Legislative Branch Notes

Structure of Congress

  • Bicameral legislature: Consists of two houses, the Senate (“upper house”) and the House of Representatives (“lower house”).

Leadership of Congress

  • House of Representatives

  • Leader: Speaker of the House (chosen by majority party)

  • Senate

  • Leader: U.S. Vice president

  • Vice prez serves as President of the Senate

  • President Pro-tempore: majority leader or someone who leads the Senate day to day work

Lawmaking Process: How a Bill Becomes a Law

  1. Introduction: Bill MUST be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate by a member of Congress.

  2. Committee: Bill is then assigned to a committee for examination, where it will be researched, debated, & voted.

  3. Floor: If the committee approves the bill, it is sent to the floor for debate and a vote by the full chamber.

  4. Other House: system is repeated

  5. Committee, round 2: RDV (research, debate, vote)

  6. Floor, round 2: Debate & vote

  7. Conference Committee: Both bills of Senate & HOR are not exactly the same, then conference committee. They MUST agree on 1 final version.

  8. Both Houses Vote: The final bill version is sent back to both houses & voted upon.

  9. President: Bill is sent to the President, who can sign it into law or veto it. If vetoed; sent back to Congress. Congress can override the veto by 2/3 majority vote of both houses.