Unit 4 – Unit 4 – Legislative Legislative

Branch Branch Everything else… Everything else…

Domestic Policy Domestic Policy

Domestic policy refers to legislation that Domestic policy refers to legislation that effects here at homeeffects here at home

ie. Healthcare, Education, Taxes, and ie. Healthcare, Education, Taxes, and Immigration Immigration

Legislation Legislation Most bills are written with for a specific Most bills are written with for a specific

topictopic RidersRiders are added to help the bill pass. are added to help the bill pass.

They are negotiated between They are negotiated between Representatives and between Senators. Representatives and between Senators.

Examples of riders: Senator Tom Harkin Examples of riders: Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for $1.8 million in swine odor and (D-Iowa) for $1.8 million in swine odor and manure management research in Ames, manure management research in Ames, Iowa or Representative Alan Mollohan (D-Iowa or Representative Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) for $2.2 million for the W.Va.) for $2.2 million for the MountainMade Foundation, a nonprofit MountainMade Foundation, a nonprofit organization that he helped set up organization that he helped set up

Rider Terminology Rider Terminology Riders are also called Riders are also called

earmarksearmarks. It refers . It refers to the fact that riders to the fact that riders are items added to a are items added to a popular piece of popular piece of legislation allocated legislation allocated to a specific to a specific state/area for a state/area for a specific project.specific project.

This practice is called This practice is called pork-barrel pork-barrel spendingspending. .

http://councilfor.cagw.org/site/PageServer?http://councilfor.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_pigbook2008pagename=reports_pigbook2008

The Pig Book The Pig Book

Published by The Published by The

Citizens AgainstCitizens Against

Government Waste Government Waste

TaxesTaxes

Article I, section 8 clause 1 “to lay and collect Article I, section 8 clause 1 “to lay and collect taxes, “taxes, “

Direct tax – taxes paid by the person on whom it Direct tax – taxes paid by the person on whom it is imposed. ie Property Taxesis imposed. ie Property Taxes

Indirect tax – paid by one person and passed Indirect tax – paid by one person and passed onto the secondhand person. ie Cigarettesonto the secondhand person. ie Cigarettes

Progressive Income tax – the more you make the Progressive Income tax – the more you make the more you paymore you pay

1616thth Amendment – allows for a personal income Amendment – allows for a personal income tax tax

Entitlement ProgramsEntitlement Programs

Programs created and controlled by Programs created and controlled by Congress – a benefit that federal law Congress – a benefit that federal law says must be paid to all those who says must be paid to all those who meet the eligibility requirements meet the eligibility requirements

Programs are paid from taxes that Programs are paid from taxes that all pay all pay

ie. Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid, ie. Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps Food Stamps

Copyright LawCopyright Law

““To promote the progress of science and To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and to their respective writings and discoveries”discoveries”(U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8) (U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8)

Congress created the US Copyright Office Congress created the US Copyright Office responsible for issuing copyrights and responsible for issuing copyrights and advising Congress on copyright issues. advising Congress on copyright issues.

Checks and Balances - Checks and Balances - CongressCongress

Presidential Appointments – Senate approvalPresidential Appointments – Senate approval Foreign Treaties – Senate approvalForeign Treaties – Senate approval President sends troops into battle – House President sends troops into battle – House

appropriates the funds, Congress declares appropriates the funds, Congress declares warwar

President vetoes bill – Congress overridesPresident vetoes bill – Congress overrides Supreme Court nominations – Senate approvalSupreme Court nominations – Senate approval Supreme Court declares law unconstitutional Supreme Court declares law unconstitutional

– Congress rewrites it and pass it again – Congress rewrites it and pass it again

Congressional OversightCongressional Oversight

Oversight – the power of Congress to Oversight – the power of Congress to review / question actions of the review / question actions of the Executive BranchExecutive Branch

Being used regarding Iraq / Being used regarding Iraq / Afghanistan Afghanistan

Foreign Policy Foreign Policy SenateSenate

Approve foreign treaties Approve foreign treaties with other nationswith other nations

Approve Presidential Approve Presidential appointments for appointments for ambassador and cabinet ambassador and cabinet (ie Secretary of State) (ie Secretary of State)

Write resolutions Write resolutions dealing with foreign dealing with foreign nations nations

Visit foreign nations and Visit foreign nations and leaders leaders

Foreign Policy Foreign Policy

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives Pass Appropriations Bills Pass Appropriations Bills Visit foreign country Visit foreign country Passes resolutions regarding Passes resolutions regarding

US stance on issues US stance on issues

pertaining to foreign nationspertaining to foreign nations

Rep Micheal McCaul 10Rep Micheal McCaul 10thth TX TX

Foreign Policy Foreign Policy

UN – United Nations: an international UN – United Nations: an international organization that consists of 192 member organization that consists of 192 member nations. Joined in 1945nations. Joined in 1945

UN Security Council – 5 permanent members UN Security Council – 5 permanent members and 10 rotating members (US, UK, China, and 10 rotating members (US, UK, China, France, Russia)France, Russia)

NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization: NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization: alliance of nations in the northern hemisphere alliance of nations in the northern hemisphere along the Atlantic Ocean. 28 members along the Atlantic Ocean. 28 members

Joined in 1949Joined in 1949

Foreign Trade Policy Foreign Trade Policy The The Constitution gives gives Congress express power over the express power over the

imposition of imposition of tariffs and the regulation of and the regulation of international trade. . enact laws including those that: establish tariff rates; enact laws including those that: establish tariff rates; implement trade agreements; implement trade agreements; provide remedies against unfairly traded imports; provide remedies against unfairly traded imports; control exports of sensitive technology; control exports of sensitive technology; extend tariff preferences to imports from developing countries. extend tariff preferences to imports from developing countries.

Over time, Congress has delegated some of its trade Over time, Congress has delegated some of its trade authority to the Executive Branch. authority to the Executive Branch. Congress requires that certain trade laws and programs be Congress requires that certain trade laws and programs be

renewed; renewed; Requires the Executive Branch to issue reports to Congress to Requires the Executive Branch to issue reports to Congress to

monitor the implementation of the trade laws and programs monitor the implementation of the trade laws and programs

Foreign Trade Policy Foreign Trade Policy

NAFTA – North Atlantic NAFTA – North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement Free Trade Agreement – negotiated under G W – negotiated under G W H Bush but after H Bush but after Congress passed the Congress passed the legislation is it signed legislation is it signed by Clinton – Includes by Clinton – Includes US, Mexico, and US, Mexico, and CanadaCanada

FTAA – currently FTAA – currently negotiating treaty with negotiating treaty with all countries of the all countries of the Americas Americas