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TheTheUnited States of United States of

AmericaAmerica

ConstitutionConstitution

Article IArticle ILegislative BranchLegislative Branch

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VocabularyVocabulary

CensusCensus

A count of the peopleA count of the people

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VocabularyVocabulary

ImpeachImpeach

To accuse an official of To accuse an official of some wrongdoing or some wrongdoing or

misuse of powermisuse of power

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VocabularyVocabulary

TermTerm

Length of MeetingLength of Meeting

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VocabularyVocabulary

ExpelExpel

To remove a member from To remove a member from officeoffice

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VocabularyVocabulary

PrivilegePrivilege

Special rights granted to Special rights granted to the person due to their the person due to their

service to the governmentservice to the government

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VocabularyVocabulary

MajorityMajority

One over halfOne over half

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VocabularyVocabulary

MinorityMinority

Less than halfLess than half

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VocabularyVocabulary

QuorumQuorum

One person over halfOne person over half

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VocabularyVocabulary

AdjournAdjourn

To end a meetingTo end a meeting

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• To make our country’s lawsTo make our country’s laws

• Based on representative form of Based on representative form of governmentgovernment

• Representatives are to carry out Representatives are to carry out the will of the peoplethe will of the people

Major JobMajor Job

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Laws are passed by a majority Laws are passed by a majority votevote

• One over halfOne over half

• The larger group of politicians The larger group of politicians are known as the Majorityare known as the Majority

MajorityMajority

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• The smaller group of politiciansThe smaller group of politicians

• If you are on the minority sideIf you are on the minority side– You try to persuade people on You try to persuade people on

majority side to change sides or majority side to change sides or ideasideas

MinorityMinority

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Name for the Legislative BranchName for the Legislative Branch

• House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives• SenateSenate

• Begins meeting the 3Begins meeting the 3rdrd day of day of January every odd-numbered January every odd-numbered yearyear

CongressCongress

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Length of meetingLength of meeting

• Recess during the summer Recess during the summer monthsmonths

• 11stst term from 1789-91 term from 1789-91

TermTerm

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CongressCongress

House & Senate meet in House & Senate meet in different chambersdifferent chambers

On opposite sides of the On opposite sides of the Capitol Building Capitol Building

In Washington, DCIn Washington, DC

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ExpelExpel

To remove a member from To remove a member from officeoffice

Takes 2/3 vote of CongressTakes 2/3 vote of Congress

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Congressional RecordCongressional Record

• A published record, notes and A published record, notes and minutes of all meetings of the House minutes of all meetings of the House and Senateand Senate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Cannot be arrested when going Cannot be arrested when going to or coming from Congressto or coming from Congress

• Nor while attending a sessionNor while attending a session

• Cannot be sued or punished for Cannot be sued or punished for anything he/she might say in anything he/she might say in CongressCongress

Congressional PrivilegesCongressional Privileges

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Largest house of CongressLargest house of Congress

• 435 representatives?435 representatives?

• Based on population in stateBased on population in state

• Term of 2 yearsTerm of 2 years

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• One representative per 500,000 One representative per 500,000 peoplepeople

• CensusCensus is taken every 10 years is taken every 10 years– used to find out how many people used to find out how many people

are in each stateare in each state– A count of the peopleA count of the people– First census was in 1790First census was in 1790

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• RequirementsRequirements– Must be at least 25-years-oldMust be at least 25-years-old– Must be a citizen of the United Must be a citizen of the United

States for at least 7 yearsStates for at least 7 years– Must live on the state electedMust live on the state elected

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the House– Presiding officer of the House of Presiding officer of the House of

RepresentativesRepresentatives

– Selected by the members of the HouseSelected by the members of the House– Usually a member of the majority Usually a member of the majority

partyparty

– 22ndnd in line to the Presidency in case of in line to the Presidency in case of an emergencyan emergency

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• ImpeachmentImpeachment– The House has sole power to The House has sole power to

impeach a government officialimpeach a government official

– The House begins the process by The House begins the process by accusing the officialaccusing the official

– Trial held by the SenateTrial held by the Senate

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• The smaller group of CongressThe smaller group of Congress

• Each state has 2 Senators (for a Each state has 2 Senators (for a total of 100 Senators)total of 100 Senators)

• Serves a 6-year termServes a 6-year term

SenateSenate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Every 2 yearsEvery 2 years– 1/3 of the Senate are up for re-1/3 of the Senate are up for re-

electionelection– Provides there is never an entirely Provides there is never an entirely

new group of Senatorsnew group of Senators

SenateSenate

• At first the Senators were At first the Senators were chosen by the state legislaturechosen by the state legislature– 1717thth amendment changed so amendment changed so

Senators are elected by the peopleSenators are elected by the people

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• RequirementsRequirements– Must be at least 30-years-oldMust be at least 30-years-old– Must be a citizen of the United Must be a citizen of the United

States for at least 9 yearsStates for at least 9 years– Must live in the state he/she Must live in the state he/she

representsrepresents

SenateSenate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Vice President of the United Vice President of the United StatesStates– The leader of the SenateThe leader of the Senate

– Can only vote in case of tieCan only vote in case of tie

SenateSenate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Pro temporePro tempore– Leader of the Senate when the Leader of the Senate when the

Vice President is not availableVice President is not available

– Chosen by the SenateChosen by the Senate

– 33rdrd in line to the Presidency in case in line to the Presidency in case of Emergencyof Emergency

SenateSenate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Regards to ImpeachmentRegards to Impeachment– The Senate acts as a Jury after the The Senate acts as a Jury after the

House accuses the person of a House accuses the person of a crimecrime

– Decides if the person is guilty or Decides if the person is guilty or notnot

SenateSenate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Regards to ImpeachmentRegards to Impeachment– Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

acts as the judgeacts as the judge

– 2/3 of the Senators present must 2/3 of the Senators present must find the official guilty to remove find the official guilty to remove the person from officethe person from office

SenateSenate

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• QuorumQuorum– One person over halfOne person over half

– This is the amount of members of This is the amount of members of Congress that must be present to Congress that must be present to hold a meetinghold a meeting

Rules, Rights, & Privileges of Rules, Rights, & Privileges of CongressCongress

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• ExpelExpel– Remove from officeRemove from office

– Used when a member of Congress Used when a member of Congress breaks the rules of Congressbreaks the rules of Congress

– 2/3 majority of the House or 2/3 majority of the House or Senate must agree to expelSenate must agree to expel

Rules, Rights, & Privileges of Rules, Rights, & Privileges of CongressCongress

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Both house of Congress must Both house of Congress must meet in the same city during the meet in the same city during the same timesame time

Rules, Rights, & Privileges of Rules, Rights, & Privileges of CongressCongress

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• AdjournAdjourn– To stop meetingTo stop meeting

– Each house must have the consent Each house must have the consent of the other house to adjournof the other house to adjourn

Rules, Rights, & Privileges of Rules, Rights, & Privileges of CongressCongress

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• SalarySalary– Paid by the United States Paid by the United States

GovernmentGovernment

Rules, Rights, & Privileges of Rules, Rights, & Privileges of CongressCongress

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Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

• Only the House of Only the House of Representatives can introduce Representatives can introduce bills to raise moneybills to raise money

Rules, Rights, & Privileges of Rules, Rights, & Privileges of CongressCongress