
President has the power to make a treaty with a foreign country (formal contract or agreement)
Treaty must be approved by a 2/3 vote by the Senate

4. 25th Amendment (Ratified 1967)
Section 2: “Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress”
Richard Nixon
Spiro Agnew
Gerald Ford
Nelson Rockefeller

5. Impeachment Process
House of Representatives can impeach the President of other federal official by a majority vote
Senate conducts the trial, can remove from office upon conviction by a 2/3 vote
Andrew Johnson (1868)
Bill Clinton (1998/1999)

6. Impeachment of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton (Impeached 1998)
House brought 2 articles of Impeachment:
1. Perjury (lying under oath): 228 to 206 vote
2. Obstruction of Justice: 221 to 212 vote
Result of affair Clinton had with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky
Senate acquits Clinton on both charges (1999)
1. Perjury (45 to 55 vote)
2. Obstruction of Justice (50 to 50 vote)

7. Bill Clinton Impeachment

10. Amendment Process
A constitutional Amendment may be proposed by a 2/3 vote of Congress
Amendment must be ratified by ¾ of the state legislatures (38 out of 50 states) or ¾ of state conventions

11. Congressional Oversight
Oversight refers to congressional review of the activities of an executive department, agency or office.
The Senate exercises a special oversight function by confirming (approving) Presidential appoints of Cabinet Heads and directors of federal agencies
Methods of congressional oversight include:
Setting guidelines for new agencies
Creating, reorganizing, or abolishing an agency
Setting the budget for the agency
Conducting an investigation
Committee questions agency officials or director