American Government Clep-Legislative Branch-Congress

Front 1

House of Representatives-The "Lower" House

Back 1

A. Most direct relationship to democracy

B. Originally had no fixed number of representatives but allowed each state a number of reps proportional to its population, elected for a 2 year term, from districts established w/in the state.

1. 1929, the number of reps was fixed at 435, each state w/ at least one rep.

2. 1964 Supreme Court decision mandated states apportion their districts equally to preserve the concept of "one man, one vote" and avoid the possibility of more powerful districts controlling the vote.

3. This allows each rep to represent a relatively small area, w/ a relatively cohesive view.

Front 2

Leadership positions in the House

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1. Speaker of the house
2. Majority Leader
3. Majority "whip"
4. Minority Leader/Minority Whip

Front 3

Speaker of the House

Back 3

1. elected by the majority party
2. Presides over the House
3. Principal leader (over Majority Leader) of party.
4. Third in line of succession (after Vice Pres) in event both Pres and VP are incapacitated
5. Assigns bills to committees
6. Important in assigning membership w/in commitees.

Front 4

Majority Leader

Back 4

Works closely w/ Speaker in most decisions

Front 5

Majority "Whip"

Back 5

responsible for party discipline, keeping members "in line" and generally enforcing "proper" party behavior.

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Minority Leader/Minority "Whip"

Back 6

Perform the same function of Majority Leader for the minority party

Front 7

Powers of the House

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1. Introduces legislation, which, if passes, moves on to Senate for approval.

2. Originates revenue raising measures.

3. Sole power of impeachment

4. Approves any constitutional amendments by 2/3 vote prior to state ratification

Front 8

Structure of the House

Back 8

because house is large, almost all early work done by committees before being brought to the full House for a vote.

Front 9

Standing (Permanent) House Committees

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Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education and Labor
Energy and Commerce
Financial Services
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
House Administration
Judiciary
Natural Resources
Oversight and Government Reform
(oversight means overseeing)
Rules Committee
Science and Technology
Small Business
Standards of Official Conduct
Transportation and Infrastructure
Veterans Affairs
Ways and Means Committee

Front 10

Major and most powerful standing House Committees

Back 10

Rules Committee
Ways and Means Committee
Appropriations

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Rules Committee

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1. Sets rules for debates
2. Can "kill" a bill by not voting it out of committee
3. Can be overridden by a "discharge petition" signed by a minimum of 218 members (absolute majority)

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Ways and Means Committee

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1. oversees federal revenue measures
2. has authority over borrowing money
(National Debt)
3. Oversees Social Security programs
4. Oversees trade and tariff regulations

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Appropriations

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Oversees the "raising of revenues" provision (most important function)

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Select Committees

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For a limited purpose, which may last for several Congresses, as needed.

Front 15

Joint Committees

Back 15

Combining members from both House and Senate

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Conference Committees

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Joint committees to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Front 17

The Senate-The "Upper House"

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1. Has 2 members from each state, regardless of population, that serve for six years.

2. Designed to act as a check on laws representing the interests of the "few" (district) by having a clear overview of the "many," the state as a whole.

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Leadership positions in the Senate

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1. Vice President of the US
2. President Pro Tempore ("Pro Temp")
3. Majority Leader
4. Minority Leader and Majority/Minority "Whip")

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Vice President of the US

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1. Official "President" of the Senate
2. Largely ceremonial role, as this is a non-voting concept:
a. In the event of a tie (50/50), the VP casts the deciding vote.
b. Paradoxically, the least and most important Senate Position.

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President Pro Tempore ("Pro Tem")

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1. almost entirely a ceremonial title.
2. Usually granted to the senior member of the majority party.
3. Presides when the VP is unavailable.
4. Has same power as any other senetor

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Majority Leader

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1. True power in the Senate
2. Elected by Senate members of his/her party.
3. The most visible member of the Senate
4. Often meets w/, and acts in concert w/, the Speaker of the House and/or the President

Front 22

Minority Leader and Majority/Minority "Whips"

Back 22

function in pretty much the same way as their house counterparts

Front 23

Powers of the Senate

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1. Provides "advice and consent" (ie, final approval) on presidential nominees for almost all positions, including Supreme Court Justices, Ambassadors, secretaries of Cabinet posts, etc.

2. Ratifies all treaties (by 2/3 vote)

3. Sole power to try impeachments.

4. Votes on all bills and legislation sent up from the House
a. often "amends" bills before passage, requiring a return to the House, which either votes for the amended bill or continues to revise it.

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The filibuster

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A single Senator, wishing to block a vote on legislation, can hold the floor indefinitely, bringing all other work of the Senate to a halt.

A 2/3 cloture (a call to close the issue and vote) byt the entire membership of the Senate is the only way to halt a filibuster short of giving the Senator-in-question what he/she wants

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The Structure of the Senate

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1. Like the house, relies on committees todo most of the preliminary work prior to a vote on legislation
2. Majority membership on these committees goes to the majority party.
3. The chairman of each committee is, usually, the senior majority member of that committee.

Front 26

Standing (Permanent) Senate Committees

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Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science Transportation
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Indian Affairs
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs

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Most powerful standing Senate Committee

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Appropriations Committee--controls the actual dispersal of funds

Front 28

Law Making Process (Steps)

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1. Bill introduced to Senate
2. Bill sent to Senate committee to discuss details
3. Bill scheduled on calendar for debate and vote
4. Debate and vote in Senate
5. Bill sent to House
6. Bill sent to house committee for discussion
7. Debate and vote in House
8. Bill sent back to Senate
9. Bill sent to Senate committee to discuss differences in House and Senate versions
10. Bill sent to House, the Senate, for debate and vote
11. Bill signed by Speaker of the House and Vice President
12. Bill signed by President
13. BILL BECOMES LAW
• Note:
o President may sign or veto bill
o Veto can be overridden by two-thirds vote in each house
o President may also take no action
 If bill is on presidents desk for ten days (not including Sundays) without being signed, and if Congress is still in session, then bill becomes law

Front 29

House of Reps

Back 29

Number of Members: 435
Term of Office: 2 yrs
Min. Age: 25
US Citizenship: 7 yrs
Residency: must be resident of the state represented
May not hold any other US govt. Office

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Senate

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Number of Members: 100
Term of Office: 6 yrs
Min. Age: 30
US Citizenship: 9 yrs
Residency: must be resident of the state represented
May not hold any other US govt. Office

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Proposal (Amending the Constitution)

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Two-thirds of both houses of Congress may propose an amendment

or

Two-thirds of the state legislature may request a national convention, which may propose an amendment

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Ratification

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Upon the approval of three-quarters of state legislature

or

Upon the approval of special conventions in three-quarters of the states

Front 33

Impeachments

Back 33

1868: President Andrew Johnson for acting against the Tenure in Office act, saved by one senate vote

1998: Pres. Bill Clinton for lying to grand jury about affair and obstruction of justice, not close senate vote

1974: Nixon resigned before impeach proceedings