Chapter Introduction
Section 1: How Congress
Is Organized
Section 2: Powers of
Congress
Section 3: Representing
the People
Section 4: How a Bill
Becomes a Law
Visual Summary
Our nation’s Constitution
gives the power to make laws
to the legislative branch.
Citizens participate in the
lawmaking process by
expressing their views to
Congress. Find out what
legislation is pending in
Congress and your
representatives’ positions on
the issues.
Section 1: How Congress Is
Organized
The Constitution gives the
legislative branch—
Congress—the power to
make laws. In Congress,
members of each party select
their own leaders and work
mainly in committees to carry
out their duties.
Section 2:
Powers of Congress
The Constitution gives the
legislative branch—
Congress—the power to
make laws. While the
Constitution limits the powers
of Congress, it also gives
Congress the powers it needs
to conduct its business and to
accomplish its goals.
Section 3:
Representing the People
The Constitution gives the
legislative branch—
Congress—the power to
make laws. Congress
employs many staffers who
help with the workload.
Section 4:
How a Bill Becomes a Law
The Constitution gives the
legislative branch—
Congress—the power to
make laws. Several complex
steps are involved in taking
an idea and turning it into
a law.
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the legislative
branch—Congress—the power to
make laws.
Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• bicameral
• majority party
• census
• minority party
• constituent
• standing
committee
• gerrymander
• seniority
Academic Vocabulary
• occur
• adjust
Do you think that representation in
both houses of Congress should be
based on population?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
B
A
0%
A Bicameral Legislature
Congress is the legislative, or
lawmaking, branch of government.
A Bicameral Legislature (cont.)
• Congress is a bicameral legislative body.
• Two-year terms for each Congress
A Bicameral Legislature (cont.)
• The House of Representatives:
– Voting members according to population
– Representation based on each 10-year
census
– At least one congressional district per state
A Bicameral Legislature (cont.)
– District size based on number of
constituents
– Gerrymander shapes districts to help a
particular group
Congressional Apportionment,
Selected Years
A Bicameral Legislature (cont.)
• The Senate:
– Six-year terms
– No more than one-third up for re-election
at one time
A Bicameral Legislature (cont.)
• Both the House and the Senate have
majority and minority parties.
– Leader of majority party in the House is
the Speaker.
– Leader of the Senate is the vice
president of the United States.
How do you feel about the practice of gerrymandering
to give a political party an advantage of representation
in the House of Representatives?
A. It gives one party an unfair
advantage over another.
0%
D
C
D. It is a way to show the advantage
that one party has over another
within a state.
B
C. It misrepresents voters in the
House of Representatives.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
0%
D. D
A
B. It gives one party an advantage
over another, but it seems fair.
Committee Work
Much of the actual work of legislating
is performed by committees and
subcommittees within Congress.
Committee Work (cont.)
• Each house of Congress has a system of
committees to handle the bills proposed to
become laws.
• Standing committees for specific areas
– Agriculture
– Budget
– Veterans’ Affairs
Standing Committees
Committee Work (cont.)
• Temporary committees for special issues
• Both House and Senate members on joint
committees
• Committee assignments based on
seniority
Do you think seniority should be an
important consideration when
appointing Congressional
representatives to committees?
A. Yes
A. A
B. B
A
0%
0%
B
B. No
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the legislative
branch—Congress—the power to
make laws.
Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• expressed
powers
• writ of habeas
corpus
• implied
powers
• bill of attainder
• ex post facto
• elastic clause
law
• impeach
Academic Vocabulary
• regulate
What is the most important function
of Congress?
A. Controlling commerce
B. Making laws
C. Collecting taxes
D. Approving presidential
nominations
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C0%
D
C
0%
D
Legislative Powers
The Constitution provides that all
powers to make laws for the United
States government shall be given to
Congress.
Legislative Powers (cont.)
• Most of Congress’s powers are related to
making laws.
Legislative Powers (cont.)
• Expressed powers in Constitution
– Coin money
– Support troops
– Regulate commerce
– Dealing with foreign countries
– Collect taxes
Powers of Congress
Legislative Powers (cont.)
