CongressRole—Lawmakers

Congress

Most basic governmental function:

Basic Info for BOTH houses

• U.S. Legislative body is • Concern is representation via population as

in House, but not Senate.• Term—is two years, “noon on Jan. 3rd” of

every odd numbered year.• Sessions—there are 2 for each term, one

year each.

• One House cannot adjourn without consent of other.

Size and Terms of HOUSE

• Today, 435 seats. • Seats are apportioned by population. • Terms are for two years • Reapportionment• Single-member districts Wesberry v.

Sanders, 1964 outlawed Gerrymandering• Qualifications • Custom, not in Constitution, requires a

representative live in district he/ she represents.

Size and Term of SENATE

• Senators serve terms of six years. As with the House, can be re-elected any number of times.

• continuous body

• Qualifications

Duties of Congress

1. Legislators—law makers2. Committee members3. Representatives of their constituents4. Servants of their constituents5. Politicians6. Screen proposed bills to see if they

should make them to the floor7. Oversight function of various agencies

in executive branch

Four Voting Options

• Trustee

• Delegates

• Partisans

• Politicos

Congressional Powers

• Expressed Powers

• Implied Powers

• Inherent Powers

Expressed Powers

• Power to Tax• Direct Tax• Indirect Tax• Power to Borrow• Commerce Power• Currency Power Legal tender• Bankruptcy• Foreign Relations

Powers

• War Powers• Naturalization• Postal Power• Copyright and Patents• Weights and Measures• Power over Territories • Eminent Domain• Judicial Powers

Implied powers

• Necessary and Proper Clause (elastic)

Non-legislative Powers

• Constitutional Amendments• Electoral Duties• Impeachment• Executive Powers• Investigatory Power

The Need for Committees

Committees

• Committees

• Standing committees

• Select committees

• Joint committees

• Conference committees

• Subcommittees

House of Representatives

• Not a continuous body; causes slow start to new sessions.

Speaker of the House

Senate

• A continuous body, allows for smooth start to new sessions.

President of the Senate

V.P. CANNOT speak or debate.

V.P. may ONLY vote to break a tie, not a cause a tie.

President pro tempore

Facts about Bills

• As many as 10,000 bills proposed between both houses in a term. Less than 10 % become law.

• Where do they start?

• How are they introduced?

• Two types of Bills:

Bill Becomes a Law in the House

• Most bills die in committee; they are pigeonholed.

• Debate in House

• Voting in House

• After approval

Bill Becomes a Law in the Senate

• Also committee work.

• Debate

• Filibuster

• Cloture Rule

Presidents Five possible Actions to a passed congressional bill:

• Sign the bill

• Veto

• Does not act on it for 10 days

• Pocket veto

• “Line-item veto”