Unit 2: The Branches

• • Congress is the bicameral legislature that writes laws for the nation
  • Made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives with different purposes and different means of representations
• The Senate

  • Represents the states equally, with each state having 2 regardless of population
  • Created to serve as a check on the power of the House of Representatives
• The House of Representatives

  • Designed to represent the population
  • Members elected based on population of their districts, with larger districts having more representatives than smaller ones
  • The number of Representatives for each is determined by a census taken every 10 years
• The House of Representatives' purpose is to represent the population of each individual state
• The number of congressional districts within a state is determined by a census every 10 years to ensure each district is equal in population and that the voices of citizens are heard
• The way congressional districts within a state are drawn is influenced by?

  The political party in control of state legislature
• House of Representatives are LESS likely to form bipartisan coalitions in order to pursue various legislature goals
• A bipartisan coalition is an alliance between 2 legislators
• House of Reps: Requirements

  • At least 25 years old
  • Live in the state they represent
  • Be a US citizen for at least 7 years
• Every 2 years, there's an election for ALL 435 seats of the House; these elections take place in each district
• The Senate

  • Represents states equally
  • 2 for each state (100 total)
  • Every 2 years, 1/3 of senate is up for election
  • 6-year terms
  • Fewer rules due to its smaller membership
  • Represents states
• The Senate: Requirements

  • At least 30 years old
  • US Citizen for at least 9 years
  • Live in the state they represent
• • Senators are less connected to the people they represent as there's only 2
• • Since the House of Reps has shorter terms, they have to be more responsive to the people's needs
  • Representatives are more connected to the issues the people face in their districts
• • The Senate has UNLIMITED debate on bills, but the House of Representatives has RULES that restrict debates to an hour per member
• Which house of Congress is Districter?

  The House of Representatives
• Enumerated powers

  1. Power to pass a federal budget
  2. Power to raise revenue
  3. Power to coin money
  4. Power to declare war
  5. Power to raise and maintain the armed forces
• Enumerated Powers: Federal Budget

  • Outlines the spending and revenue plans of the federal government, allowing Congress to make decisions about the allocation of resources and funds
  • VERY complex and VERY slow
• Enumerated Powers: Raise Revenue

  • Accomplished through income taxes, tariffs, etc
  • Ensures economic stability
• Enumerated Powers: Coin Money

  • Ensures there's a uniform policy in the country
• Enumerated Powers: Declare War

  • Crucial for national security and responding to national security threats
• Enumerated powers: Raise and Maintain Armed Forces

  • Secures the nation and prevents the president from making tyrannical choices
• Enumerated Powers

  • Regulate interstate commerce
  • Create federal courts and their jurisdictions
  • Pass laws under the Necessary and Proper clause
  • Conduct oversight over the Executive branch
• Only the House of Representatives can initiate tax laws and spending bills
• Unique Senate Powers

  • Amend revenue bills
  • Confirm Presidential nominations
  • Ratify treaties signed by the President
• The Speaker of the House:

  • Since the House members choose this leader, the speaker will ALWAYS be a member of the majority party
  • Parliamentary procedure: decides who speaks, assigns bills to committees
  • Rule whether a motion is germane
  • Appoint House members to select joint committees
  • Appoint majority members of the Rules Committe
• • Parliamentary Procedure is a set of rules that determines who speaks and when, so the Speaker of the House decides who can speak and who cannot
  • The Speaker also assigns bills to committees
• Who rules in the House whether a motion is germane?

  The Speaker
• Who in the House appoints House members to select joint committees and appoint majority members to the Rules Committee?

  The Speaker
• Majority and Minority Leaders: The House

  • These leaders guide their party members in policy-making issues
  • Leaders conduct debates and ensure their members are achieving policies FAVORABLE to their party
• Majority and Minority Whips: The House

  • These are party leaders that render party discipline
  • They make sure their members vote with the party
• President of the Senate

  • Vice-president of the U.S
  • Rarely present
  • Cannot vote unless there's a tie
• President Pro Tempore

  • Since the Senators elect the President Pro Temp, they will always be a part of the majority party
  • Leads the Senate when the Vice President is absent
• Majority and Minority Leaders: The Senate

  • Majority leader determines the order in which bills are debated
  • Majority leader decides which bills reach the floor for debate and which don't (legislative agenda)
  • Majority leader ensures their party's programs are passed by pressuring party members
  • Minority leader can resist these programs
• Majority and Minority Whips: The Senate

  • Assist majority and minority leaders
• Committee Chairperson: the Senate

  • Decide which bills to discuss and may KILL a bill
  • Selected by the majority leaders in BOTH houses
• Committees take care of most law work and proposes bills; bills die in committees at times
• Standing Committee

  • Always present as they deal with issues that are always present
  • Members become experts in their topic
  • Examples: Appropriations Committee in the Senate and Ways and Means Committee in the House
• The Appropriations Committee

  • Debates and decides where federal money is spent
  • Standing committee
  • In the Senate
• The Ways and Means Committee

  • Decides on several taxation bills
  • Standing committee
  • In the House