• Implied powers not clearly stated in
Constitution
– Allow “necessary and proper” actions by
Congress
– Clause 18 is often called the elastic
clause.
Powers of Congress
Do you agree that Congress should
have powers that aren’t explicitly
stated in the Constitution?
A. Agree
B. Disagree
A. A
B. B
0%
B
A
0%
Nonlegislative Powers
The Constitution gives Congress a
number of nonlegislative duties.
Nonlegislative Powers (cont.)
• Most nonlegislative powers of Congress
are used to check the other branches of
government.
• Sole authority to impeach
Nonlegislative Powers (cont.)
• Limits to powers:
– Cannot suspend the writ of habeas
corpus
– Banned from passing bills of attainder
– Cannot pass ex post facto laws
Nonlegislative Powers (cont.)
• Checks and balances from other branches
of government:
– Supreme Court can declare laws
unconstitutional.
– President can veto bills.
– Two-thirds majority needed to override
veto
What is the most important limitation on the
powers of Congress?
A. Cannot pass laws that
ban freedom of religion
B. Cannot pass laws that
suspend the writ of
habeas corpus
C. Cannot pass bills of
attainder
D. Cannot pass ex post
facto laws
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C. 0%
C
0%
D. D
B
C
0%
D
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the legislative
branch—Congress—the power to
make laws.
Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• franking
privilege
• lobbyist
• casework
• pork-barrel
project
Academic Vocabulary
• draft
• complex
• estimate
Should members of Congress be
allowed to spend federal funds on
projects that only help their home
district or state?
A. Yes
A. A
B. B
A
0%
0%
B
B. No
Qualifications and Privileges
The Constitution sets forth the
qualifications for election to the House
and to the Senate.
Qualifications and Privileges (cont.)
• The work of Congress requires many
people in addition to the representatives
and senators.
Qualifications and Privileges (cont.)
• Different qualifications for serving as
congressperson or senator
– Age
– Citizenship
– Residency
Qualifications and Privileges (cont.)
• Privileges and benefits:
– $162,500 annual salary
– Franking privilege for sending workrelated mail free
– Legal protection in certain situations
– Low-cost life insurance
Qualifications and Privileges (cont.)
• Staff to help Congress:
– Personal staff to handle press and
lobbyists
– Committee staff to draft bills and gather
information
– Agencies and resources to help
Congress make decisions
What is the most important task for
Congressional staff?
A. Gathering information
on new bills
0%
D
0%
C
D. Working for the re-election
of congressional members
B
C. Dealing with lobbyists
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B. Handling requests from
voters
Congress at Work
The 535 members of Congress have
several different but closely related
roles.
Congress at Work (cont.)
• While in session, Congress performs three
important functions: lawmaking, casework,
and helping the district or state.
Congress at Work (cont.)
• Making laws:
– Write and introduce bills
– Listen to input of people for and against
a bill
– Vote on the floor of the House or Senate
Congress at Work (cont.)
• Casework to address requests from
constituents
• Pork-barrel projects to provide federal
funding for home districts and states
Do you agree that it is more important that
Congress spend more of their time on
lawmaking than on dealing with requests
from constituents?
A. Agree
A. A
B. B
A
0%
0%
B
B. Disagree
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the legislative
branch—Congress—the power to
make laws.
Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• joint
resolution
• voice vote
• standing vote
• specialinterest group • roll-call vote
• veto
• filibuster
• cloture
• pocket veto
Guide to Reading
Academic Vocabulary
• element
• category
Do you think that special interest
groups should be allowed to
influence Congress?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
B
A
0%
Bills Congress Considers
Congress considers several different
kinds of legislation each year. Most
pieces of legislation are in the form
of bills.
Bills Congress Considers (cont.)
• Only about one percent of all bills
proposed during a Congressional session
become laws.
Bills Congress Considers (cont.)
• Private and public bills:
– Private concerns of people or places
– Public apply to entire nation and are
more general
Bills Congress Considers (cont.)
