Congress Oversight Function
Monitors and evaluates federal agencies, programs, and policies.
• Ensures laws are implemented as intended.
• Uses hearings, investigations, and reports as tools.
• Seats in the House of Representatives
• Shall Be Apportioned among the States based on population.
• Minimum of one representative per state.
• 100 Senators Represent the 50 States
• Each state has two senators.
• Serves six-year terms with staggered elections.
• Inherent/Expressed/Implied Powers
• Inherent: Powers essential to a sovereign nation (e.g., immigration
control).
• Expressed: Specifically listed in the Constitution (e.g., taxation).
• Implied: Derived from the Elastic Clause (e.g., establishing the IRS).
• Commerce Clause
• Grants Congress power to regulate trade among states.
• Basis for significant federal authority over economic activity.
• 1st Amendment
• Protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
• Ensures separation of church and state.
• Impeachment Rules
• House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach.
• Senate holds the trial and votes on conviction.
• Requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate to convict.
• Electoral College
• Mechanism for electing the President and Vice President.
• States allocate electors based on congressional representation.
• Majority of electoral votes (270) needed to win.
• Parliamentary Governments
• Executive derives authority from the legislature.
• Prime Minister is usually the leader of the majority party (less conflicts)
• Federal Government
• National government with powers divided among legislative, executive,
and judicial branches.
• Balances power between federal and state governments (federalism).
• Legislative Power
• Authority to make laws.
• Vested in Congress (House of Representatives and Senate).
Updated 112d ago
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