1. The Legislative Branch
Chapter 5
Section One: Structure of Congress

2. Bell Ringer October 11, 2018 Page 163 – CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
Which type of committee has members from both houses?
Why does both the HR & the Senate have committees that cover the same issues?
Joint committees
They both face the same issues

3. Structure of Congress
Congress is the legislative, or lawmaking, branch of the national government.
Senate
House of Representatives.

4. Responsibilities of Congress
The most important job of Congress is to make laws.
The Framers wanted this branch to have the most power.
535 members of Congress

5. The House of Representatives
HR is the largest of the two houses – 435
Number of representatives are determined by each state’s population.
A census is used to find out how many representatives each state should have.
States draw the districts.

6. Congressional Districts
Congressional District: the area that a member of the House represents
Today, districts contain an average of 647,000 people.

7. Representatives Representatives serve two years.
They run for re-election or retire.
AL U.S. Congressional District 1
Representative: Bradley Byrne

8. HR & Senate Top Leadership
HR: Speaker of the House –
Chosen by Majority Party
2nd in line to Presidency
SENATE: Vice Pres. Of the U.S. is the presiding officer of the Senate
Can vote only when there is a tie.
President pro tempore: fills in
when the VP is absent
3rd in line to Presidency

9. Senators Two Senators from each state – 100 Senators
Senators are elected for six-year terms.
The terms of Senators overlap, they are not all elected at the same time.

10. Essential Question Why is Congress composed of a HR & a Senate?
It was made bicameral to please large & small states.
Equal # of representatives in the Senate
Based on population in the HR.

11. Bell Ringer
Page 166
Why is the power to lay and collect taxes the one that the Constitution places in the very first clause?
Why are there no clauses listed for each of the implied powers on the right-hand side of the chart?
Without the taxes – Congress could not do anything else
Implied powers means they are not stated in any clause of the Constitution

12. Legislative Powers
Expressed or Enumerated Powers: those listed in the Constitution in Article I Section 8
Implied Powers: not stated in the Constitution but understood to be granted because of clause 18
Elastic Clause: “Necessary & Proper” to carry out its duties.

13. Lawmaking Powers:
Raise & Spend money
Manage Commerce: Trade
Create & Maintain Military
Congress alone declares war
Create Postal Service
Create Federal Courts

14. Nonlegislative Powers
Power to approve or reject President’s nominees for Federal Courts
Power to Impeach

15. Activity: Pg 167, 168, -Captions
Why did the Founders make setting up a Post Office an expressed power in the Constitution? (pg 167)
What does “acquitted” mean? (pg 168)
Why is impeachment used rarely? Why use both Houses? (pg 168)
Communication is necessary for a successful gov’t.
Acquitted: not guilty
The Congress must have convincing evidence to remove from office. Party politics should not play a part.

16. Essential Question
What kind of powers are given to Congress by the Constitution?
Enumerated
Implied
Lawmaking
Nonlegislative

17. Bell Ringer October 15, 2018 Page 179. How a Bill Becomes a Law
How do the steps of committee action in the House differ from those in the Senate?
Why does the language approved in both the House and Senate have to be the same?
After the committee reports the bill in the House, the Rules Committee sets the rules for debating it and adding amendments
So the bill won’t be confusing or say contradictory things

18. From Bill to Law Three Main Sources for Bills Private citizens
President
Special Interest Group
A bill can only be submitted by a member of Congress - The Sponsor
Given a Title and Number (S.1 or H.R.1)

19. Standing Committee Standing Committee Pass it
“Pigeonhole” it (ignore it)
Kill it by a vote

20. On the Floor House or Senate Floor Debate House has time limits
Senate has no time limits
Filibuster: hold the floor by talking for hours to delay a vote hoping for the bill to be withdrawn.
Cloture: end the filibuster by 3/5 of the Senate

21. The Vote on the Floor Three Ways to Vote 1. Voice Vote
2. Standing Vote
3. Roll Call Vote – Senate
Electronic Vote – House
Simple majority passes the bill – then it’s sent to the other house.
If it does not pass – it dies

22. The President’s Part Sign it into law Veto: Reject the bill
Goes back to Congress.
May override veto with 2/3 vote in each house
3. Pocket Veto: killing legislation by ignoring the
Bill till Congress adjourns.
(10 days)

23. Essential Question How is legislation initiated? (Started)
An individual House or Senate member proposes it.

24. Chapter 5 Review
Population determines the representation in which House of Congress? ____________
 HR
When the House & the Senate do business together – it is called a _________________
 Joint Committee
A Bicameral or Two-House Congress was the result of what?
Disagreement during the Constitutional Convention

25. Which Congressmen serve for six years
 Senators
Which Congressmen serve for two years? ____________________________________
 HR
The VP of the U.S. is the President of what? __________________________________
 The Senate

26. The powers of the Legislative Branch are laid out in what part of the Constitution?
Article 1 Section 8
A power written in the Constitution is called an
Enumerated 
Any Government Official caught in wrong-doing may be
 Impeached

27. Regulating Public Schools is a power reserved for the ___________________________
 States
When the President rejects a bill, it is called a _________________________________
 Veto
Two-thirds of a vote from each house can do what to a Veto
Override

28. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was debated or filibustered (stalled) in which House & by who?
In the Senate by the Democrats for 57 days
Talking & refusing to yield the Floor of the Senate in order to try and kill a bill is called:
Filibuster
Who decides when the HR or the Senate are ready to vote on a bill?
The Standing Committee

29. Who breaks a tie in the Senate?
 The VP of the United States
Is it the Senator or the Representative who focuses on representing his district rather than the entire State?
 Representative
Which Branch of government should have the most power?
Legislative Branch (Congress)

30. What is a Term in the House of Representatives?
 Two Years
How many Senators from each State? 2