THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

2004 By Default! THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Mr. P s Class Yellow on the left, RED on the right Slide 1

2004 By Default! KEY QUESTION You have a great idea for a new bill. Describe the process, in detail, of how a bill becomes a law. Slide 2

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch The Great Compromise created two houses of Congress: House of Representatives 435 members. The number of members per state is based upon the population. The Senate EVERY state has two senators. Slide 3

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch SENATORS VOCABULARY REPRESENTATIVES (Members of the House of Representatives). (Members of the Senate). Sen. Elizabeth Warren Rep. A Free Richard sample background from www.powerpointbackgrounds.com Neal Sen. Ed Markey Slide 4

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch VOCABULARY APPORTIONED CENSUS (How the 435 members are divided up between the states). - based on the census. (Every ten years, the government counts the number of people in the U.S.A.) Slide 5

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch VOCABULARY (cont.) DISTRICTS Area that an elected member represents. TERM Amount of time that a member serves. CONSTITUENT People that a member of Congress represents. Slide 6

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch REQUIREMENTS for Congress Slide 7

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Two-year term. Member must be Elected by people in their district. at least 25 years old. citizen for at least seven years. resident of the state that they represent. 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch Slide 8

THE SENATE Six-year term. Members must be elected by the people in their states. at least 30 years old. citizen for nine years. resident of the state that they represent. 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch Slide 9

RULES FOR CONGRESS: 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch If a person elected to Congress is of questionable character, the other members may challenge their qualifications. The Supreme Court will decide. Slide 10

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch RULES FOR CONGRESS: Campaign money will not be used for personal expenses. Violations of conduct may result in EXPULSION (being kicked out). A 2/3 vote is required to expel someone. Slide 11

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch RULES FOR CONGRESS: (cont.) SESSIONS (The amount of time that Congress meets) begin January 3 rd, end in September. In an Emergency, the President can call congress back for a SPECIAL SESSION. Slide 12

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch PEOPLE IN CONGRESS MAJORITY PARTY - party in a house with the most members. MINORITY PARTY - party with fewer members. Slide 13

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE - runs the meetings in the House of Representatives. Elected by the membership. John Boehner (R-OH) - Speaker of the House Slide 14

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch SPEAKER OF THE SENATE - Vice President of the United States. -runs the Senate meetings. Joe Biden V.P. and Speaker of the Senate Slide 15

The Legislative Branch 2004 By Default! PRESIDENT PRO- TEMPORE runs the Senate when the Vice-President is not there. Elected by the membership. Senator Dan Inouye (D- HI) - President Pro Tempore of Senate Slide 16

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch MAJORITY LEADER (FLOOR LEADER) Top member of the party with the most members. Elected by the party members. Harry Reid (D-NV) - Senate Eric Cantor (R-VA) House of Rep. Slide 17

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch MINORITY LEADER (FLOOR LEADER) - Top member of the party with fewer members. Elected by the party members. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) - Senate Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) - House Slide 18

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch PARTY WHIP assists the Floor Leader. They have to whip party members into shape. Elected by the party members. Dick Durbin D-IL Senate Jon Kyl R-AZ Senate Steny Hoyer D-MD House Kevin McCarthy R-CA House Slide 19

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2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch HOW TO MAKE A LAW HEY! Watch that pen! Slide 21

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch BILL (a proposed law) Slide 22

2004 By Default! a member of Congress has an idea for a law; the bill is put into a box known as the hopper (sort of like a suggestion box ). The clerk of the house empties the hopper every day, and gives all of the bills to the appropriate committee. Slide 23

2004 By Default! A bill may be introduced in The House of Representatives or the Senate Slide 24

2004 By Default! Before the entire House of Representatives (or Senate) votes on it, it must first pass a vote in a small committee. Slide 25

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch COMMITTEE This is where the REAL work of Congress is done. (a group of Congressmen who work on details and create bills). Slide 26

COMMITTEE 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch Majority party has more members on the committee. Slide 27

19 committees in the House. 17 in the Senate. 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch Then the bills are sent to be worked on in a SUB- COMMITTEE. Slide 28

2004 By Default! Bills are debated, worked on, compromised over, and The Legislative Branch then voted on by the FULL House of Representatives (all 435 members) or Senate (100). Slide 29

TYPES OF COMMITTEES SELECT COMMITTEES deal with issues not covered by the regular committees. Iraq War, etc. 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch Slide 30

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch TYPES OF COMMITTEES JOINT COMMITTEES Senators and Representatives meet before a bill is voted on. Slide 31

TYPES OF COMMITTEES 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch CONFERENCE COMMITTEES Senators and Representatives meet to work out a compromise between two versions of the same bill. Slide 32

Legislative Branch After going through all of this 2004 By Default! The bill must be voted YES by a majority of the members of EACH house. Slide 33

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch Congress may add a Rider, another part of the bill that may have nothing to do with the original bill. Slide 34

2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch The President will VETO (reject), or sign the bill into law. Slide 35

Legislative Branch FILIBUSTER 2004 By Default! In the Senate, the minority can keep debate going to prevent a losing vote. As long as someone is standing and talking, the debate continues. Slide 36

Legislative Branch 2004 By Default! 60 votes are needed for CLOTURE (ending debate and beginning the vote) on a bill. As long as someone is standing and talking, the debate continues. Slide 37

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PETITION (a document with the proposed law explained in writing, followed by signatures of registered voters). Ordinary citizens can create laws. The Legislative Branch 2004 By Default! Slide 41

INITIATIVE - (a bill created by a citizen or citizens). PROPOSITION 2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch (proposed law) - If the initiative has enough signatures it will appear on the next BALLOT (the list of people and propositions that people will vote for or vote against). Slide 42

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2004 By Default! The Legislative Branch REFERENDUM (After a bill is passed by the legislature, people must also vote yes by a majority for the law to take effect). This is a way that the people can check the power of government. Slide 45

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2004 By Default! KEY QUESTION You have a great idea for a new bill. Describe the process, in detail, of how a bill becomes a law. Slide 47

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