1. The Legislative Branch

2. Legislative Branch Review
Function: Make the Laws
Congressional Joint Powers
Levy and collect taxes
Raise and maintain military
Grant statehood
Control national lands
Regulate interstate trade
Naturalize citizens
Declare war
Control making of currency
Where are these
Legislative powers found
In the Constitution?

3. Legislative Branch House of Representatives Qualifications
25 years old
U.S. Citizen for 7 years
Resident of state elected
Method of Selection – Election by the people
Term of Office – 2 years
Members per State – Based on population – 435 total
Powers reserved for the House only
Originates money bills (taxes)
Begins impeachment process
Elects President if Electoral College fails to do so

4. Legislative Branch a. 30 Years Old b. American citizen for 9 years
Senate
1. Qualifications
a. 30 Years Old
b. American citizen for 9 years
c. Resident of state elected
2. Method of Selection – Election by the people
3. Term of office – 6 years
4. Members per state – 2
5. Powers reserved for Senate only
a. Confirm Presidential appointments
b. Approve/reject treaties
c. Jury for impeachment trial

5. The U.S. Congress in Brief
Bicameral
Senate
100 members
Six years
More prestigious
House
435
2 years
Reapportioned after each census

6. Legislative Branch Begins January 3 of every odd-numbered year
Numbered Consecutively (07-09 = 110th)
Adjournment = end of term (both houses must agree)
Two sessions per term/ periodic recesses

7. Republican Conference Democrat Conference
The Senate
Presiding Officer
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
GOP Policy
Committee
Democrat
Steering Comm.
Democrat
Policy Committee
Appropriations
Finance
Other Standing
Committees
Majority Whip
Minority Whip
Republican Conference
Democrat Conference

8. Republican Conference Democrat Caucus
House of
Representatives
Speaker
Minority Leader
Majority Leader
Committee on
Rules
Republican
Policy
Committee
Democrat
Policy
Committee
National
Republican
Congressional
Committee
Democrat
Steering
Committee
Committee on
Appropriations
Committee on
Ways and Means
Other Standing
Committees
Minority
Whip
Majority
Whip
Republican Conference
Democrat Caucus

9. Legislative Branch Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is the current
Presiding officer of the House
Job: acknowledges speakers, signs bills, appoints committees, calls a vote.
Nancy Pelosi is the current
Speaker of the House

10. Legislative Branch House minority leader
The current House majority leader is Steny Hoyer. Why does she have the title “majority leader?”
House minority leader
The Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives serves as floor leader of the opposition party, and is the
minority counterpart to the Majority Leader.
The Minority Leader is also the actual head of his or her party in the House
Kevin McCarthy
House Minority Leader

11. Majority and Minority Whips
A whip in the House of Representatives manages their party's legislative program on the House floor. The Whip keeps track of all legislation and ensures that all party members are present when important measures are to be voted upon
Steve Scalise
House Minority Whip
James Clyburn
House Majority Whip

12. Legislative Branch President of the Senate President pro tempore V.P.
Less power than Senators
Presiding officer but may not speak or debate
President pro tempore
Resides in V.P.’s absence
Elected by the Senate
Majority Party
Currently: Chuck Grassley

13. Legislative Branch Majority Leader- Mitch McConnell
True leader in Senate
Recognized first for all debates
Leads majority party
Influences committee assignments
Influences agenda with
the minority leader Chuck Schumer
Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer
Senate Minority Leader

14. The Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders
of the United States Senate; Majority and Minority Whips are the
second-ranking members of the party leadership of the United States Senate.
The main function of the Majority and
Minority Whips is to gather votes on
major issues. Because he or she is the
second ranking member of the Senate,
if there is no floor leader present,
the whip may become acting floor leader.
Dick Durbin
Senate Minority Whip
John Cornyn
Senate Majority Whip

15. Legislative Branch SENATE
53/45- Republican/Democrat; 2 Independents that caucus with Dems.
Bicameralism = Two houses
Senate designed to be removed from the people
• Originally elected by state legislatures (17th Amendment)
• 6 year terms
• 1/3 up for election every 2 years = more continuity and stability

