CONGRESS,
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Learning Objectives
•
Name and describe the two houses of Congress.
•
Explain the differences between the House of Representatives and the
Senate.
•
Explain the duties and responsibilities of committees of Congress.
•
List and describe the powers of Congress.
WORDS TO KNOW
1)
Sessions – the meetings of Congress that begin in January each year.
2)
Committee – a group of representatives and senators in Congress; it
meets to study bills, learn about problems in the country, and find ways to
solve them
3)
Majority – more than half
4)
Bill – an idea for new laws that is written and voted on
5)
Standing committee – House and Senate study group that studies the
same problems from year to year
6)
Constituents – the people who elect a person to public office
The People’s Branch of Government

Only one branch of the federal government can decide if there should be a
law

It is the Congress. Often called the Peoples Branch of government.

All members of the Congress are elected by the people of their home
state.

Their main job is to make our country’s laws.
Meetings of Congress

Each year in January Congress begins a new session.

The meetings take place in the Capitol Building

It sits on Capitol Hill in the center of Washington D.C.

It has 2 large rooms where each house of Congress meets . There are
smaller rooms for committees.
The House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the larger house of Congress.

It has 435 members.

The House of Representatives is called the lower house of Congress.

Representatives serve short terms of only 2 years.

Representatives usually follow what the voters want so they can be reelected.
Speaker of the House

At the start of each two-year term of Congress, they elect a leader.

The leader is called Speaker of the House.

The speaker must be elected by a majority of House members

The majority party (the one with most members) is normally elected
Speaker

The Speaker is very powerful. He/she runs the sessions of the House and
keeps order. No one can speak unless recognized by the Speaker.

The Speaker applies all the rules of the House.

Sends bills to committees.

Appoints members to committees.

Once elected, the Speaker can hold that position through many sessions of
Congress. As long as his party has majority.
The Senate

The Senate only has 100 members. Two from each of the 50 states.

Senators serve for 6 years.

They have more freedom to decide what is good for the whole Country.
President of the Senate

The Senate Leader is call “president of the Senate”

The Constitution give this position to the Vice President

The Vice President has a lot less power than the Speaker.
a. He cannot speak for or against a bill.
b. Can only vote to break a tie.
c. Does not have to vote.

When Vice President is away on business the president pro tempore (for
the time being) takes over his duties.

Usually it is the leading member of the majority party.
Committees of Congress

The House and Senate leaders help Congress get a lot of work done.

The day-to-day work in both houses is done by committees.

Every member of Congress serves on at least one committee.

They study bills that could help solve problems of the country.
a. What can Government do to help homeless people
b. How can people be kept safe from street drugs
c. How to repay money government owes
The Standing Committees

The most important committee in Congress is the standing committees.

Committees gather as many facts as possible before deciding on a bill.

They listen to people speak for and against the bill.

Then committee members talk about bill among themselves.

The House has 19 standing committees

The Senate has 21 standing committees.

The representatives and senators on standing committees have much
power.

They decide which bills will have a chance of becoming law.

If they decide “no” many times the bill
will not even reach the full
House or Senate for a vote.
The Powers of Congress

Article I Section 8 of the Constitution lists the powers of Congress.
a. Congress can raise and collect taxes to pauy for the work of the federal
government
b. Congress can make rules for trade and business between the US and
other countries.
c. They can make rules for the postal system. They also run the national
highways, national parks and the federal buildings
d. Congress protects the nation against enemies. It declares war. It can
raise and support armies and navies
e. Congress can establish all federal courts below the Supreme Court and
set their rules.
Limits on Congress

The Constitution also puts limits on Congress.
a. Does not grant them power to
1. create a national school system
2. set rules for marriage and divorce
3. set a minimum age for drivers’ licenses
4. set rules for units of local governments
b. Constitution forbids them to
1. order that people be held in prison without their rights
except when public safety is threatened
2. take money from federal government unless first passing a law
to do so.
3. grant titles of nobility – like king, queen, or prince – to any person
The Elastic Clause

Congress has other powers that are not named in the Constitution.

They can make laws “necessary and proper” to carry out its duties