Legislative Branch (Congress)

Organization of Congress

Starter: Vocabulary Quiz Bicameral Census Constituent Gerrymander Majority Party Minority Party Standing committee Seniority Express powers Implied powers Elastic clause Impeach Writ of habeas corpus Bill of attainder Ex post facto law Lobbyist Veto Pocket veto Fillabuster

House of Representatives

Requirement: 25years old, U.S. citizen for 7 years, resident of state representing

Terms: 2years terms, focus on concerns in their district

Larger Body--Total size: 435, representation based on size of state

Make laws Article I Section 2 Constitution Republican or Democratic Elected by the people Sole Power of Impeachment

House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Most powerful leader in House. He

steers legislation, chooses who belongs to which committees, & other duties. He is always a member of the majority party (political party with the most members in Congress)

Majority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the majority party (party with the most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.

Minority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the minority party (party with the 2nd most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.

Party Whips: Helps the floor leader. The Democrats have a party whip and the Republicans have a party whip. The Party Whips help keep track of the members of Congress and how they vote on issues.

Senate

Requirements: 30years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, resident of state representing

Terms: 6 years terms, unlimited amount

Total size: 100, two per state Article I Section 3 Meets in secret sessions Republican or Democratic

Senate

Vice President of the United States: the official leader of Senate. The presiding officer. Rarely attends debates over legislation. Votes in case of a tie only.

President Pro Tempore: acts as chairperson and monitors debates. Member of the majority party. Title means “for the time being”; in charge when vice president is absent.

Majority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the majority party (party with the most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.

Minority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the minority party (party with the 2nd most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party.

Party Whips: Helps the floor leader. The Democrats have a party whip and the Republicans have a party whip. The Party Whips help keep track of the members of Congress and how they vote on issues.

Congressional Leaders House and the Senate Majority party- political party to which

more than half the members belong Minority party- fewer members Speaker of the House-most powerful

with the House of Representatives President pro tempore-chairperson of

the Senate

Congressional Committees

Committees study, revise, and debate bills that could become a law, a budget, resolution, or act.

Their job is to decide if this is good for America and is it possible.

Committee assignments are chosen by the leader of each house of Congress often based on seniority

Congressional Committees

Type of Committee

Purpose of committee

Duration of committee

Examples

Standing Committee

EducationVeterans AffairsCommerce

PermanentSenate 17House 19

Chart 181

Select Committee

Special Jobs Limited Period Assassinations death/ JFK MLK

Joint Committee (4)

Economic conditionsFederal tax policyLibrary of CongressGovernment Printing

Temporary

Conference Committee

Helps the House and Senate

Agree on details of a proposed law

PowersLegislative Powers

Chart 186

Non-Legislative Powers Powers Denied to Congress

Collect taxesApprove bills spend money

Impeach federal officials Can’t favor one state over another

Expressed powers Power of Approval and Removal

Can’t pass laws violate Constitution

Implied powers Oversight and Investigation

Writ of habeas corpus- requires police bring prisoners

Elastic clause Check other government branches

Bills of attainder- laws punish person without a jury trial

Regulate Commerce Ex post facto laws- make an act a crime after the act been committed

Foreign Relations and Treaties

Supreme Court – declare laws unconstitutional

How a Bill Becomes a Law

Step 1

Starts with an idea from a citizen, member of Congress, or the president.

idea sponsored by member of Congress, put into draft form, & introduced into Congress

Assigned a number (S.123) (HR 123)

Step 2

Bill assigned to Committee. The committee studies, researches, and revises the bill. They can:

Send the bill to next step

Kill the bill (bill will not become a law) Pigeonhole the bill (set it aside for later)

Step 3

Subcommittee studies bill, gets citizen input, then has the same options as Step 2 (send, kill, or pigeonhole)

Step 4

Full committee: votes to sent to full House or Senate (which ever one it started in)

Step 5

Bill read to full House or Senate Debated vote (voice, standing, or roll-call)-

must have a 2/3 approval to go to next step

Step 6

If passes, must go to other house Bill must pass in the same form (no

changes can be made) If changes are made must call a

Conference committee to work out compromises

If changes are approved by both House and Senate, goes to next step

Step 7

Sent to President for final approval ,he/she can:

*sign bill into law/declare it law

*Pocket veto (put aside, if after 10 days Congress is in session it

becomes a law, if not in session it dies) *Veto (refusal to sign it into law)

Step 8

If vetoed by president, Congress can override the veto but 2/3 vote in each house. Very difficult to achieve.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE GOVERNMENT

Chapter 13 Section 1 Legislative Branch of North Carolina

FEDERALISM

SHARING OF POWER BETWEEN NATIONAL (FEDERAL) AND STATE

GOVERNMENTS

THE TWO GOVERNMENTS

FEDERAL: USA STATE: NORTH CAROLINA

SEPARATION OF POWERS

SEPARATION OF POWERS

SEPARATION OF POWERS

NC STATE CONSTITUTION “FIRST IN FREEDOM”

NC FREEDOM FOR ENGLAND NC CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES

PREAMBLE: INTRODUCTION: WE THE PEOPLE PG 355

AMENDMENT PROCESS (2 TIERED) 3/5 VOTE OF PROPOSAL IN HOUSE & SENATE MAJORITY VOTE OF THE NC CITIZENS

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS 25 GUARANTEES OF FREEDOM

POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY PEOPLE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF POWER GIVEN TO THE

GOVERNMENT LIMITED GOVERNMENT

SEPARATION OF POWERS CHECKS AND BALANCES

NC LEGISLATIVE

Called General Assembly 2 house legislature (bicameral)-

Senate and House of Representatives

N.C. LEGISLATURE

NC GENERAL ASSEMBLY SERVE 2 YR TERMS

WITHOUT LIMITS HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATE 120 MEMBERS,

SPEAKER SENATE

50 MEMBERS, LT. GOV & PRESIDENT PRO TEMP

POWERS LONG SESSION (JAN-JUN) SHORT SESSION (MAY-

6WK) NEW BUDGET YEAR OR

FISCAL YEAR 6/1

US CONGRESS 2 YR TERMS HOUSE 6 YR TERMS SENATE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATE 435 MEMBERS,

SPEAKER SENATE

100 MEMBERS, V.P. & PRESIDENT PRO TEMP

POWERS SESSION LAST 2 YRS NO LONG OR SHORT NEW BUDGET OR

FISCAL YEAR: 10/1

Activity

• Venn Diagram:• Comparison Chart: Legislative

Branches• U.S. Legislative and N.C. Legislative

Requirements

To be a member of the General Assembly, you must be a citizen of the state, live in district they represent and meet an age requirement. (Senator-25 yrs old, Representative- 18 yrs. old)

Elected every two years

Function of General Assembly

Main job is to make laws Each house has a leader; Lieutenant governor resides over Senate and President Pro Tempore is

in charge if Lt. Governor is not there. Introduce, sent to committee, study,

revise, debate and pass or kill bills.