Legislative Branch
7th Grade Civics
Spring 2014
Capital Building
National Mall
Washington
Monument
National Mall
Lincoln Memorial
Bicameral Legislature
• Bicameral – a two part government body
consisting of the House of Representatives
and the Senate
• The Great Compromise: In 1787, states
with large populations received
representation based on population in the
House while less populated states
received equal representation in the
Senate.
Legislative Branch
House of Representatives
Senate
• Size: 435 Representatives
• Census: Population count
determines the number of
House members.
• Congressional Districts:
Areas with one
representative.
• Constituents: The people
from the district for
whom the Representative
was elected.
• Size: 100
• Length of Term: 6 years
• Staggered Terms: No more
than 1/3 of Senators are up
for election in any one
election cycle. Class I (2014),
Class II (2016), and Class III
(2018)
• Reason for Staggered
Terms: Ensures seniority in
the Senate.
Congressional Leadership
House
Senate
• Speaker of the House
John Boehner [R- OH]
• Majority Leader –
Eric Cantor [R-VA]
• Minority Leader –
Nancy Pelosi [D-CA]
• Vice President –
Joe Biden
• President Pro Tempore –
Patrick Leahy [D-VT]
• Majority Leader –
• Harry Reid [D-NV]
• Minority Leader – Mitch
McConnell [R-KY]
Comparison
Speaker of the House
• Degree of Power: Most
powerful member in all
of Congress. Second in
line for the Presidency.
1.
Vice President
Joe Biden [D-DE]
2. Speaker
John Boehner [R-OH]
• Key Spokesperson:
Speaks for The House
and for constituents
living in the 435 districts.
President Pro Tempore
• Degree of Power: No
true power usually acts
as chairperson or
ceremonial head of floor
discussions/debates.
• Member of the Majority
Party in the Senate.
Comparison
Speaker of the House
Vice President
• Speaker Responsibilities:
1. In charge of floor
debates.
2. Influences all House
business.
3. Steers legislation
through the House.
• Casts the deciding vote in
the event of a tie 50-50 on
a Floor Vote.
Congressional Leadership
Floor Leaders
Party Whips
• To make sure the laws
passed are in the best
interest of their party.
• Speak about the major
issues as viewed by their
political party.
• Advance bills through
the legislative process.
• Persuade undecided
representatives to vote a
certain way.
• Job Description: To track
where all party members
stand on the issues and
round up colleague
support to attain the
needed votes.
• House of Representatives
- 290 votes 2/3 majority
– 218 for a simple majority
• Senate
– 66 votes 2/3 majority
– 51 votes simple majority
Role of Political Parties
Majority Party
Holds 51% of seats
• Majority Whip
• Majority Secretary
Minority Party
Holds 49% or less of seats
• Minority Whip
• Minority Secretary
Legislative Committees
“Congress in session is
Congress on public
exhibition, whilst
Congress in its
committee rooms is
Congress at work.”
- Woodrow Wilson, 1885
Congress at Work
Legislative Committees
• Standing Committees
– A permanent committee
that continues work
from one session to the
next.
– # in House 19
– # in Senate 16
• Select Committees
– Formed to complete a
specific task for a short
period of time.
– 911 Commission tasked
with
• Conference Committees
– Temporary committee
that include members
from both houses tasked
with resolving
differences in two bills to
agree on one proposed
law.
• Joint Committees
– Permanent committees
that include members
from both houses.
Senate Standing Committees
• Agriculture, Nutrition • Commerce, Science,
& Forestry
and Transportation
• Armed Services
• Foreign Relations
• Banking, Housing, &
• Health, Education,
Urban Affairs
Labor, and Pensions
• Judiciary
Legislative Powers
Expressed Powers
• $ $ Money Powers $ $
Implied Powers
• $ $ Money Powers $ $
o Tax, Borrow Money, Print Money
•
• Commerce Powers
•
o Regulate foreign & Interstate
Commerce
• Military & Foreign
Policy Powers
• Declare War
• Raise & Regulate Army/Navy
• Other Legislative Powers
•
•
Est. Laws of Naturalization
Est. Post Offices & Build Highways
Support Public Schools, Welfare
Programs and Public Housing
Maintain the Federal Reserve Board
• Commerce Powers
•
Prohibit discrimination in restaurants,
hotels, and public golf courses
• Military & Foreign Policy
Powers
•
Raise Army/Navy = Right to draft
people
• Other Legislative Powers
Committee Staff have expert
knowledge about the topics: taxes,
military, health care, education &
energy
Clerks
Secretaries
Special Assistants
Congressional
Staff/Agencies
Young people (High School and/or
College age) who volunteer to
work in Congress
Congressional research Service
(CRS)
General Accounting Office (GAO)
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
How a Bill Becomes Law
Types of Bills
1. Private Bills – Concern individual people
and places. A Constituent’s claim against
the government.
Example: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay
Act of 2009
2. Public Bills – Apply to the entire nation
and involve general matters such as
taxation, civil rights, or terrorism.
Where Can Bills Come From?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Private Citizens
Special Interest Groups
Lobbyists
The President
Who has to introduce a Bill?
What are the 5 things a committee can
do?
1. Pass the Bill without changes.
2. Mark up a bill with changes and suggest that
it be passed.
3. Replace the original bill with an alternative.
4. Ignore the bill and let it die (which is called
“pigeonholing” the bill)
5. Kill the bill outright by majority vote of “Nay.”
What is the difference
between the House and the
Senate as far as
amendments to Bills?
What is a filibuster?
Who can use this tool?
How many votes does it take
to get cloture on a Bill?
What are the 4 voting methods used
by Congress?
1. Voice Vote – Those in favor of the bill say “Yea”
and those who oppose say “Nay”
2. Standing Vote – Those in favor of the bill stand to
be counted and those who oppose the bill stand
to be counted.
3. Roll-Call Vote – In the tradition bound Senate
members voice their votes as an official record.
4. Electronic Voting – The House of Representatives
cast votes electronically.
What 4 things can a President
do to a Bill?
1. Sign the Bill and declare it a new Law.
2. Veto the Bill, or refuse to sign the Bill.
3. Do nothing for 10 days. If Congress is in
session then on the 11th day the Bill
becomes Law.
4. Pocket Veto. President does nothing for
10 days. If Congress is in recess then the
Bill is killed.
What does it take to override
a Presidential veto?