Congress: The Legislative Branch in Action
Chapter 5: Congress:
The Legislative Branch
Section 1: Congress
(pg.122-126)
Congress and the People
•
“We the People” means that
the people are sovereign.
•
However, the people do not
take part in national
government directly.
•
We elect representatives, in
regularly scheduled elections
to make and carry out the
laws.
•
Article I of the Constitution
gives law making power to
Congress, therefore the U.S.
Congress is the body through
which the will of the people is
made into law.
Representing the People
•
The representative represents
the people who live within a
geographic area and these
people are called
constituents
.
•
Constituents sometimes have
conflicting interests which
makes it difficult to represent
them.
•
In addition to representing
their constituents, members of
Congress also keep in mind the
need of the country as a
whole.
•
Congress is
bicameral
-
meaning two houses, the
House of Representatives and
the Senate
Rep. Bill Flores
Members of Congress
•
Members of Congress tend
to be older than the
average age-in their mid to
late fifties.
•
Most members of Congress
are white men.
•
The number who are
women, African Americans,
Hispanics, or members of
other minority groups is low
compared to these groups’
percentage of the general
population.
Sen. Ted Cruz
The House o Representatives
•
The seats in the House are
apportioned by population to
each of the states.
•
Apportionment means that each
member represents about the
same amount of people, around
700,000
•
In 1929 the number of house
seats was locked at 435.
•
They have added nonvoting
delegates from DC, Guam, Virgin
Islands, & America Samoa.
•
The seats are all contested at the
same time, every 2 years, which
means that the House can swing
from one party to another party
after one election.
The Senate
•
The Constitution fixes
membership in the Senate to 2
Senators from each state, t/f
there are 50.
•
Originally, the Constitution
gave the power to choose
senators to state legislatures,
but in 1913 the 17
th
Amendment changed the this
to popular vote in each state.
•
The terms are staggered so
that a 3
rd
of the senators are
up for election every 2 years.
•
This prevents major changes in
membership due to any one
election.
The Two-House Structure
•
The bicameral legislature was
influenced by the British
Parliament, that has two houses.
•
It was the Great Compromise. It
combined the Virginia Plan that
wanted to make both houses
based on population and the
New Jersey Plan that wanted
one house with equal
representation.
•
Therefore, the house would be
based on population and reflect
people’s will and every state
would get 2 senators picked by
state legislatures and serve
longer terms
•
The Senate, would be less
subject to public passions
Sen. John Cornyn
Congress & Checks and Balances
•
The
Power of the Purse
,
meaning that Congress alone
has the power to approve
spending.
•
They do this by a special act
called appropriation.
•
This bill sets aside funds for
specific purposes.
•
Congress can stop the other
branches of Gov. from
spending money on programs
it doesn’t like.
•
Congress can’t lower the pay of
the President or judges while
they are in office.
Congress & Checks and Balances
•
The Power of Advice and
Consent
•
This means that Senate gets to
approve treaties with foreign
governments.
•
The Senate also has to
approve of key government
officials, like ambassadors,
federal judges and Supreme
Court justices.
•
The Senate has not approved
treaties that the President has
signed and they have also
rejected top presidential
appointees.
Congress & Checks and
Balances
•
The Impeachment Power-
this
is when Congress charges
officials in the executive and
judicial branches with wrong
doing and bring them to trail.
•
The process starts in the
House where they charge the
official with a high crime or
misdemeanor, with a majority
vote
•
Then the process goes to the
Senate, where they hold a
trial. A two-thirds vote in
required to remove the official
from office.
Other Checks & Balances
•
The Congress can check the
power of the judicial branch
by starting the process of
amending the Constitution.
•
Congress also has the power
to override a presidential
veto with two-thirds vote of
both houses. (100 times or
4%)
•
Congress also can review
how the executive branch is
operating, making sure it is
following the Constitution.
This is called
oversight
.
The legislative branch is embodied in Congress, where representatives elected by the people translate popular will into law. With the House of Representatives and the Senate comprising Congress, discussions explore the dynamics of representation, member demographics, apportionment, and the distinct roles each chamber plays in the U.S. government.
