Chapter 5 The Legislative Branch

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Chapter 5The Legislative Branch

• Section 1 The Senate and the House of
  Representatives
• Section 2 How Congress Is Organized
• Section 3 The Powers of Congress
• Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

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Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• The Main Idea
• Congress is divided into two houses, the Senate
  and the House of Representatives, and its members
  have certain qualifications.
• Reading Focus
• What are the two houses of Congress?
• What are the qualifications, salaries, and rules
  of conduct for members of Congress?

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The Differences 0131
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Members and terms lengths in the House and the
Senate
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• The House of Representatives has 435 members, who
  serve two-year terms.
• The Senate has 100 members, two for each state,
  who serve six-year terms.

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Qualifications and salaries in the House and
Senate
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• Representatives must be at least 25 years old, a
  U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a
  legal resident of the state they represent
• Senators must be at least 30 years old, a U.S.
  citizen for at least nine years, and a legal
  resident of the state they represent
• The yearly salary is 145,100.

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Misconduct by members of Congress
Section 1 The Senate and the House of
Representatives

• May lead to expulsion, removal from Congress,
  with a vote of two thirds of other members
• May lead to censure, a written reprimand

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SECTION 1
Question In what ways does Congress deal with
misconduct by its members?
HOW
DESCRIPTION
written reprimand
Censure
removing a member from Congress
Expulsion
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Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• The Main Idea
• Congress is organized in a way that allows its
  members to consider and pass legislation without
  each member having to do everything.
• Reading Focus
• What are the terms and sessions of Congress?
• How is Congress organized?

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How Congress Is Organized The House of
Representatives 0250
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The Senate 0137
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Congressional Sessions
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• Two sessions per term
• Sessions begin in January each year, and a date
  to adjourn is agreed upon.
• Sessions usually adjourn in August or September.
• The president may call a special session when
  necessary.

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Congressional Leaders
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• Speaker of the Houseelected from the majority
  party
• Floor leaders elected in party caucuses to guide
  proposed laws through Congress
• Party whipspersuade members to vote for
  legislation
• Vice president according to the Constitution
  presides over the Senate but only votes to break
  a tie
• President pro temporefills in for the vice
  president when necessary

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Congressional Committees
Section 2 How Congress Is Organized

• Study all bills before they are presented to
  Congress
• Members are nominated to committee assignments.
• Senators serve on at least two standing
  committees.
• Representatives serve on only two standing
  committees.
• Standing committee membership is proportionate to
  party majority in each house.
• Heads of Committee are now chosen by secret vote.

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SECTION 2
Question When does a session of Congress begin,
and how long does it last?
The first session begins January 3 in
odd-numbered years following the congressional
election in November. The second session begins
January 3 of the following year.
Sessions last as long as Congress
wishes. Adjournment dates are selected by
Congress.
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Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• The Main Idea
• The Constitution both defines and limits the
  powers of Congress.
• Reading Focus
• What types of powers are granted to Congress?
• What are some of the limits on the powers of
  Congress?

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Congressional Powers 0223
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Five major areas in which Congress makes laws
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• Financing government
• Regulating and encouraging American trade and
  industry
• Defending the country
• Enforcing laws
• Providing for growth

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The Elastic Clause
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• to make all laws which shall be necessary and
  proper for carrying into execution the foregoing
  powers
• allows Congress to stretch its delegated powers
  to manage new situations

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The special powers of Congress
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• Housebegins impeachment proceedings, initiates
  bills to raise money, and selects president when
  no candidate receives sufficient electoral votes
• Senateholds impeachment trials, selects vice
  president when no candidate has sufficient
  electoral votes, approves treaties, approves high
  officials

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Congress is forbidden to
Section 3 The Powers of Congress

• Pass ex post facto laws, pass bills of attainder,
  suspend writ of habeas corpus, tax exports, pass
  laws violating the Bill of Rights, favor trade of
  any state, grant titles of nobility, or withdraw
  money without a law

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SECTION 3
Question What are the five major areas in which
Congress has the power to make laws?
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Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• The Main Idea
• To become a law, a bill goes through a multistage
  process involving both houses of Congress.
• Reading Focus
• How does a bill begin?
• How do the House and the Senate consider a bill?
• In what ways can the president act on the bill?

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The Lawmaking Function of Congress 0324
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Ideas for bills originate from
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• U.S. citizensconstituents making requests of
  their congress members
• Organized groupsbusinesspeople and labor groups
  seeking to protect their interests
• Committees of Congressinvestigating committees
  determine needs for new laws
• Members of Congressexperts in certain fields
  propose new laws
• The presidentoften introduces ideas for laws in
  the State of the Union Address

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Bills introduced in either house of Congress
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• Are read and placed in the Congressional Record.
• Are sent to a standing committee to be studied.
• Receive hearings by the committees and are
  amended.
• The committee majority can recommend that a bill
  be passed.
• Bills reported out of committee are placed on the
  calendar for debate.
• The bill is voted on and sent to the other house
  of Congress for consideration.
• Approved bills are sent to the president.

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Actions of the president regarding a bill
Section 4 How a Bill Becomes a Law

• sign the bill and declare it a law
• veto the bill and send it back to Congress
• hold the bill for 10 days, when it becomes a law
  or is killed by pocket veto

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SECTION 4
Question What actions can the president take
regarding a passed bill?
If Congress is in session, the BILL BECOMES LAW,
even without a signature.
SIGNS THE BILL and it becomes law
The president KEEPS the BILL for 10 DAYS without
signing or vetoing it
The president ACTS on a Bill
If Congress is not in session, the bill is killed
by POCKET VETO.
REFUSES TO SIGN and sends back to Congress with
rejection reasons called a VETO.
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Chapter 5 Wrap-Up
1. Why did the framers of the Constitution create
a bicameral national legislature? 2. What two
methods does Congress have to deal with
misconduct by its members? 3. Who leads the
houses of Congress, and how are these leaders
chosen? 4. Why is most of the work of Congress
done through committees? 5. What special powers
does each house of Congress have? 6. How do bills
become laws? 7. What can the president do with a
bill passed by Congress?