AP Gove Powerpoint

1. The
Legislative
Branch

2. Bicameral
A legislative body with two
houses established by the
Constitution- Article I
modeled after the British Parliament

3. Term
Length of time between
elections in Congress
terms begin according to the
20th Amendment in January
Terms are numbered consecutively
9, 10, 11,12, 13,…
1st Congress March 4, 1789

4. Session
Formal meetings in which
members perform legislative
work (each term divided into 2 sessions)
until WWII 4 month sessions
currently full year sessions with
short recess

5. Congress
ends Jan. 3 2011

6. CONSTITUENTS the people who
are represented
CONTINUOUS BODY all seats are
never up for election at the same
time
Vocabulary

7. “I have come to the
conclusion that one
useless man is called a
disgrace, that two are
called a law firm, and that
three or more become a
Congress.”
1776, A Musical Play

8. “It can probably be shown by
facts & figures that there is
no distinctly native American
criminal class except
Congress.”
Samuel L. Clemens
(Mark Twain)

9. If the opposite of pro is
con, then the opposite of
progress must be
Congress.

10. House of Representatives
# of seats not fixed
apportioned distributed based
on population
serve 2 year terms without term
limitation

11. Reapportion Redistribute
–every 10 years Census
–435 is “permanent” size
•Congress can change size
Elections ALL re-elected
–even number years
House of Representatives

12. Districts
–drawn up to elect reps. to
House (Census)
Gerrymander
–to draw districts to give an
advantage to a political party
House of Representatives

13. *25 years of age
*U.S. Citizen for 7 years
*Inhabit state represented
*can’t be arrested while in session unless
commit treason OR felony
custom dictates representative must live in district
House Qualifications

14. Who are OUR elected officials?
House of Representatives (9th District)
Bill Shuster (R) (from Everett)
• first elected in 2000

15. Senate
# of seats fixed by “C” 100
2 from each State
6 year terms
Represent entire State
NO DISTRICTS

16. Older membership -
House Senate ∅ House
Prestigious less members; tougher to
get elected
HIGH media visibility
staggered terms 1/3 expire each year
Senate

17. Senate Qualifications
*30 years of age
*U.S. Citizen for 9 years
*Inhabit state represented

18. Who are OUR elected officials?
Pat Toomey (R)
Elected 2010
Bob Casey (D)
Elected 2006

19. The Powers of
Congress
Expressed
vs.
Implied

20. The Expressed Powers
of Congress
Powers given by (written in)
the Constitution
NOT clearly defined; subject
to interpretation

21. Peace Powers
To collect taxes
To borrow money
To regulate trade
To coin money
To establish post
offices
To grant patents
and copyrights
To create courts

22. War Powers
To declare war
To raise and support armies
To provide and maintain a navy
To make laws governing land and
naval forces

23. Implied Powers
The Necessary and Proper Clause
“To make all laws which shall be
necessary and proper for carrying
into execution the foregoing powers,
and all other powers vested by this
Constitution in the Government of
the United States, or in any
department or officer thereof.”

24. Implied Powers
Often called the “Elastic
Clause” because it has
allowed the Federal
Government to stretch its
powers.

25. Implied Powers
Examples
-…collect taxes --- IMPLIES the power to
make tax evasion a crime and provide for
its punishment
-... raise armies and a navy --- IMPLIES
the power to draft men into the armed
forces
-…regulate trade ---IMPLIES the power to
fix minimum wages and maximum work
hours

26. The Non-legislative Powers
Impeachment
–House has the sole power to
impeach-bring charges
against
–Senate has the sole power to
judge an impeachment case

27. The Non-legislative Powers
Constitutional Amendments
Electoral Duties
– Election of a President by House, if
no majority from the electoral
college
– Each state receives one vote
– Election of V-P by Senate, if no
majority from the electoral college

28. The Non-legislative Powers
Executive Powers
–confirmation of major
appointments by the
President

29. The Non-legislative Powers
Investigative Power
–Oversee operation of
executive branch
–Expose questionable
activities of public officials

30. Interest group
- a private organization
that tries to “influence”
lawmakers

31. Lobbying
- the activities of a
person for a pressure or
interest group, usually
influencing lawmakers

32. The basic job of a
lobbyist is to try to get a
member of Congress to
vote in a beneficial way
toward the group the
lobbyist represents.

33. Congressional Voting Options
Trustee-
Members of Congress
vote on issues “as they see
fit.” They are not
influenced by outside
groups OR constituents

34. Congressional Voting Options
Delegate -
Member is an agent of
those who elected them.
Vote based on what “the
folks back home” would
want

35. Congressional Voting Options
Partisan -
Member owes 1st
allegiance to their political
party. Leading factor in
influencing votes.

36. Congressional Voting Options
Politico -
tries to balance all three

37. Congressional Voting Options
Sellout -
gives in to the pressure
put on by lobbyists,
interest groups, & PACs

38. Congress Organizes
House of Representatives
Speaker of the House
–Maintains order in the House
–supposed to remain bipartisan in
decision-making process
–elected by peers - from the
majority party

39. Congress Organizes
House of Representatives
Majority Leader
– top ranking official of the party with the
most members
– assisted by the majority whip
Minority Leader
– top ranking official of the party with the
least members
– assisted by the minority whip

40. Senate
President of the Senate
–Vice President of the United States
–maintains order in the Senate
–supposed to remain bipartisan in
decision-making process

41. Senate
President Pro Tempore
–performs the duties of the
President of the Senate in his
absence
–elected by his peers - from the
majority party

42. Senate
Majority Leader
– top ranking official of the party with the
most members
– assisted by the majority whip
Minority Leader
– top ranking official of the party with the
least members
– assisted by the minority whip

43. House of
Representatives
Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi-D CA
(John Boehner-R OH
Jan 3, 2011)
Majority Leader
Steny Hoyer-D MD
Minority Leader
John Boehner-R OH
Senate
President of the
Senate
Joe Biden-D (VP)
President Pro
Tempore
Daniel Inouye-D HI
Majority Leader
Harry Reid-D NV
Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell-R KY

44. Committees in Congress
standing committees - permanent
committees
– each house has own committees
– chairmen chosen by party leaders
– majority party holds majority in committee

45. Committees in Congress
Joint committees
– composed of members of both houses

46. House Standing Committees
Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Finance, and
Urban Affairs
Budget
District of Columbia
Education and labor
Energy and Commerce
Foreign Affairs
Government Operations
House Administration
Interior and Insular
Affairs
Judiciary
Merchant marine and
Fisheries
Post Office and Civil
Service
Public Works and
Transportation Rules
Science, Space and
Technology
Small Business
Standards of Official
Conduct
Veterans’ Affairs
Ways and Means

47. Senate Standing Committees
Agriculture, Nutrition
and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science,
and Transportation
Energy and Natural
Resources
Environment and Public
Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Labor and Human
Resources
Rules and
Administration
Small Business
Veterans’ Affairs

48. Joint Committees of Congress
Economic Committee
The Library
Printing
Taxation

49. How A Bill Becomes a Law
After a bill is
introduced and
passed in one house
it must go to the other
for the same process.
Senate BillHouse Bill
1. Referred to a committee
2. Then to a subcommittee
3. Committee decides future
• recommend or decline
Floor Action
•Debate strict limitations
limited time to speak
must be about the bill
Vetoed bill
A bill may be presented
in either house
1. Referred to a committee
2. Then to a subcommittee
3. Committee decides future
• recommend or decline
Floor Action
•Debate no limitations
filibuster
“talk a bill to death”
Vetoed bill
PRESIDENTIAL ACTION
sign into law or veto