Legislative
Branch
Law Making Branch
vocabulary
1. Bicameral
2. Census
3. Constituent
4. Gerrymander
5. Majority party
6. Minority party
7. Standing Committee
8. Seniority
9. Expressed powers
10.Implied powers
11.Elastic clause
12.Impeach
13.Writ of habeas corpus
14.Bill of attainder
15. Ex post facto law
16. Franking privilege
17. Lobbyist
18. Casework
19. Pork-barrel project
20. Joint resolution
21. Special-interest group
22. Filibuster
23. Cloture
24. Voice vote
25. Standing vote
26. Roll-call
27. Veto
28. Pocket veto
Qualifications
Senate
• 30 Years old
• US citizen for 9 years
• Live in state elected
from.
Richard Burr R
Thom Tillis R
House of
Representatives
• 25 Years old
• US citizen for 7 years
• Live in state and
district elected
from.
Patrick McHenry D Robert Pittenger R
th
9th district
Terms and Membership
•
•
•
•
•
Senate
Six year terms
100 members
Each state has two
1/3 is up for
reelection every 2
yrs.
Expected to prevent
quick unwise
changes in the law
House of
Representatives
• Two year terms
• 435 Members
• North Carolina has
13
• California has 53
• Each state has at
least 1
Special Powers
•
•
•
•
Senate
Ratify treaties (2/3
vote)
Elects VP if no
majority.
Act as the jury in
Impeachment trials.
Confirms
Presidential
appointments.
House of
Representatives
• Elects the President
if no majority.
• Starts Impeachment
Congressional Benefits
• Salary: Approximately $174,000 a year.
• Trips to home state are paid for.
• Given discounts on many services Franking
Privilege: Send job related mail without postage
Other Congressional Allowances - office personnel
• Given immunity for minor crimes.
• Members’ Representational Allowance(MRA) $573.9 million for fiscal year 2012 (Congress)
• Senators’ Official Personnel and Office Expense
Account (SOPOEA) – 396.2 million for fiscal year
2012.
• .
Punishments
• Expulsion: Forced to leave. 2/3 vote by either
house.
• Censure: Wrongdoings are made public. (Very
embarrassing).
• A few recent examples • Anthony Weiner
Fred Richmond
Gerry Studds
Mel Reynolds
Barney Frank
Edward Kennedy
Mark Foley
Larry Craig
Dan Crane
Wayne Hays
Congressional Districts
• If a state has more
than one
representative,
district lines are
drawn.
• Gerrymandering:
Drawing of odd
shaped districts for
political reasons.
• All districts must
have the same
number of
constituents
(voters).
Sessions
• Regular: Two regular sessions, one for each
year beginning on Jan. 3.
• Special: Called by the President. Used
normally in times of crisis.
• Joint: House and Senate meet together.
(State of the Union).
Congressional Leaders
• The party with the most members is the majority
party. The party with the least members is the
minority party.
• Floor leaders: Make sure that upcoming bills are
in the best interest of the party. (Majority and
minority).
• Party whip: Keeps track of voting intentions.
Works with floor leader to ensure members vote
on party lines. (Majority and minority).
• Speaker of the House: Leader of the House of
Representatives.
• According to the constitution, the vice-president
is the leader of the Senate.
• President pro tempore: Day to day leader of the
House of Representative Leaders
Speaker
Majority
Leader
Kevin McCarthy
(R-CA)
Paul Ryan(R-WI)
Majority Whip
Steve Scalice
(R-LA)
Minority
Leader
Minority Whip
Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA)
Steny Hoyer
(D-MD)
Senate Leaders
Vice-President of
the United States
Joe Biden
Majority
Leader
Mitch
McConn
ell (R-
Majority Whip
John Cornyn
(R-TX)
President Pro
Tempore
Orrin Hatch (RUT)
Minority
Minority Whip
Leader
Harry Reid
(D-NV)
Dick Durbin (DIL
Congressional
Committees
• Discuss, research, and revise bills.
“Congress at work”.
• Standing: Permanent committees
specializing in a certain area. Divided into
subcommittees.
• Select: Temporary committees formed to
complete a task.
• Joint: Members of both houses meet
together.
• Conference: Both houses meet together to
discuss different versions of a bill.
Committee Membership
• Majority party has the majority on all
committees. Party leadership determines
membership.
• Seniority system: Desirable positions are
given to those members who have served
the longest.
Expressed or Implied
Power
• Expressed powers are those listed in Article I
of the Constitution.
• Implied powers come from the necessary
and proper clause (elastic clause) allowing
Congress to stretch its power.
Non-Legislative Power
• Powers that make the government run more
effectively.
• Congress has the power to propose
amendments, investigate legislation,
investigate crimes committed by others, and
impeachment.
Limits on Power
• Congress can not favor a state, tax trade
between states, or tax exports.
• Can not pass laws that interfere with the
legal rights of individuals.
• Can not interfere with powers reserved to the
states.
• Checks and balances interfere with
Congressional power.
• Economics will not allow congress to pass
every law.
How a Bill
Becomes a Law
Introduction
• In the House of Reps., a bill is dropped into
the “hopper” box and assigned to a
committee.
• In the Senate, a senator submits a bill to the
clerk for a reading and committee
assignment.
Committee Action
•
•
•
•
They can reject the bill immediately.
They can pigeonhole a bill. (Set it aside).
They can research and approve the bill.
They can change any and all aspects of a
bill.
Floor Debates
• Representatives in the house have a time
limitation.
• Senators can filibuster a bill. (Talk it to
death).
• Cloture: Limit the time senators may talk.
Requires a 3/5 vote.
Voting
• Roll call: Opinion given after name is called.
• Voice vote: Used on procedural issues.
• Standing vote: Person stands until counted.
Presidential Action
• Sign a bill into law.
• Veto a bill (reject).
• Pocket veto: Take no action for ten days. If
congress is in session after ten days, the bill
becomes a law. If Congress is not in session
after ten days, the bill is rejected.