The Legislative Branch Congress: The House of Representatives The Senate
Congress l Congress is the Legislative Branch • Bicameral = 2 houses • House of • Representatives = 435 people apportioned based upon population Senate = 100 people, 2 from each state
Congress: General Information l -House of Rep. ’s: directly elected l -Senate: first chosen by state legislatures l -Qualifications: • Based on population (census) • Capped at 435 • 17 th Amendment: chosen by voters • House: 25 yrs. , 7 yr. citizen, resident/ 2 yr. term • Senate: 30 yrs. , 9 yr. citizen, resident/ 6 yr.
Leadership Roles l House of Representatives • Speaker of the House: chosen by the majority party • VERY POWERFUL!!! l The Senate • President: VP of the US • Pres. Pro Tempore: senior member of majority party
Leaders l l l Speaker of the House – Paul Ryan, R. Wisconsin President of the Senate – Joe Biden, D. Delaware President Pro Tempore – Orrin Hatch, R. Utah
Sean Patrick Maloney
NY Senators
What is the role of the Legislative Branch? ? ? l l The #1 job of the House of Reps and the Senate is to MAKE LAWS!!! I'm Just a Bill
Revenue Bills Involve This: l Must start in HOR
Committee Meeting in Congress
Process (cont. ) l Sent to House floor for a vote • House: limited time for debate • Senate: unlimited • “filibuster”:
Senator Strom Thurmond: 48 years in the Senate (Until he was 100!)
More Fun Facts: l 1957 Senator Strom Thurmond tried to stop the passage of a civil rights bill. He spoke for more than 24 hours. • He talked about civil rights for several hours • He read the voting rights laws from every state • He then read the Declaration of Independence aloud • ***The bill did pass just two hours later, but Thurmond set a new record for the filibuster
Process (cont. ) l Bill goes through each House l Bill goes to President • Two versions? Conference Committee • Sign? Becomes law • Veto? Sent back to House of origin • Pocket veto: less than 10 days for Congress, pres. doesn’t sign bill (“dies” in his pocket)
Fun Facts! l Most vetoes? l Least vetoes? • FDR: 635 over 12 years in office • Cleveland: 414 over 4 years • Monroe: 1 veto • Washington: 2 • “King Veto”: Andrew Jackson: used veto 12 times: more than all the previous pres. combined
Fun Facts! l l l The original House of Representatives had 65 members Average of today’s rep. s? 53 Most are married, half are lawyers and a large percentage worked in banking, business and education. Nearly all members have advanced college degrees They make about $140, 000 a year, with many little extras: travel $, free postal service, etc, . (Leaders in H & S make more $$$).
Non-Lawmaking Powers and Responsibilities
Powers of Legislative Branch l Delegated or enumerated: Specifically granted: • Declare war • coin $ • regulate trade – between states and U. S. and foreign • raise taxes
Powers of Legislative Branch l Implied powers: Not specifically granted • to make all laws necessary & proper to carry out their delegated powers • Elastic Clause or necessary & proper clause
Powers (cont. ) l Non-Legislative Powers: non-law-making powers: • Senate: • approve pres. Appointments (Judges and Cabinet) • admit new states • approve treaties • propose Constitutional amendments • House: • Admit new states • Propose amendments to Constitution
Powers – Checks and Balances l l Congressional Override - 2/3 to override president’s veto Impeachment powers: • “for treason, bribery & other high crimes & misdemeanors” • House: brings charges - must determine if there is • enough evidence • Enough evidence = impeached and heading to trial Senate: tries case • 2/3 vote needed to remove official from office
Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment Trial in the Senate
President Bill Clinton
The Intentions of the Founding Fathers and the Constitution l l The Legislative Branch was supposed to be the strongest/most powerful branch of the government As time has passed and our government has evolved the Executive Branch, or president, has become more powerful
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