1. The Legislative Branch
Chapter 5

2. Do Now Answer the following questions…
What is the name given to the US legislative branch?
What is the name of each house?
Which house is based on proportional rep and which house is based on equal rep?
Name one power that the US legislative branch has…
Do Now

3. Why do we have a “BICAMERAL” (aka ‘two-house’) legislative branch?
Quick Question

4. Form of checks and balances, allowing each house to make sure that the other house is doing the best job possible
The Great Compromise from the Philadelphia Convention settled a dispute between small and large states
Two Reasons

5. House of Representatives
# of reps for each state is based on POPULATION
Today … 435 Representatives
435 is the LIMIT!
Think about it… you don’t want TOO MANY REPS
Census is taken every 10 years
It determines how the seats are to be APPORTIONED, or distributed.
Some states go up, others go down
Reps serve for two-year terms
House of Representatives

6. NEW JERSEY – REPRESENT! NJ has 12 representatives
West Milford is part of the 5th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Scott Garrett is our representative in the House of Reps
Republican / 2 year terms
Serving his 7th term
NEW JERSEY – REPRESENT!

7. The Senate # of reps is based on EQUAL representation
2 reps per state / Total of 100 representatives
Senators are elected for 6 year terms
NEW JERSEY
Sen. Cory Booker (D)
Sen. Robert Menendez (D)
The Senate

8. “SHOULD REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS HAVE TERM LIMITS. WHY OR WHY NOT
“SHOULD REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS HAVE TERM LIMITS? WHY OR WHY NOT?” ½ page for P. 1, 3 & 7 / Full page for P. 4
TERM LIMITS

9. Please take out your response to the question regarding term limits for Congressmen and wait for further instruction…
Do Now

10. Requirements of Each House
House of Reps
Senate
At least 25 years old
Have US citizenship for at least 7 years
Legal resident of the state you represent
At least 30 years old
US citizenship for at least 9 years
Legal resident of the state you represent
Requirements of Each House

11. The Benefits The average congressman makes $174,000 per year
(Some make more if they serve in special roles)
Offices in the Capitol Building
Receive allowance to pay staff
Free trips to home state
FRANKING PRIVILEGE – Privilege to mail official letters or packages for free
IMMUNITY – Members of Congress are protected from being arrested while Congress is in session or while on the way to a congressional meeting.
This makes sure that members of Congress are not unnecessarily kept from performing their duties.
The Benefits

12. Members of Congress are expected to be models of good citizenship
“Rules of Conduct” are expected to be followed. If not…
EXPULSION
Member must give up their seat
Serious Offenses
2/3rd vote in both houses
CENSURE
A formal disapproval of a member’s actions
Stand alone at front of House or Senate and listen to the charges read allowed against you
2/3rd vote in House of Reps or Senate
Rules of Conduct

13. AS A CLASS, build a four-foot tower out of the available materials
AS A CLASS, build a four-foot tower out of the available materials. The tower must be able to stand on its own, without leaning on anything. You have 5 minutes to complete this.
Do Now

14. Organization of Congress
Congress is organized in a way that prevents each member from having to do everything.
Organization of Congress

15. 114th TERM Terms and Sessions Session 1 Session 2
Each TERM of Congress is divided into TWO sessions
Each SESSION is roughly one year
Each SESSION begins on Jan. 3
Our current Congress is the 114th Congress
114th TERM
Session 1
Session 2
Terms and Sessions

16. Usually each House works separately… But sometimes the President will call a “joint session” to speak to both houses at the same time
“JOINT SESSION”

17. Organization of Congress
US House of Reps
US Senate
Where is the
Vice President?!
“Speaker of the House”
“Floor Leaders”
MAJORITY Leader
MAJORITY Whip
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Committees
Sub-Committees
“President Pro Tempore”
“Floor Leaders”
MAJORITY Leader
MAJORITY Whip
Minority Leader
Minority Whip
Committees
Sub-Committees
Organization of Congress

18. “Speaker of the House” (Reps) and the “President Pro Tempore” (Senate) are in charge of running their respective House.
They are the most powerful members.
No one can speak unless the Speaker or Pro Temp calls on them.
Hold a strong influence on other members
Speaker: John Boehner (R) of OH
Speaker and Pro Temp
Pro Temp: Orrin Hatch (R) of UT

