The Legislative Branch An Overview of the House and the Senate

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The Legislative BranchAn Overview of the House
and the Senate
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The Legislative Branch Responsibilities
House Senate
1. write, debate and pass federal bills 2. Impeach elected officials (press charges against) 1. write, debate and pass federal bills 2. Try (oversee) impeachments 3. Ratify treaties by 2/3 vote 4. Confirm presidential appointments
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Which house of Congress might be the upper
house and why?

• Post-It! Share
• Record your ideas to the question on a post-it
  before sharing with your group

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The Legislative Branch is

• Bicameral means 2-house
• The Great Compromise established a bicameral
  legislature.
• Our Congress is divided into 2 houses the House
  of Representatives and the Senate

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The House of RepresentativesPopulation-Based
Representation

• Who qualifies?
• 25 years old
• U.S. citizens for 7 years
• Must live in the state they represent
• Most representatives are lawyers, businessmen or
  are involved in local govt.

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House Terms

• Elected for 2-year terms
• All terms begin and end on the same day
• 70-80 of representatives are re-elected
• No term limits on House members exist
• Each time a new Congress is seated (starts a
  2-year term), it is given a number. We are
  currently in the 114th Congress

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How many?

• Based on population
• 435 members total
• Each state must have one representative
• Census numbers determine numbers of
  representatives

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Why might it be a challenge for a representative
to get his/her idea noticed? Whats the best way
for a representative to get his/her ideas
noticed?

• Post-It! Share
• Record your ideas to the question on a post-it
  before sharing with your group

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Congressional Districts

• States are divided into Congressional districts
  based on population.
• In NJ, we have 12 Congressional districts.

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1. Why are the districts shaped this way?2.
Does this map give you a clue about why its more
prestigious to be a senator than a representative?
Post-It! Share Record your ideas to the
question on a post-it before sharing with your
group
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The SenateEqual Representation

• Who qualifies?
• 30 years old
• U.S. citizens for 9 years
• Residents of the state they represent

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Terms

• 6 years
• Every 2 years, 1/3 of Senators run for reelection
• At all times, 2/3 of the Senate is made up of
  experienced members

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How many?

• 100 senators
• 2/state
• Entire state votes for their senators

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Salaries and Privileges

• Congress Rank-and-File Members' Salary (Both
  House and Senate)
• 174,000 per year.
• Congress Leadership Members' Salary
• Senate LeadershipMajority Leader - 193,400
  Minority Leader - 193,400
• House Leadership Speaker of the House - 223,500
  
• Majority Leader - 193,400 Minority Leader -
  193,400

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Political Affiliation

• The majority party is the party to which more
  than half of senators and representatives belong
• The minority party is the other party

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Leadership

• Speaker of the House Overall leader of the House
  of Representatives
• Vice President Leader of the Senate. Only
  allowed to vote as a tie-breaker.
• President Pro-tempore aka, President for the
  time being handles daily leadership of the
  Senate. Second highest Senator.

Nancy Pelosi
Sen. Byrd
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At your table group, discuss the following

• 1. Person 1 speaks first
• Which house of Congress is more prestigious? Name
  three reasons why.
• 2. Person 2 speaks first
• Which house of Congress is closer to the
  people? Why might this not be true in every
  state?
• Table Discussion
• Which house of Congress would you rather be a
  part of? Why?

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Other Leaders

• Floor leaders each house of Congress has 2 floor
  leaders a Democrat and a Republican
• The majority leader is from the majority party
• The minority leader is from the minority party
• The party whip assists the floor leader by
  tracking votes and persuading party members to
  vote together

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Congressional Powers

• 3 Types of Congressional Power
• Inherent
• Implied
• Enumerated/Expressed

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Enumerated/Expressed Powers

• Listed specifically in Article I
• Collect taxes
• Borrow money
• Regulate foreign and interstate (between states)
  trade
• Set up a postal service
• Declare war
• Regulate immigration

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Implied Powers

• Not specifically listed, but implied by the
  necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)
• Congress can stretch its power to carry out its
  expressed powers

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Inherent Powers

• Powers which a government has ("inherits") simply
  because it is a government.
• acquire territory
• to deport illegal aliens
• to protect the nation against rebellion
• to restrict immigration.

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Limits on Congressional Powers

• Constitutional
• Congress cant favor one state over another
• interfere with state rights Congress may not
  make marriage and divorce laws
• Checks and balances
• Supreme Court declaring laws unconstitutional
• Money restrictions
• If money isnt available to fund Congress
  bills, they will not pass

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Other limits on Congress

• Checks and balances
• Supreme Court declaring laws unconstitutional
• Money restrictions
• If money isnt available to fund Congress
  bills, they will not pass
• More on Congressional Powers and Limits to come!

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