US Government Structure and Process

• The US government has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
• The legislative branch is comprised of the United States Congress, a bicameral legislature responsible for writing and passing all federal laws.
• The Founding Fathers debated between equal representation and proportional representation, ultimately settling on both, with a legislative branch consisting of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• The House of Representatives has 435 elected officials, with each state allotted a number of congressmen determined by their total population.
• To become a member of the House, one must be at least 25, have lived in the US for seven years, live in the state they will represent, and be elected by the people.
• Congressmen serve two-year terms and are up for re-election every even year.
• The House is led by the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the House of Representatives.
• The House has exclusive powers, including initiating tax laws and spending bills, initiating impeachment of a president or other government officials, and casting the deciding vote in the event of no majority in the Electoral College.
• The Senate, or Upper House, is made up of 100 elected members, with two senators from each state, regardless of population size.
• To run for Senate, one must be at least 30 years old, have lived in the US for nine years, and live in the state they will represent.
• Senators serve six-year terms, with every even year, a third of the Senate is up for re-election.
• The Vice President of the United States serves as the head of the Senate, but may only cast a vote in the event of a tie.
• The Senate exclusively has the power to approve presidential appointments and treaties, and tries government officials impeached by the House.
• Both houses have the power to tax, coin money, declare war, and regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
• The process of getting a bill passed involves originating in either the House or Senate, going through committees and amendments, and floor debates before a vote.
• If a bill passes, it goes to the president's desk for approval, and if vetoed, Congress can override with a 2/3 majority vote in both houses.

Learn about the legislative branch of the US government, including the roles and responsibilities of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as the process of passing laws. Understand the powers and requirements for each house and the process of getting a bill signed into law.