our legislative branch: congress
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Our Legislative Branch: Congress. Legislative Branch: Local Gov’t : borough council or township supervisors State Gov’t : PA House & Senate National Gov’t : US House & Senate. Each state gets 2 Senators House is broken into “districts” House lines “redrawn” every 10 years - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Our Legislative Branch: Congress
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• Legislative Branch:– Local Gov’t: borough council or township
supervisors– State Gov’t: PA House & Senate– National Gov’t: US House & Senate
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House Senate
435 (based on census) Numbers 100
2 years Length of Term 6 years
All every 2 years When Elected 1/3 every 2 years
25 Min. Age 30
$150K Salary $150K
Must live in state Legal Residence Must live in state
None Term Limit None
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• Each state gets 2 Senators• House is broken into “districts”• House lines “redrawn” every 10 years• Gerrymandering:
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Powers of Congress• Expressed Powers: Article I, Section 8
– Create laws, collect taxes, borrow & coin money, declare war, govern DC
• Elastic Clause• Immunity• Franking Privilege• Approve all treaties• Approve Presidential appointments (Secretaries, ambassadors,
judges)• Break tied Presidential elections (House chooses Prez)• Can impeach members of government
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Congressional Oversight• Congress’ ability to investigate and “fix”
problems in the nation– Examples:
• Steroids in baseball• Hurricane Katrina• 9/11
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Impeachment
• To be impeached means ________________• Step 1: Indicted in House (51%) vote• Step 2: Trial in Senate– Operates like normal trial with prosecutors &
defense– VP is judge unless President is on trial—then it is
SC Chief Justice– Guilty verdict requires 66 votes (2/3)– If guilty, removal from office occurs
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Andrew Johnson
• Impeached in 1868 for illegally firing & replacing the Secretary of War– Senate fell 1 vote shy of removal
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Bill Clinton
• 1998—Ken Starr finished investigation– Was looking for wrongdoing in “Whitewater”
scandal• Lewinsky worked @ White House from 1995-
1996• Affair from 1995-1997• Discussed affair with friend Linda Tripp• Impeached in 1998 & found not guilty in 1999– Accused of perjury– Only 50 guilty votes in Senate
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Limits on Congress
• Cannot:– Pass ex post facto laws– Pass bill of attainders– Suspend habeas
corpus• Unless in time of
invasion or rebellion
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Organization of Senate
• President of the Senate: Joe Biden (D); DE– President Pro Temp:
Daniel Inouye (D); HI• Majority leader: Harry
Reid (D); NV– Minority leader: Mitch
McConnell (R); KY» Majority whip
• Minority whip
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Organization of House
• Speaker of the House: John Boehner (R); OH– Majority leader: Eric Cantor (R); VA• Minority leader: Nancy Pelosi (D); CA
– Majority whip: » Minority whip:
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Our Representatives
• Senators:– Bob Casey (D)—
Scranton – Pat Toomey (R)—
Zionsville (Lehigh County)
• House member:– Glenn Thompson (R);
5th district—State College
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Organization of PA Congress
• Senate: 50 districts– President Pro Temp• Joe Scarnati (R); Brockway
• House: 203 districts
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Committees
• Committee:• Types:– Appropriations– Standing– Subcommittee– Joint/conference– Select
• Membership requirements• Leadership requirements
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There are two things you never want to see being made. Sausage is one. Laws are the other.
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How a Bill Becomes a Law
1. Eureka moment2. Referral to committee3. Hearings4. Markup5. Floor consideration– Both chambers must vote on it– Debate/discussion– Filibuster in Senate
• Cloture– Roll-call vote
• Quorum needed
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• What makes Congressmen vote the way they do?– Personal Beliefs– Constituent interests– Interest groups/lobbyists– Political Party loyalty
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• Presidential action– Sign it– Ignore it for 10 days– Veto it– Pocket veto– Line-item veto