American Government CHP 2

Bicameral

2 houses; House of Representatives and Senate

Constituent

citizens whom a legislator has been chosen to represent

Express Powers

Powers congress pulls from the constitution ex. article I, section 8, Clauses 1-18

Implied powers

Aren’t explicitly stated in the constitution

Speaker of the House

Top officer, presides over sessions; schedules debates and voting

Majority/Minority Leaders

Help schedule legislative agenda and strategy for their party; coordinate work for party

Vice President

Presides over sessions, although may have other responsibilities; can’t vote unless there is a tie

President pro tempore

presides in absence of VP; ceremonial role; chosen by majority party

Party Whip

Cheerleaders, make sure members present for votes

Filibuster

prolong debate to delay/prevent a vote on a bill etc.

Veto

stops bill from becoming law, president gives

Investigation

Power to look into the operations of government agencies and individuals

• Initiated by standing or select committees

• usually leads to passage of bill, changes in gov programs, removal of federal officials

Oversight

Ability of congress to review/ monitor fed agencies and programs

• based on implied powers

• represents a check on executive branch

• Allows congress to do its job, have to know whats going on to make informed decisions

How many members in congress

535

How many in House of Representatives

435

How many members in Senate

100

How long do Representatives serve

2 year terms

How long do Senators serve

6 year terms, 1/3 of seats reelected every 2 years

How did we arrive at the number of representatives we currently have?

The population of the states

How did we arrive at the number of senators we currently have?

equal amount, 2 per state

How is power divided up in congress? (Leaders etc.)

House: speaker of the house

senate: vp

Both major and minor floor leaders

What are senators and representatives supposed to do for us? (Responsibilities)

Rep: represent the people, start impeachment process, get to start revenue, Might choose president.

Senate: Vote on things, conduct impeachment trials, confirm pres appointments.

4 types of committees and functions

Standing: permanent committees, specific topics, deal directly with legislation. House and Senate have their own.

Select: temporary committees, created for a specific purpose. House and Senate have their own.

Joint: members of both houses; coordinate work or study specific issues – do not deal directly with legislation.

Conference: reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill, members of both houses. Formed only when needed

Who assigns people to the Committees?

Party leader

Why is it important to have the right person on the right committee

For constituents

Legislative vs Non legislative powers of Congress

Legislative:

• pass laws (legislative)

  • Has to pass House and senate

• Tax and spend… “Power of purse”

  • Revenue bills (taxing) and Appropriations bill (spend) must start at home

• borrow money to pay for gov

  • raising ceiling on national debt

• Commerce power

  • Regulate foreign trade and interstate commerce

• Foreign policy powers

  • Declare war

  • create and maintain military forces

• Naturalization (citizenship)

• Govern Territories

• Copyrights and patents

• Establish post offices and federal courts

Non-Legislative:

• Maybe choose president

  • Congress responsible for counting states electoral votes

  • no majority, house chooses from candidates with most votes, each state gets 1 vote

• Confirmation Power- Presidential nominations

  • Senate

• Removal power- Fed offices

  • House- impeachment

  • Senate- conducts trial

• Advice and consent power

  • senate approves treaties with foreign nations

• Amendment power (shared w/ states)

  • Congress propose, states ratify

Power of the Purse

To tax and spend

How a Bill becomes a law (9 steps)

1. Bill drafted

2. Bill introduced

3. Bill goes to committee

4. Subcommittee review bill

5. committee mark up bill

6. Voting by full chamber on bill

7. Referral of bill to other chamber

8. Bill goes to President

9. Overriding veto

Differences between Houses and Senate

• How are states and people represented in each?

• How many in each?

• Eligibility to run and term length?

• Rules and procedures of each

• Leaders of each

1. Population in state for house, 2 a state for senate

2. Rep: 435 Senate: 100

3. Rep: 2 year term, no limit Senate: 6 year term, 1/3 reelected every 2 years, no limit

4. House: complex rules Senate: simpler rules

5. Rep: speaker of house Senate: Vice president

Term

2 year election cycle

Session

1 year meeting period w/in term

Checks and balances on power of legislative branch from other branches

President in executive branch can veto, judicial can declare law unconstitutional

Checks and balances the legislative branch has on the power of the other branches

Removal of federal officials for either branch. Oversight and interrogations

Characteristics and powers of House of Representatives

Short debates (more rules)

States represented by population

435 members (2 year terms)

complex rules

rules committee controls agenda

special focus on budget

power of impeachment (charge)

All seats up for reelection every 2 years

speaker presides over sessions

initiates spending bills

Might choose president

Both house and senate

4 types of committees

Benefits (Postage etc.)

Leaders are very powerful

Passes bills with majority vote

Senate characteristics and powers

Long debates (less rules)

Simpler rules

100 members, 6 year terms

special focus on foreign policy

power to approve of treaties

filibuster

conducts impeachment trial

VP presides over sessions

states equally represented

continuous body (less elections)

Confirmation power