Chapter%205%20The%20Legislative%20Branch

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Chapter 5The Legislative Branch

• Section 1 The Senate and the House of
  Representatives
• Section 2 How Congress Is Organized
• Section 3 The Powers of Congress
• Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

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OBJECTIVES
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• How many members are in the House and Senate,
  respectively, and what is the term length for
  each position?
• What are the qualifications and salaries for
  members of the House and the Senate?
• How does Congress deal with misconduct by its
  members?

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Members and terms lengths in the House and the
Senate
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• The House of Representatives has 435 members, who
  serve two-year terms.
• The Senate has 100 members, two for each state,
  who serve six-year terms.

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Qualifications and salaries in the House and
Senate
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• Representatives must be at least 25 years old, a
  U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a
  legal resident of the state they represent
• Senators must be at least 30 years old, a U.S.
  citizen for at least nine years, and a legal
  resident of the state they represent
• The yearly salary is 145,100.

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Misconduct by members of Congress
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• May lead to expulsion with a vote of two thirds
  of other members
• May lead to censure

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OBJECTIVES
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• When does a session of Congress begin, and how
  long does the session last?
• Who leads the houses of Congress, and how are
  these leaders chosen?
• What is the purpose of congressional committees,
  and how are committee assignments made?

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Congressional Sessions
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• Two sessions per term
• Sessions begin in January each year, and a date
  to adjourn is agreed upon.
• Sessions usually adjourn in August or September.
• The president may call a special session when
  necessary.

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Congressional Leaders
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• Speaker of the Houseelected from the majority
  party
• Floor leaders elected in party caucuses to guide
  proposed laws through Congress
• Party whipspersuade members to vote for
  legislation
• Vice president according to the Constitution
  presides over the Senate but only votes to break
  a tie
• President pro temporefills in for the vice
  president when necessary

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Congressional Committees
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• Study all bills before they are presented to
  Congress
• Members are nominated to committee assignments.
• Senators serve on at least two standing
  committees.
• Representatives serve on only two standing
  committees.
• Standing committee membership is proportionate to
  party majority in each house.
• Heads of Committee are now chosen by secret vote.

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OBJECTIVES
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• What are the five major areas in which Congress
  has the power to make laws?
• What is the significance of the elastic clause?
• What are the special powers of Congress, and how
  are congressional powers limited?

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Five major areas in which Congress makes laws
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• Financing government
• Regulating and encouraging American trade and
  industry
• Defending the country
• Enforcing laws
• Providing for growth

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The Elastic Clause
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• to make all laws which shall be necessary and
  proper for carrying into execution the foregoing
  powers
• allows Congress to stretch its delegated powers
  to manage new situations

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The special powers of Congress
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• Housebegins impeachment proceedings, initiates
  bills to raise money, and selects president when
  no candidate receives sufficient electoral votes
• Senateholds impeachment trials, selects vice
  president when no candidate has sufficient
  electoral votes, approves treaties, approves high
  officials

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Congress is forbidden to
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• Pass ex post facto laws, pass bills of attainder,
  suspend writ of habeas corpus, tax exports, pass
  laws violating the Bill of Rights, favor trade of
  any state, grant titles of nobility, or withdraw
  money without a law

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OBJECTIVES
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• Where do ideas for bills originate?
• What happens to a bill once it is introduced in
  each house of Congress?
• Once a bill is passed by both houses, what
  actions can the president take regarding the bill?

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Ideas for bills originate from
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• U.S. citizensconstituents making requests of
  their congressmembers
• Organized groupsbusinesspeople and labor groups
  seeking to protect their interests
• Committees of Congressinvestigating committees
  determine needs for new laws
• Members of Congressexperts in certain fields
  propose new laws
• The presidentoften introduces ideas for laws in
  the State of the Union Address

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Bills introduced in either house of Congress
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• are read and placed in the Congressional Record.
• are sent to a standing committee to be studied.
• receive hearings by the committees and are
  amended.
• The committee majority can recommend that a bill
  be passed.
• Bills reported out of committee are placed on the
  calendar for debate.
• The bill is voted on and sent to the other house
  of Congress for consideration.
• Approved bills are sent to the president.

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Actions of the president regarding a bill
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• sign the bill and declare it a law
• veto the bill and send it back to Congress
• hold the bill for 10 days, when it becomes a law
  or is killed by pocket veto