Legislative Branch Notes Characteristics of Congress Senate: members year terms Qualifications: years old, citizen for years members year terms Qualifications: years old; citizen for years How are they elected? Elections are handled by each power Each state has a same party if no one wins majority different parties, winner is elected to Congress Senate per state ( representation) amendment direct election of senators Entire votes for same candidates (Republican, Democrat or Independent) body only 1/3 of senate up for re-election every 2 years(class I, II, III) Vote for candidates in your only (single-member districts) # of districts per state is based on (GA has 14) Total of : every 10 years (after census) the # of states per state is balanced proportional to population : when the district lines in each state are redrawn after reapportionment to keep population the same (Baker v. Carr and Wesberry v. Sanders) : the illegal and purposeful of lines to certain candidates Why? Powers of Congress Legislative powers: power to Expressed powers = Create laws Establish and roads Coin and borrow Punish counterfeiters Raise and support Declare Punish piracy Regulate commerce Copyrights and patents Set standard weights and measures Establish lower courts laws (What does that mean?)
Expressed Powers of the Senate Trial of officials presidential appointments Ratify Expressed Powers of the Start bills dealing with ( ) officials Choose if no majority in Implied Powers Necessary and Proper clause ( ) Congress do what s to support the creation of laws Necessary and Proper Clause What court case?!? v. National bank falls under necessary and proper powers of congress (Art. 1, section 8) Federal law supersedes state law (supremacy Clause, Article 6) Limitations (What CAN T Congress do?) Can t prohibit slave trade (changed by 13 th ) Cant suspend No No No nobility titles No export tax No preference to a state No federal $ spent without a law No direct tax (changed by 16 th) What do those words means?!? Habeas Corpus Bill of attainder Ex post facto Non-Legislative Powers of Congress (what do they do besides make laws?) Electoral When Electoral College, President by House and VP chosen by Senate Amendments Congress amendments with a vote in House and Senate, or calls national convention Impeachment House Senate holds (Chief Justice presides) Executive Powers of Senate presidential and appointments with 2/3 vote Investigative/Oversight policies and programs of other branches (specifically Executive) Comparing and Contrasting the House and Senate How are they the same? effect Each starts January 3 rd can call special session Each house its own leadership and rules How are they different? HOUSE = formal/rigid rules adhered to
Acts power prestige constituencies debate (Rules committee) committee assignment SENATE= formal/rigid rules Acts Power concentrated constituencies More debate speech to stop action on a bill committee assignments Organization of Congress The Senate President of the Senate a member of Congress Only votes in Current = Mike Pence President Pro Tempore Serves when - is absent serving member of party title Current = Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) Majority Leader spokesperson Senate Works with committees on and debate by party conference Current = Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Minority Leader official of the party Sets party, message and strategy members to commissions Current = Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Whips From the term whipper-in ; person in charge of keeping fox hounds from leaving the pack - party members to vote on legislation and votes Majority Whip = John Cornyn Minority Whip = Dick Durbin Senate Body (currently) 44 54 2 Angus King (Maine) (Vermont) Both caucus with Democrats Speaker of the House
Most member Power over, sets, maintains Can t unless recognized by the speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) House Schedules agenda for legislation Carries out party s Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) member of party Sets party agenda, message and strategy members for task force Since same party, works with Whips party members to vote on legislation that supports party votes Majority = Steve Scalise (R-LA) Minority = Steny Hoyer (D-MD) House Body (currently) 245 188 Congressional Committees Where most of the work happens! Most of the in Congress takes place in This is where they work on before they go to the to be voted on. Standing Committees Separate committees for each house Handle business Gather info through hearings and investigations Deal with policy matters Subcommittee division of committee Job is to -- proposed bills more closely Special/Select Committee Separate for each House Created to deal with problems *HINT: S = Separate **Standing, Subcommittee, and Special/Select committees are separate in each house Joint Committee Made up of members of both and Deals with issues affecting houses Example: Library, Security, Economics Conference Committee Made up of House and Senate members
Created to differences between two of a bill