POD A: Unit 5 Legislative and Executive Branch

House of Representatives

Lower court (Peoples body)

435 seats determined by population

Senate

Upper court

100 seats, two for each state

House of Representatives Term

2 years

All 435 up for election

Senate Term

6 years

1/3 up for election

House of Representatives Qualifications

25 years or older

Citizen for 7 years

Live in the state representing

Senate Qualifications

30 years or older

Citizen for 9 years

Live in state representing

Most important leadership role in House

Speaker of the house

Branches Roles

Legislative: Makes Law (President)

Executive: Enforces Law (CIA)

Incumbent

Office holder seeking re-election

Bicameral Legislature

2 parts of the legislative branch

House and Senate

President of Senate

Vice President, if not available President Pro-tempore

Most powerful position in White House Staff

Chief of staff

Checks on Branches

Examples:

Overrides President Vetos

Nominates Federal Judges

Impeachment

Bill becomes Law

Extremely difficult

Both sides have to agree

President must sign or veto

Filibuster

Long debate to decide if should vote

60 people must agree

41 can block

Common nowadays

2/3 must agree to end the debate

Veto

Sign against law

Done by president

Congressional Overrides

Must have 2/3 of congress

Override a presidential veto

Presidential Qualifications

35 years and older

Native-born Citizen

Lived 14+ years in the United States

Length of Term

4 years

Term Limits

22nd Amendment Created

So no president could hold onto office forever

Presidential Succession

1. President

2. Vice President

3. Speaker of House

4. President pro-tempore

Role of Vice President

In charge if president is unavailable/deemed unfit

President of senate

Reprieve:

Postponement of punishment

Pardon

Frees from punishment

Amnesty

Blanket pardon, usually for political offense

Executive order

Rule issued by president/ governor, forces the law

Ex: FDR 9066- Japanese Internment Camps

Executive Departments

The Cabinet

Carry out work of government in areas of public policy

EX:

Agriculture: inspect food, help farmers

Education: Fund and develop public education

Treasury: Formulate tax and financial policy

Independent Agencies

Implement Federal Policy

EX:

US postal service

peace corps

Electoral College

People who actually vote for president

Based on state population and congressional representation

Votes to win: 270

22nd Amendment

Placed limits on presidential terms

25th Amendment

If the president is unable to serve it goes down to the vice president

Chief Executive

Executive Branch Overseer

Appoint judges, issue executive orders

Chief of State

Ceremonial head of government

Meet with foreign leaders, baseball pitch, medals

Commander in Chief

Armed Forces Commander

where armed forces are stationed

Chief Diplomat

Deals with foreign policies

Actions of ambassadors

Chief Policy Maker

Signs laws/ proposes laws

Calls congressional meetings

Chief manager of economy

Sets tax policy

Federal budget

Chief of Party

Leader of party

Speeches

Supports other candidates

Chief Citizen

Represents all the people

Especially in times of need

Constituents

Person who lived in an electoral district and is represented by an elected official

Pork

something added to a bill, fatty, usually nothing to do with a bill

Final steps of legislative process

The house and senate come together to create a bill both agree on and send it to the president to sign or veto

Standing committee

Permanent committees that handle most legislative business

Joint committees

Both house and senate

Deal with issues of interest to both chambers

Special committees

Investigate specific problems

Usually temporary

Conference Committee

Temporary kind of joint committee