2.1 Congress (House + Senate) Structure

Describe the structure of the senate

• Represents each state equally where each state has two senators, and therefore each state gets 2 votes to vote on decisions in the senate

• Older than House

• Less connected with people because senators represent the entire state, not just local districts, making them focus on broader, long-term issues

Describe the structure of the House

• Each state is represented in the House on the basis of population

• Younger

• 2 year terms

  • Short term length = representatives must be extremely responsive to the people

  • Short term length = less likely for house members to form bipartisan coalitions to pursue various legislative goals = “less likely to work with the other political party to pass laws together”

• Higher number of representatives for each state = people are closer to the issues people care about in their districts

What is required for a law to be passed with respect to the house and senate

In order for a law to be passed, both the house and senate must agree and pass the same version of the bill. Then, the president must sign the bill into law

How are debates about bills different from those in the house?

Since there are fewer members in the senate, debates here last much longer than in the house, as they contain significantly more members.

What are THE FIVE enumerated powers of congress?

1. Power to pass a federal budget (power of the purse)

2. Power to raise revenue

   1. Accomplished through raising taxes (income tax) & tarrifs

3. Power to coin money

   1. Useful because it provides for a uniform national currency, streamlining trade between states

4. Power to declare war

   1. Framers of constitution wanted the branch that represented the people to be the one who declared war

5. Power to raise and maintain an army

   1. Again, framers wanted the branch that represented the people to have this power in order to prevent tyrannical use of it via the executive branch

Where does congress get the Implied Powers from?

The N&P Clause, as it allows congress to pass any law that helps them carry out the other enumerated powers