1 of 19

UNIT II: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  • Lecture # 4

​

  • Federalism

**Power is divided between the Federal (national) and the state governments.

2 of 19

A. Federal (National) Government’s Powers

  • **Also called the “Enumerated Powers”.
  • 1. Coin Money.
  • 2.Conduct foreign relations.
  • 3. Regulate trade between the states.
  • 4. Declare war.
  • 5. admit new states.

3 of 19

B. State Governments’ Powers

  • **Also called “Reserve powers”.
  • 1. Regulate trade within their state.
  • 2. Conduct elections.
  • 3. Provide public health, safety, and morals.
  • 4. Establish local government.
  • 5. Establish a national guard.

4 of 19

C. Concurrent Powers

  • **Also called Shared Powers.
  • 1. Levy and collect taxes.
  • 2. Borrow money.
  • 3. Make and enforce laws.
  • 4. Establish courts.
  • 5. Provide for the general needs.

5 of 19

II. Powers Denied to the Governments

  • A. National
  • 1. Violate the Bill of Rights.
  • 2. Change State boundaries.
  • B. State
  • 1. Tax imports/exports.
  • 2. Coin money.
  • 3. Make treaties with other countries.
  • C. Both
  • 1. Grant titles of nobility
  • 2. Permit slavery.

6 of 19

Lecture #5�

  • Legislative Branch
  • *Main job is to make the laws.

7 of 19

I. 2 Houses (Bicameral)

  • A. Senate (Upper House)
  • 1. 2 senators from each state (100).
  • -not determined by population.
  • 2. 6 year term
  • -1/3 of senators are up for reelection every 2 years.
  • 3. Qualifications:
  • 30 yrs. old
  • Citizen of the U.S. for 9 yrs.
  • -resident of the state he/she is elected from.

8 of 19

  • 4. The Vice President is the head of the Senate.

-He/she has no vote unless there is a tie.

5. President Pro-Tempore

-*When the Vice President is absent the Senate votes for someone to take his place.

6. Senate tries impeachment cases against government officials (Acts as a jury)

9 of 19

B. House of Representatives (Lower House)

  • 1. Population determines the number of representatives from each state. (435)
  • 2. 2 year term.
  • -*All Congressmen are up for election at the same time.
  • 3. Qualifications:
  • -25 yrs old.
  • -Citizen of the U.S. for 7 years.
  • -resident of the state that he/she represent.

​

​

10 of 19

  • 4. Speaker of the House
  • -leader of the House of Rep.
  • 5. Power to Impeach government officials (power to accuse).

11 of 19

Lecture #6�I. How a Bill Becomes a Law

  • A. A Bill
  • *proposed law that will be presented to Congress.
  • 1. Ideas for Bills come from:
  • -constituent -President
  • -Lobbyists -Congressmen
  • -Federal agencies
  • 2. Only a member of Congress can introduce the bill to the House or Senate.

12 of 19

B. Introduction

  • 1. A Congressman who introduces a bill will put it into a legislative Hopper (basket).
  • 2. The bill is then assigned to the appropriate committee.
  • 3. The Congressman who introduced the bill is called the sponsor.

13 of 19

C. Committee

  • 1. Will study the bill & determine the scope/depth of it and then send it to a subcommittee for further review.

14 of 19

D. Sub-Committee

  • 1. Comprised of members of the Committee to examine, discuss, & revise the bill.
  • 2. Or they can Pigeonhole it = ignore it and it dies.
  • 3. If the bill passes the subcommittee it returns to the full committee

15 of 19

E. Committee

  • 1. they will amend or rewrite the bill.
  • (Mark-up Session)

16 of 19

F. Returns to the Full House/Senate

  • 1. Debate/vote on it.
  • 2. Passed = the bill goes to the other House.
  • 3. Not passed = Dies or is amended.

17 of 19

G. Process starts all over in the other House

  • -Intro
  • -Committee
  • -Sub-committee
  • -Committee
  • -returns to the Full House/Senate
  • -*If the bill is passed and in the same version it goes to the President.
  • **If the bill is passed but in a different version a conference committee will be formed.

18 of 19

H. Conference Committee

  • 1. Composed of members from both houses who work to make a compromised version of the bill.
  • 2. The new version is sent to both houses to be voted on again.
  • 3. If passed it then goes to the President.

​

19 of 19

I. The President

  • ** Can do 4 things with the bill:
  • 1. Sign the bill = becomes Law.
  • 2. If Congress is in session = and he doesn’t sign it/nor veto it, it becomes a Law after 10 working days.
  • 3. Veto it = (no), Congress can override the veto by 2/3 vote = law.
  • 4. “Pocket Veto”
  • -If Congress is not in session = and he doesn’t sign it/nor veto it, it dies after 10 working days.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUDSeb2zHQ0