UNIT 2

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 6: CONGRESS

• Bicameral: Two houses– House of Representatives and Senate

• House of Representatives– Census every 10 years for population count so Congress

can adjust the number of representatives given to each state.

– Constituents are people with in a boundary that are represented.

– Gerrymander is an oddly shaped district designed to increase the voting strength of a particular group.

– 2 year terms.

• The Senate– 100 seats, 2 from each state– 6 year terms– Elections are staggered so that no more than one

third of the senators are up for reelection at any one time.

• Congressional Leaders– Majority party- party of which more than half the

members belong.– Minority party-less than majority– Speaker of the House is the most powerful leader

within the House of Representatives.– President pro tempore for time being-ceremonial

more than influential.

• Committees: Little Legislatures• Types: – Standing: on Going.– Select Committees: Special job for

limited time.– Joint Committees: members from

both houses– Conference Committees: Helps the

House and Senate agree on the details of a proposed law.

Chapter 6, Section 2

• Legislative Powers– Expressed powers-Specific powers spelled out in the

Constitution.– Implied powers-not stated explicitly.– Elastic Clause-allows Congress to stretch powers to meet

new needs.– Taxing and Spending-power to collect taxes, all bills start in

the House of Representatives because they are closer to citizens.• Authorization bills-i.e. Space Shuttle program and funding.• Appropriations-i.e. provides money for each program or activity,

must get approval.

– Regulating Commerce-interstate and foreign trade.• Air traffic, railroads, radio, tv, stock market.

– Foreign Relations and Treaties-***ONLY CONGRESS CAN DECLARE WAR***• Has the power to create, maintain and oversee an army

and navy.• Senate must approve any treaties the president makes

with other countries.

• Non-legislative Powers– Constitutional amendments by a two-thirds vote

of both Houses.– Counts electoral votes in the presidential

elections.– Checks the other branches of government.• Senate has the power to approve or reject the

president’s nominees for various high-ranking officials– Supreme Court Justices, federal judges and embasadors.

• The House has the sole authority to impeach or accuse officials of misconduct in office.– The Senate then tries the case and decides whether to convict

and remove the person from office.

• Limits on Power-some stated in the Bill of Rights– i.e. can not pass laws that ban freedom of speech

or religion.– Writ of habeas corpus-court order that requires

police to bring prisoner to court to explain why they are holding a person.

– Bills of attainder- laws that punish a person without a jury trial.

– Ex post facto laws-laws that make an act a crime after the act has been committed.

– Other restrictions come from the checks and balances.• Each branch has some control over the other.

Chapter 6, Section 3

• Requirements and Benefits of Congress

– Senator-qualifications• Must be at least 30 years old• Live in the state you plan to represent• Been a U.S. resident for 9 years before being elected

– Representative-qualifications• Must be at least 25 years old• Live in the state you plan to represent• Been a citizen for at least 7 years before being elected• Usually live in the district they represent (not required)

• Congressional Staff– Personal staff: gather information on new bills and

issues that are to be discussed in Congress.• Washington D.C.• Home office.

– Committee Staff: knowledge about taxes, military defense, and health care.• Draft bills, gather information, organize hearings, and

negotiate with lobbyists.

– Support Services: • CRS-Congressional Research Service• General Accounting Office-reviews spending of federal

agencies• Congressional Budget Office-provides Congress with

information such as estimates of costs and effects

• Members of Congress at Work– Lawmaking– Casework• Act as trouble shooters for problems• Congress gets about 80,000 e-mails each day. Some

offices receive 10,000 requests for information or services.• Most handled by staff members.

– Helping the District or State• Protect the interests of district or state• Local projects- i.e.: post offices, dams, offshore, etc.

Chapter 6, Section 4How a Bill Becomes a Law

• Types of Bills– Private: concerns people or places, deals with

claims against government.– Public: entire nation, involves taxation, civil rights,

terrorism.• Joint resolutions are passed by both houses of

Congress, becomes law if signed by the president.

• From Bill to Law– Starts with idea• From Congress, people, special interest groups or

White House

– Committee Action• Some bills get ignored and some get studied.• Ones that need attention get researched and reported

on by a subcommittee.• Standing committees have ultimate power over bills.

– Pass bill without changes– Mark up a bill with changes and suggest that it be passed– Replace the original bill with a new alternative– Ignore the bill– Kill the bill with vote

• The House or Senate can overrule committee.• If committee is against a bill, it almost never becomes

law

– Floor Debate• The House: controlled by Rules Committee, prioritizes

bills, can kill a bill by not letting it get to the floor, sets terms for debate• The Senate: takes bills in order, members argue pros

and cons, attach riders (unrelated), speak as long as they want, filibuster ( talk it to death), cloture (no one can speak for more than an hour).

– Voting on a Bill• Voice• Standing-those in favor stand and are counted• Roll-call vote (Senate), official calls name, they vote

– Presidential Action• Veto-refuse to sign• If Vetoed Congress can override with 2/3 vote.• Pocket Veto-do nothing for 10 days, if Congress is in

session the bill becomes law without president’s signature, if not it dies.• Sign the bill