• Joint resolutions become law if signed by
president
What type of bill is the most
important for Congress to consider?
A. Private bill
B. Public bill
C. Resolution
D. Joint resolution
0%
0%
A
B
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
C
A
B
C0%
D
D
From Bill to Law
To become a law, a bill must be passed
in identical form by both chambers of
Congress.
From Bill to Law (cont.)
• A bill must be introduced by a
representative or senator before it can be
considered by Congress.
• The idea for the bill can come from private
citizens, the White House, or from specialinterest groups.
From Bill to Law (cont.)
• Bills that are introduced are sent to
standing committees:
– Can pass the bill
– Can mark up the bill with changes
– Can replace the original bill
– Can ignore the bill
– Can kill the bill outright by majority vote
From Bill to Law (cont.)
• If passed in committee, bill is sent to floor
for debate
• Senate filibuster
• Filibuster can end if three-fifths of the
members vote for cloture.
Profile of the 109th Congress
From Bill to Law (cont.)
• Voting on a bill:
– Voice vote
– Standing vote
– Roll-call vote
• Presidential veto
• Pocket veto
How a Bill Becomes Law
Which group introduces the most
important legislation to Congress?
A. The president
B. Private citizens
C. Members of Congress
D. Special interest groups
0%
A
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
B
A
B
0%
C
D
C
0%
D
Comparing the House and the Senate
The Congress of the United States was created by
Article I, Section 1, of the Constitution, providing that
“All legislative
Powers herein
granted shall be
vested in a
Congress of the
United States,
which shall consist
of a Senate and a
House of
Representatives.”
California; it has
more representatives
than any other state
listed.
bicameral
a legislature consisting of two parts,
or houses
census
a population count taken by the
Census Bureau
constituent
a person from a legislator’s district
gerrymander
an oddly shaped district designed to
increase the voting strength of a
particular group
majority party
in both the House of Representatives
and the Senate, the political party to
which more than half the members
belong
minority party
in both the House of Representatives
and the Senate, the political party to
which fewer than half the members
belong
standing committees
permanent committees that continue
their work from session to session in
Congress
seniority
years of service, which is used as a
consideration for assigning committee
members
occur
to happen or take place
adjust
to change or alter in order to fit or
conform
expressed powers
powers that Congress has that are
specifically listed in the Constitution
implied powers
powers that Congress has that are
not stated explicitly in the Constitution
elastic clause
clause in Article I, Section 8 of the
Constitution that gives Congress the
right to make all laws “necessary and
proper” to carry out its expressed
powers
impeach
to accuse government officials of
misconduct in office
writ of habeas corpus
a court order that requires police to
bring a prisoner to court to explain
why they are holding the person
bill of attainder
a law that punishes a person accused
of a crime without a trial or a fair
hearing in court
ex post facto law
a law that would allow a person to be
punished for an action that was not
against the law when it was
committed
regulate
to control or govern
franking privilege
the right of senators and
representatives to send job-related
mail without paying postage
lobbyist
representative of an interest group
who contacts lawmakers or other
government officials directly to
influence their policy making
casework
the work that a lawmaker does to help
constituents with a problem
pork-barrel projects
government projects and grants that
primarily benefit the home district or
state
draft
to create an outline
complex
complicated or intricate
estimate
to judge the approximate nature,
value, quality, or amount of a thing
joint resolution
a resolution that is passed by both
houses of Congress
special-interest group
an organization of people with some
common interest who try to influence
government decisions
filibuster
a tactic for defeating a bill in the
Senate by talking until the bill’s
sponsor withdraws it
cloture
a procedure used in the Senate to
limit debate on a bill
voice vote
a voting method in which those in
favor say “Yea” and those against say
“No”
standing vote
in Congress, when members stand to
be counted for a vote on a bill
roll-call vote
a voting method in the Senate in
which members voice their votes in
turn
veto
refusal to sign a bill or resolution
pocket veto
president’s power to kill a bill, if
Congress is not in session, by not
signing it for 10 days
element
a component of a whole
category
a division or grouping used to classify
something
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