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Presentation Transcript
Chapter 5: Congress: The Legislative Branch Section 1: Congress (pg.122-126)
Congress and the People We the People means that the people are sovereign. However, the people do not take part in national government directly. We elect representatives, in regularly scheduled elections to make and carry out the laws. Article I of the Constitution gives law making power to Congress, therefore the U.S. Congress is the body through which the will of the people is made into law. https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXZa4o9uhaReXU_zJnPpgwh7VPMjxf7EvvBU3gjVu46t2auJT9sQ
Representing the People https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Bill_Flores,_Official_Portrait,_112th_Congress.jpg The representative represents the people who live within a geographic area and these people are called constituents. Constituents sometimes have conflicting interests which makes it difficult to represent them. In addition to representing their constituents, members of Congress also keep in mind the need of the country as a whole. Congress is bicameral- meaning two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate Rep. Bill Flores
Members of Congress http://www.cruz.senate.gov/files/images/OfficialPortrait.jpg Members of Congress tend to be older than the average age-in their mid to late fifties. Most members of Congress are white men. The number who are women, African Americans, Hispanics, or members of other minority groups is low compared to these groups percentage of the general population. Sen. Ted Cruz
The House o Representatives The seats in the House are apportioned by population to each of the states. Apportionment means that each member represents about the same amount of people, around 700,000 In 1929 the number of house seats was locked at 435. They have added nonvoting delegates from DC, Guam, Virgin Islands, & America Samoa. The seats are all contested at the same time, every 2 years, which means that the House can swing from one party to another party after one election. http://chattoogaga.test.sturgiswebservices.com/_fileUploads/US%20House.jpg
The Senate The Constitution fixes membership in the Senate to 2 Senators from each state, t/f there are 50. Originally, the Constitution gave the power to choose senators to state legislatures, but in 1913 the 17th Amendment changed the this to popular vote in each state. The terms are staggered so that a 3rd of the senators are up for election every 2 years. This prevents major changes in membership due to any one election. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/111th_US_Senate_class_photo.jpg
The Two-House Structure The bicameral legislature was influenced by the British Parliament, that has two houses. It was the Great Compromise. It combined the Virginia Plan that wanted to make both houses based on population and the New Jersey Plan that wanted one house with equal representation. Therefore, the house would be based on population and reflect people s will and every state would get 2 senators picked by state legislatures and serve longer terms The Senate, would be less subject to public passions http://images.politico.com/global/arena/cornyn_john.jpg Sen. John Cornyn
Congress & Checks and Balances The Power of the Purse, meaning that Congress alone has the power to approve spending. They do this by a special act called appropriation. This bill sets aside funds for specific purposes. Congress can stop the other branches of Gov. from spending money on programs it doesn t like. Congress can t lower the pay of the President or judges while they are in office. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/drupal6/files/geog432/images/separation%20of%20power.jpg
Congress & Checks and Balances The Power of Advice and Consent This means that Senate gets to approve treaties with foreign governments. The Senate also has to approve of key government officials, like ambassadors, federal judges and Supreme Court justices. The Senate has not approved treaties that the President has signed and they have also rejected top presidential appointees. http://izquotes.com/quotes-pictures/quote-he-the-president-shall-have-power-by-and-with-the-advice-and-consent-of-the-senate-to-make-constitution-of-the-united-states-304704.jpg
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/impeachments/nix-port.jpghttp://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/impeachments/nix-port.jpg Congress & Checks and Balances The Impeachment Power- this is when Congress charges officials in the executive and judicial branches with wrong doing and bring them to trail. The process starts in the House where they charge the official with a high crime or misdemeanor, with a majority vote Then the process goes to the Senate, where they hold a trial. A two-thirds vote in required to remove the official from office. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/President_Andrew_Johnson.jpg http://www.americanheritage1.com/assets/images/presidents/bill-clinton-portrait-victory-pose-1.jpg
Other Checks & Balances The Congress can check the power of the judicial branch by starting the process of amending the Constitution. Congress also has the power to override a presidential veto with two-thirds vote of both houses. (100 times or 4%) Congress also can review how the executive branch is operating, making sure it is following the Constitution. This is called oversight. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_D3aQrbHeRPc/RzN1JsbSd8I/AAAAAAAAA7k/MlAlYEP4Hcw/s320/override.gif