16. Legislative Branch Compensation Members set own salary
(27th amendment =raise takes effect next term)
Perks: travel allowance, staff, office space,
franking privilege, insurance
Legislative immunity: A law that protects legislators from liability in a civil lawsuit for duties that they performed within their office's jurisdiction
Cannot be arrested or
detained while going to
or from a session of
Congress

17. Officers of the Legislative Branch
Floor leaders:
majority and minority in the House and Senate
Legislative strategists
Committee Chairmen
Heads of standing committees
Chosen by majority
Usually by seniority rule

18. Committees in Congress
Standing committee: permanent groups which all similar bills could be sent. (Ex. Budget committee)
Select committee- a special group set up for a specific purpose for a limited time. (ex. Senate Watergate Committee)
Joint Committees- members from both houses.

19. Committees in Congress
Informal groupings- Black caucus, democratic study group, House Republican study group, pro-Life caucus, etc.
Conference Committee- temporary joint body to iron out different versions of a measure

20. How does a bill become law
Bills- proposed laws, or drafts of laws presented to the House or Senate for enactment.
Two types:
Public- measure applying to the nation as a whole- (tax bills)
Private-only apply to certain persons or places rather than to the nation generally.

21. How a Bill Becomes a Law
The Journey of a Bill

22. Introduction of the Bill
The bill can come from a variety of sources:
Individual citizens,
Special interest groups
Corporations,
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Only a member of Congress can introduce the bill
A bill can start in either House.

23. The Bill is Assigned to Committee
Each House has standing committees that consider their bills.
Each committee has a chair (from the Majority) and a ranking member (from the minority).
They “mark-up” (edit) the bill so it will pass on the floor.
They can “pigeonhole” or kill the bill in committee.
The bill must also pass through the House Rules Committee.

24. The Bill is Reported To the Floor
If the bill is passed by the committee, it is sent to the whole House for debate and vote.
The committee has “reported the bill favorably to the floor.”
The Speaker determines which bills are discussed and for how long.
Committee chairs and ranking members give out time to debate to other members.

25. The Bill is Debated and Voted in the House
Bills can be considered by the whole House at once: called “Committee of the Whole”
Votes are done electronically in the House, a role call vote.
A board on the wall shows the tally. Red = oppose. Green = Agree Yellow = Abstain
Votes can be taken by voice “yeas and nays” or a “teller vote” where members file past the sergeant at arms.

26. The Bill Goes to the Senate
The bill is sent to the US Senate. A Senate version is written with the letter S. and a number. House bills have HR.
As in the House, the bill must be referred to the appropriate standing committee.
Committees hold hearings and make changes to the bill.
The committee can ‘report” the bill to the Senate floor.

27. The Bill is Debated and Voted On in the Senate
The Senate Majority Leader determines which bills are scheduled, when and for how long.
As in the House, the bill must be referred to the appropriate standing committee.
Debate in the Senate is unlimited. Filibusters can be used by the minority to block bills.
3/5 (60) of the Senate must agree to end debate (this is called “cloture”)
The Senate Rules committee is much weaker than the House’s.

28. Both Houses Must Pass the Bill
A simple majority in both houses is needed to pass the bill (51%).
In the House: 218 needed to control the House.
In the Senate: 51 senators needed to pass the bill (and control the Senate).

29. Differences Between Houses Must Be Reconciled
Each house passes its own bill.
Any differences must be ironed out and made into one bill.
The bill is considered by a conference committee, made up of both House and Senate members.
They negotiate and compromise and send the combined bill back to both houses.
A vote on the “conference report” must be taken and passed by both Houses.

30. The Bill is Sent to the President
The president can sign the bill if he wants it to become law.
He can include “signing statements” that say how the law should be enforced or if parts will not be enforced.
The president can veto or reject the bill. He must include his reasons and recommendations for correction.
The president can choose not to act on the bill. If Congress is in session, the bill becomes law after 10 days.
If Congress is not in session, the bill dies after 10 days. This is called a “pocket veto.”

31. The Bill Becomes Law
If the president vetoes the bill, both Houses can reconsider the bill.
Two-thirds (67%) of both Houses are needed to override the President’s veto.
In the House: 369 needed for override. Senate: 67.
If president signs the bill, it is a federal law that each state must follow.