The Legislative Branch Chapter 5. Do Now Answer the following questions… 1.What is the name given to the US legislative branch? 2.What is the name of.

The Legislative BranchChapter 5

Do Now

Answer the following questions…

1. What is the name given to the US legislative branch?

2. What is the name of each house?

3. Which house is based on proportional rep and which house is based on equal rep?

4. Name one power that the US legislative branch has…

Quick Question

Why do we have a “BICAMERAL” (aka ‘two-house’) legislative branch?

Two Reasons

1. Form of checks and balances, allowing each house to make sure that the other house is doing the best job possible

2. The Great Compromise from the Philadelphia Convention settled a dispute between small and large states

House of Representatives

• # of reps for each state is based on POPULATION• Today … 435 Representatives • 435 is the LIMIT!• Think about it… you don’t want TOO MANY REPS

• Census is taken every 10 years• It determines how the seats are to be APPORTIONED, or

distributed.• Some states go up, others go down• Reps serve for two-year terms

NEW JERSEY – REPRESENT!

• NJ has 12 representatives• West Milford is part of the

5th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

• Scott Garrett is our representative in the House of Reps

• Republican / 2 year terms• Serving his 7th term

The Senate

• # of reps is based on EQUAL representation• 2 reps per state / Total of 100 representatives• Senators are elected for 6 year terms

NEW JERSEY• Sen. Cory Booker (D)• Sen. Robert Menendez (D)

TERM LIMITS

“SHOULD REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS HAVE TERM LIMITS? WHY OR WHY NOT?”

½ page for P. 1, 3 & 7 / Full page for P. 4

Do Now

Please take out your response to the question regarding term limits for Congressmen and wait for further instruction…

Requirements of Each House

House of Reps

1. At least 25 years old

2. Have US citizenship for at least 7 years

3. Legal resident of the state you represent

Senate

1. At least 30 years old

2. US citizenship for at least 9 years

3. Legal resident of the state you represent

The Benefits

• The average congressman makes $174,000 per year• (Some make more if they serve in special roles)

• Offices in the Capitol Building• Receive allowance to pay staff• Free trips to home state• FRANKING PRIVILEGE – Privilege to mail official

letters or packages for free• IMMUNITY – Members of Congress are protected from

being arrested while Congress is in session or while on the way to a congressional meeting.

• This makes sure that members of Congress are not unnecessarily kept from performing their duties.

Rules of Conduct

• Members of Congress are expected to be models of good citizenship

• “Rules of Conduct” are expected to be followed. If not…• EXPULSION • Member must give up their seat• Serious Offenses• 2/3rd vote in both houses

• CENSURE• A formal disapproval of a member’s actions• Stand alone at front of House or Senate and

listen to the charges read allowed against you• 2/3rd vote in House of Reps or Senate

Do Now

AS A CLASS, build a four-foot tower out of the available materials. The tower must be able to stand on its own, without leaning on anything.

You have 5 minutes to complete this.

Organization of Congress

Congress is organized in a way that prevents each member from having to do everything.

Terms and Sessions

• Each TERM of Congress is divided into TWO sessions

• Each SESSION is roughly one year

• Each SESSION begins on Jan. 3

• Our current Congress is the 114th Congress

114th TERM

Session 1

Session 2

“JOINT SESSION”

Usually each House works separately…

But sometimes the President will call a “joint session” to speak to both houses at the same time

Organization of Congress

US House of Reps

• “Speaker of the House”• “Floor Leaders”• MAJORITY Leader• MAJORITY Whip• Minority Leader• Minority Whip

• Committees• Sub-Committees

US Senate

• “President Pro Tempore”• “Floor Leaders”• MAJORITY Leader• MAJORITY Whip• Minority Leader• Minority Whip

• Committees• Sub-Committees

Where is the Vice President?!

Speaker and Pro Temp

“Speaker of the House” (Reps) and the “President Pro Tempore” (Senate) are in charge of running their respective House.

They are the most powerful members.

