The U.S. Constitution
Article 1 deals with the Legislative Branch: Jessica Indries
Qualifications of Congressmen & Job Expectations
Qualifications for House of Representatives:
- Must be 25 years old
- Citizens of the U.S. for 7 years
- Must represent the state that they live in
Qualifications for the Senate:
- Must be 30 years old
- Citizens of the U.S. for 9 years
- Must represent the state that they live in
Metting times of Congress
Metting time of Congress is January 3rd.
Powers that are granted to them
- Revenue
- Borrowing
- Commerce
- Naturalization and Bankruptcy
- Currency
- Counterfeiting
- Post Office
- Copyrights and Patents
- Courts
- Piracy
- Declare War
- Army
- Navy
- Rules for Armed Forces
- Militia
- National Guard
- Nation's Capital
- Elastic Clause
Rules of the Congress
- Organization: Until 1969, Congress acted as the sole judge of qualifications.
- Rules: Each house its own rules.
- Journals: A complete official record of everything said on the floor.
- Adjournment: Neither house can adjourn for more than three days.
How a bill becomes a bill
A bill can become a bill only by passing both houses of Congress: House of Representatives and Senate and by being signed by the President. If the President disapproves,or vetoes it, it is returned to the house where it originated, along with a written statement of the objections that were made. If two-thirds of the house approves and the President vetoed it, it becomes a law. If the President does not veto it in the next 10 day (excluding Sundays), it is passed as a law! A committee is made up of the House of Representatives and the house members come with the committee. The committee comes up with the bill. Although, the committee group is too large to participate in design making. Although, if the Congress has adjourned during the Presidents 10-day period, it is not passed and is called "pocket veto."