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The Legislative Branch

A Breakdown of Key Terms and Basic Functions of the Legislative Branch of the USA

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Essential Questions for this Unit

How is Congress organized?

2) How does a bill become a law?

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Key Vocabulary Slide 1

Impeach- a way to accuse officials of misconduct in office

Expressed Powers- specific powers listed in the Constitution

Implied Powers- congressional powers that are not stated in the Constitution

Veto- President’s refusal to sign a bill into law

Filibuster- the practice of overspeaking on a bill to the point it obstructs the process

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Key Vocabulary Slide 2

Gerrymandering- a way to draw district boundaries that favor one party over another

Census- A report is conducted every 10 years to determine a state’s population and the number of representatives that state receives

Seniority- a system where longer serving members get the opportunity to serve on the best committee assignments

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Key Vocabulary Slide 3

Bill- a proposed law

Pocket veto- another way for a President to kill a bill, a President can wait until congress session ends to avoid signing it into law

Elastic Clause- This term allows Congress to use “implied powers”

State Population- a state’s population determines the number of representatives in the House of Representatives

Constituents- each congressional district must include about the same number of people

Super Majority- when ⅔ (67%) of both houses approve a bill after the President Vetoes it (known as an override)

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Two House System

MAIN JOB OF CONGRESS = Make Bills / Laws

Our Congress has a two-house system or BICAMERAL System. Compromise between NJ and Virginia Plans

Senate = Equal Representation (2 Per State)

House of Representatives = Based on Population

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The House of Representatives

A state’s population determines the number of representatives, there are 435 in all

They serve 2 year terms

Individuals must be:

25 years old
Been a citizen of the US for at least 7 years
Live in the state they represent

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The Senate

Each State has 2 senators for a total of 100 in the USA

They serve 6 year terms

Individuals must be:

- 30 years old

- been a citizen of the US for at least 9 years

- live in the state you represent

The Vice President serves as the deciding vote should there be a tie in the Senate

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Important Leadership in Congress

SENATE LEADERS

Senate President - Kamala Harris (D-CA)

Senate Pro Tempore - Patty Murray (D-WA)

Senate Majority Leader- Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell - (R-KY)

HOUSE LEADERS

Speaker of the House

Mike Johnson (R-LA)

House Minority Leader

Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

House Majority Leader

Steve Scalise (R-LA)

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Separate Powers of

House of Representatives

Initiate Revenue Bills
Impeach Federal Officials
Elect the President in case of a tie in the electoral college

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Separate Powers of the Senate

Confirms President’s Cabinet appointments
Ratify Treaties
Tries Impeachment Cases for federal officials

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Congress Powers

All of the powers explicitly stated for Congress can be found in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution

Some include:

Can make and change laws
Creates an annual budget for the country
Can levy taxes and tariffs for revenue
Can declare war