Bellringer  Objective 2: Examine contemporary issues affecting the United States and how government and citizens respond.  Homework: None Answer: What do you know about the Legislative Branch? What do you want to know about the Legislative Branch?

3 Branches of Government  Legislative – makes laws  Executive – executes or enforces laws  Judicial – interprets laws

The Legislative Branch  Also known as: Congress  Function: To make laws, Most powerful branch of government  Article: I  Bicameral legislature: two-house (or two-part) government body  2 houses called the Senate and the House of Representatives  Powers: Make laws, declare war, override vetoes, print money, borrow money

Which function of the legislative branch?

House of Representatives  Representation based on: Population (more populated states have more representatives, less populated states have fewer representatives)  US Census determines population of each state every 10 yrs.  Each state is broken up into districts, NC has 13 districts.  # of members: 435  Leader: Speaker of the House- runs the meeting, directs which bills will be discussed  Term length: 2 yrs  Duties: Make revenue (money) bills, impeach the president, elect president if there is no majority winner

Senate  Representation based on: Equal representation, 2 per state  # of members: 100  Leader: Vice President, President pro tempore  Term length: 6 yrs  Duties: Hold trial for president’s impeachment, approve presidential appointments to Supreme Court, ambassadors, and other positions

Fun Facts!  Privileges:  Salary: $165,000 a year  Free parking, free trips to their home states  Franking privilege (send mail for free!)  Gym, special restaurants, medical  Access to the library of congress  Get helpers

Practice  Looking at your sheet, decide what house the person belongs in! (Or both, or neither!)

Comparing Legislative Branches NATIONAL  Known as: Congress  Two houses: Senate and House of Representatives  Term: Senate 6 yrs, HoR 2 yrs  Key Issues: Censoring the internet, immigration reform, patents/copyrights, etc.  Laws known as: Statutes (any law) STATE  Known as: General Assembly  Two houses: Senate and House of Representatives  Term: Senate and HoR 2 yrs  Key Issues: State lottery, minimum wage, campaign reform  Laws known as: Statutes (any law), ordinances (local laws)

Just a Bill activity! Step 1

Just a Bill activity! Step 2

Just a Bill activity! Step 3

Just a Bill activity! Step 4 and 5  Directions  Step 4: Once your group has presented one member from the HoR, Senate and your committee will make a change to your bill.  Step 5: While you are listening to the other bills write down at least one change you would like to make to the bill.

Just a Bill activity! Step 6 and 7

Just a Bill activity! Step 8  Directions  Step 8: Present your passed bill with the changes. HoR will vote.

Just a Bill activity! Step 9  Directions  9: Present your passed bill with the changes. Senate will vote.

Just a Bill activity! Step 10  Directions  Bring all passed bills to the president and president will chose to sign or veto the bill

BILL INTRODUCED  Senator or Representative presents a bill to his/her house in written or verbal form.

FLOOR DEBATE AND ACTION  The whole house debates the bill.  Filibuster: method used in the Senate where senators refuse to stop talking about a bill until people get sick of hearing about it and give up  Each house votes on passage.

VOTING  Conference committee (representatives from the HoR and the Senate) works out differences between the Senate and the HoR’s bills and creates a compromise bill.  House and Senate vote on compromise bill. If a majority approves, it goes to the President.

PASSAGE  President passes, vetoes, or pocket vetoes bill.  Pocket veto: when the President refuses to sign a bill, but does not actively veto it—instead, he just ignores it  Note: If Congress wants to override the veto, they can do so by a 2/3 vote.

FINAL TASK  Make a cartoon strip depicting the steps in how a bill becomes a law.  Must have at least five boxes: Proposal, Committee Action, Floor Action, Conference Action, Passage  Must include the following words: committee, compromise, veto, kill, pass

Exit Ticket – T/F (if false, correct the statement so it’s true!) Example: 1. The main function of the legislative branch is to enforce laws.  TRUE OR FALSE?  False… so how can we correct it?  The main function of the legislative branch is to enforce laws make laws.