1. The Legislative Branch
How Congress is Organized
Powers of Congress
Representing the People
How a Bill Becomes a Law

3. How Congress is Organized
Terms of Congress
535 Members in Congress (435 H of R; 100 S)
Intended to be most powerful branch of gov’t
Each term of Congress begins on January 3 and lasts for 2 years- this is the 112th Term of Congress (Jan. 3, 2011)
Each term has 2 sessions
January to November
Great Compromise- establish a two part (bicameral) legislature

4. How Congress is Organized
House of Representatives
Reps in HR are determined by a census (count) every 10 years
Each state is divided into districts and they should have the same number of constituents (citizens)
States abuse this power by deliberately drawing district lines to increase voting strength of a group Gerrymandering
Representatives serve 2 yr. terms- focus on concerns of district, not state
The Senate
Each senator represents their entire state, not districts
Serve 6 year terms, but elections are staggered

7. How Congress is Organized
Congressional Leaders
Majority Party- political party to which more than half the members belong
Minority Party- the other party
Party members choose leaders to direct their parties activities
Speaker of the House- most powerful member of majority party
in charge of floor debates
steers legislation through House
After VP, Speaker is next in line for President 25th Amendment
Leader of the Senate- Vice President; VP rarely attends meetings President Pro Tempore acts as chairperson
Widespread power in HR and S lies for floor leaders- make sure Congress passes laws in best interest of their political party- whips make sure legislation keeps moving
Committees
Committees do the leg work of passing a bill- some are temporary (select comm.), some are permanent (standing comm.)
Sometimes House and Senate have comm. togetherjoint comm.

8. Speaker of the House- John Boehner

9. Powers of Congress Legislative Powers
1. Expressed Powers- powers plainly stated in Const.
2. Implied Powers- Powers not directly stated in Const. that Congress has anyway
3. Elastic Clause- Allows Congress to stretch powers to meet certain needs
** Implied Powers/Elastic Clause= Necessary and Proper Clause**
Taxing and Spending
Bills to spend money start in house- Authorization Bill gives plan ability to start; Appropriations Bill actually provides the funds
Regulating Commerce- Congress regulates all foreign and interstate trade
Foreign Relations/Treaties- Only Congress declares war, approve treaties

10. Powers of Congress Nonlegislative Powers
Powers that do not relate to making laws- passing amendments, counting electoral votes, checks and balances
The Power of Approval and Removal
Senate can reject President’s nominee for high ranking jobs
Congress can remove fed. officials- impeach
Oversight and Investigation
Reviews efficiency of other branches
Limitations on power
Congress may not favor one state over another or tax intrastate commerce
Cannot suspend “writ of habeus corpus” must tell criminal why they are being held
Cannot pass “bills of attainder” must allow criminal suspects to stand trial
Congress may not pass “ex-post facto laws” making an act a crime after the act has been committed

11. Representing the People
To qualify to be a congressman:
House of Representatives: 25 yrs old; US citizen for 7 years
Senate: 30 yrs. old; US citizen for 9 years
Most congressman are lawyers and receive special gifts franking privileges (sending job related mail without a stamp)
Most congressman hire personal staff- gather info, deal with lobbyistspeople hired by private groups to influence gov’t decision making
Members of Congress perform 3 major jobs
Lawmaking
Casework- helping with special requests from state or district
Helping the District or State- Protect home town interests (Pork barrel projects)

13. How A Bill Becomes a Law Types of Bills Two types of bills
Private Bills- about individual people or places
Public Bills- apply to the entire nation (tax, civil rights, terrorism)
Congress takes into account lawmakers opinions about bills resolutions
Joint Resolutions (HR and S. compromise on bill) becomes law if President signs

14. How A Bill Becomes a Law From Bill to Law
Bill starts with an idea- some are suggested by special interest groups
Can be introduced only by HR or S; given a title and number; if it is about money it must start in the House
Bills then go to a committee where they are researched. Committees then:
Pass the bill w/o changes
Mark up a bill w/ changes and suggest it be passed
Replace the original bill with an alternative one
Ignore the bill and let it die
Kill the bill by a majority vote

15. How A Bill Becomes A Law
3. Bills approved by committee then are debated by the House and Senate
Sometimes, senators attach changes to a bill called riders
House puts limit on debates, Senate does notfilibuster
If 3/5 of Senate want filibuster to end they can vote for cloture
4. After the debates, each chamber votes on bill
Voice Vote (yea/nea)
Standing Vote
Majority Wins- if it passes in one chamber it is sent to the other for approval
If either chamber rejects a bill, it dies
5. After a bill is approved by both houses, it goes to the President for approval
The Pres. signs it, it becomes law
Pres. can veto bill- Congress overrides a veto with 2/3 vote in each house
Pres. can ignore it for 10 daysif congress is in session, it becomes law, if it is out of sessionpocket veto