19. Both the majority party and the minority party have LEADERS in both Houses.
Their job is to represent their political party (Dem or Rep) and what they believe about the laws being created.
Floor Leaders…

20. In both Houses, the majority party and minority party have a floor leader known as the “whip.”
The Majority/Minority Whip serves as the assistant to the Majority/Minority leader.
The “Whip” …
Counts votes
Encourages Party loyalty
Ensures all members are present for votes
Seen as the Party “cheer leader”
Party Whips

22. Committees and Sub-Committees
Both Houses have committees that gather to study issues and create the best solutions to problems
Larger committees are sometimes broken up into Sub-Committees
Committees and Sub-Committees

23. Sit quietly and wait for instructions…
Do Now

24. RECAP QUIZ What is the purpose of the Legislative Branch?
How many senators are there?
How many representatives are there?
What is the name of the position that leads the House of Representatives?
What is the name of the position that leads the Senate?
Who should TECHNICALLY lead the Senate?
What position leads the political party that has the most seats?
What position leads the political party that has the least seats?
What position works behind the scene to encourage party loyalty?
How long is a term for a Senator? For a Representative?
RECAP QUIZ

25. Congress has the power to make laws in FIVE important areas…
POWERS OF CONGRESS

26. 1. Financing the Government
Raise and collect taxes
Borrow money
Print and coin money
Pay debts
Provide for common good
1. Financing the Government

27. 2. Regulating and Promoting US Trade and Industry
Regulate trade with foreign nations
Regulate trade among the states
Protects rights of inventors
Establishes Roads and Post Offices
Laws against piracy
2. Regulating and Promoting US Trade and Industry

28. 3. Defending the Nation Congress has the power to declare war
Regulates the army and navy
Can call citizens to fight if needed
3. Defending the Nation

29. Congress has the power to establish federal courts to make sure that laws are followed.
4. Supporting Laws

30. 5. Providing For Growth Power to govern the nation’s territories
Adding states to the country
Setting up immigration laws
5. Providing For Growth

31. Power of Impeachment Only the House accuses! Only the Senate
“The power to accuse high federal officials of serious crimes against the nation and to bring them to trial”
Steps of Impeachment
House of Reps. accuses the official
Majority in favor = Impeachment
Trial is held in the Senate
2/3rds of Senate in favor = Dismissed from Office
Only the House accuses!
Only the Senate
holds trial!
Power of Impeachment

32. Congress has the power… “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution [carrying out] the foregoing powers.”
The “Elastic Clause”

33. The “Elastic Clause” Think “RUBBER BAND” … It STRETCHES
If Congress thinks that something is “necessary and proper” for the country, they can pass a law for it.
This really “STRETCHES” the power of Congress
The “Elastic Clause”

34. LIMITS… Congress CANNOT… Pass “Ex Post Facto” Laws
Pass Bills of Attainder (aka right to trial)
Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus (aka can’t be stuck in jail waiting forever for a crime)
Tax Exports
Pass Laws that Violate the Bill of Rights
Favor Trade of a State
Grant Titles of Nobility
Withdraw Money Without a Cause
LIMITS…

35. HOW DO WE GET LAWS???
THE BIG QUESTION

36. IDEAS… Usually, laws start as ideas
People share their ideas with their representatives
Representatives right down these ideas
Known as a “Bill”
IDEAS…

37. I’m Just A Bill… A Bill is a proposed law “Rough Draft”
It’s a long process to become a law…
I’m Just A Bill…

38. The Process… THE SENATE (same process)
The House votes on the final copy of the bill
The Committee debates and revises the bill
The Speaker of the House sends the bill to the proper committee
The Process…
A representative introduces the bill to the House

39. But remember, Congress can overturn the veto with 2/3 vote
After both houses approve, it goes to the President
Approve or “Veto”
Pocket Veto
-President lets the Bill sit for 10 days while Congress is not in session
The Process
But remember, Congress can overturn the veto with 2/3 vote

40. BILLOPOLY Slide to the Senate! SPEAKER Senator Pro Temp
Representative
The game where Bills become Laws
START
PRESIDENT