Chapter 4
The Legislative Branch
4.2 How Congress Does its Work
What does this political cartoon infer about
Congress?
Today’s Agenda
• Review 4.1
• Begin 4.2 How Congress Works
• Homework
Objectives
• Describe the powers of Congress
• Define the Elastic Clause
• Describe the power of impeachment
• Evaluate the impeachment of Bill Clinton
Let’s Review
Question
Answer
1. What is the name for the 1st 10
Amendments?
2. What is the term for the “mission
statement of the Constitution”?
3. What is Congress?
4. What groups make up congress?
5. What qualifications are needed to
be a senator?
6. Who is the president of the senate?
7. Are there more senators or
congressmen in the House?
1. Bill of Rights
2. The Preamble
3. Legislative Branch of government
(makes the laws)
4. Senate and House of Representatives
5. 30 yrs. Old, 9 year resident, resident
of state
6. The Vice president (Joe Biden)
7. More Congressmen (435)
What are the powers of Congress?
• Serve 2 Sessions
• Each working session goes from
January to late Fall
• Duties
• Collect taxes
• Maintain military
• Declare war
• Regulate trade
• Regulate interstate commerce
(business)
• Make laws
How do Bills become laws?
• Bill- idea for a new law or change to old
law
• can come from citizens,
congressmen, president
• Bills introduced by Congress
• Thousands of bills considered every year
• Committee studies bill
• Subcommittee further studies bill
• Sent back to House or Senate
• If approved by both
• Sent to President for his signature or
veto
What is the Elastic Clause?
• Also known as the
Necessary and Proper
clause
• Found in Article I of
Constitution
• Gives or “delegates”
congress power to make
laws necessary to
carrying out their duties
• Ex. Obamacare
considered part of
Congress’ power to tax
The Congress shall have Power ... To make all Laws which
shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution
the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this
Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in
any Department or Officer thereof.
What is the power of impeachment?
• Power of Congress to investigate, accuse and try
public officials for crimes
• Article II of the United States Constitution
(Section 4) states that
• "The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers
of the United States shall be removed from Office
on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason,
Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors."
• House of Rep. investigates and calls for
impeachment
• Senate conducts trial of the accused public
official
• Only Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton
impeached
• Both Acquitted (found Not Guilty)
Why was President Clinton Impeached?
• Charged with:
• Perjury
• Lying under oath
• obstruction of justice
• Interfering with a criminal investigation
• Began with Whitewater Scandal
• Clintons suspected of insider information in real estate deal in Arkansas
• Republican investigator and lawyer Ken Starr unable to find evidence
against Clintons
• But continued to investigate Clintons
• Paula Jones was Arkansas state employee who accused Bill Clinton of Sexual
Harassment
• Under Oath, Clinton swore that he had not had an affair with any of his
employees
• Linda Tripp
• White House secretary who taped conversations with her friend Monica
Lewinsky
• Lewinsky stated that she was having affair with the President
Should the President have been impeached?
• In a paragraph, state whether you think Congress should have
impeached the President or not. Give specific Constitutional reasons
why or why not.