No one can speak unless the Speaker or Pro Temp calls on them.

Hold a strong influence on other members Pro Temp: Orrin Hatch (R) of UT

Speaker: John Boehner (R) of OH

Floor Leaders…

• Both the majority party and the minority party have LEADERS in both Houses.

• Their job is to represent their political party (Dem or Rep) and what they believe about the laws being created.

Party Whips

• In both Houses, the majority party and minority party have a floor leader known as the “whip.”

• The Majority/Minority Whip serves as the assistant to the Majority/Minority leader.

• The “Whip” …• Counts votes• Encourages Party loyalty• Ensures all members are present for votes• Seen as the Party “cheer leader”

Committees and Sub-Committees

• Both Houses have committees that gather to study issues and create the best solutions to problems

• Larger committees are sometimes broken up into Sub-Committees

Do Now

Sit quietly and wait for instructions…

RECAP QUIZ

1. What is the purpose of the Legislative Branch?

2. How many senators are there?

3. How many representatives are there?

4. What is the name of the position that leads the House of Representatives?

5. What is the name of the position that leads the Senate?

6. Who should TECHNICALLY lead the Senate?

7. What position leads the political party that has the most seats?

8. What position leads the political party that has the least seats?

9. What position works behind the scene to encourage party loyalty?

10. How long is a term for a Senator? For a Representative?

POWERS OF CONGRESS

Congress has the power to make laws in FIVE important areas…

1. Financing the Government

• Raise and collect taxes• Borrow money• Print and coin money• Pay debts• Provide for common

good

2. Regulating and Promoting US Trade and Industry

• Regulate trade with foreign nations

• Regulate trade among the states

• Protects rights of inventors• Establishes Roads and Post

Offices• Laws against piracy

3. Defending the Nation

• Congress has the power to declare war• Regulates the army

and navy• Can call citizens to

fight if needed

4. Supporting Laws

Congress has the power to establish federal courts to make sure that laws are followed.

5. Providing For Growth

• Power to govern the nation’s territories• Adding states to

the country• Setting up

immigration laws

Power of Impeachment

“The power to accuse high federal officials of serious crimes against the nation and to bring them to trial”

Steps of Impeachment

1. House of Reps. accuses the official

2. Majority in favor = Impeachment

3. Trial is held in the Senate

4. 2/3rds of Senate in favor = Dismissed from Office

Only the House accuses!

Only the Senate

holds trial!

The “Elastic Clause”

Congress has the power…

“to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution [carrying out] the foregoing powers.”

The “Elastic Clause”

• Think “RUBBER BAND” … It STRETCHES

• If Congress thinks that something is “necessary and proper” for the country, they can pass a law for it.

• This really “STRETCHES” the power of Congress

LIMITS…

Congress CANNOT…• Pass “Ex Post Facto” Laws• Pass Bills of Attainder (aka right to trial)• Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus (aka can’t be stuck

in jail waiting forever for a crime)• Tax Exports• Pass Laws that Violate the Bill of Rights• Favor Trade of a State• Grant Titles of Nobility• Withdraw Money Without a Cause

THE BIG QUESTION

HOW DO WE GET LAWS???

IDEAS…

• Usually, laws start as ideas• People share their ideas

with their representatives• Representatives right

down these ideas• Known as a “Bill”

I’m Just A Bill…

•A Bill is a proposed law• “Rough Draft”• It’s a long process to

become a law…

The Process…A representative introduces the bill to the House

The Speaker of the House sends the bill to the proper committee

The Committee debates and revises the bill

The House votes on the final copy of the bill

THE SENATE

(same process)

The Process

•After both houses approve, it goes to the President•Approve or “Veto”• Pocket Veto

-President lets the Bill sit for 10 days while Congress is not in session

But remember, Congress can overturn the veto with 2/3 vote

START

Representative

SPEAKERSenator

Pro Temp

Slide to the Senate!

PRESIDENT

BILLOPOLY

The game where Bills become Laws