Legislative Branch
Do you want to be a Congressman??
Are you interested in laws? Do you think you can make a difference?
Then you could be the perfect fit for the Legislative Branch, in which you will experience the power of LAW-MAKING!!!!!! You can be part one of the two houses of Congress, and maybe one day approve the law that will change our nation for the better!
Congress for Dummies -- Article 1 of the Constitution
What makes up the Legislative Branch?- The people you may want to know
Two Houses
- The House of Representative-435 members (populated states=more representatives, less populated states=fewer representatives)
- The other house is the Senate-100 members, 2 per state
- Speaker of the house (Congress leader) Paul Ryan
- House of Rep. Majority leader - Kevin McCarthy of California (represents republicans)
- House of Rep. Minority leader - Nancy Pelosi of Maryland (represents democrats)
- Joe Biden leads Senate ( Vice President), is tie breaker vote in a tied vote
- President Pro Tempore - Orin Hatch of Utah (leads Senate in absence of Vice president)
- Senate Majority leader - Mitch McConnell of Connecticut (represents republicans)
- Senate Minority leader - Harry Reid of Nevada (represents democrats)
- Niki Tsongas - Massachusetts District 3 Rep. , representing Northern Mass.
- Massachusetts senators- Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey
Interested? Qualifications and when you can to run for the legislative branch:
Qualifications
For House of Reps. , you must be 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for seven+ years, and a resident of the state (but not necessarily the district) you represent.
Senators must be 30 years old, a U.S citizen for nine+ years, and a resident of the state you represent
- Representatives are elected every 2 years
- Senators are elected every 6 years
What would you do in Congress? Your great powers:
Delegated Powers-the powers granted to Congress in Article 1 of the Constitution. There are many. Congress can....
- establish taxes
- regulate foreign /domestic trade
- declare war, support a military
- coin money
- regulate a system of weights and measures
- pass health care laws
- moderate minimun wage
- getting rid of the penny
- Creating a national bank
Making bills into laws-the most important job you need to do!!
How a bill becomes a law
- Starts as idea from a community
- Sponsored by a local congressmen who writes down bill
- It is presented to the House or Senate, who assigns the bill a number and records it
- Sent to a Senate or House committee for editing and approval
- Passes through House for approval vote-need a majority to pass (218 votes)
- Passes through Senate for approval vote-need a majority to pass (51 votes)
- Sent to the President for his signature - If he signs, it passes, if rejected, it's vetoed
- If vetoed, bill given to congress. If 2/3 of congress approves, it passes without the president's signature
And It becomes a Law!!!!!!!!
I'm Just a Bill (Schoolhouse Rock!)
Which house is for you? Key differences
House of Representatives
- Representation depends on the size of each state
- Only House introduces revenue bills
- Only House can impeach officials
- House can elect the president in a dead tie
- Called "lower house", has less time to make an impact
- Two senators per state, always 100 members
- Senate approves foreign treaties
- Called "upper house", makes more laws
- Approves members for President's cabinet + Supreme Court
- Holds trial for impeached officials