Lesson 4: US Legislative Branch PDF

Lesson 4  What Is The Legislative Branch? Article I ___________________________ of the US Constitution established bicameral a___________________________ legislature, a body of Congress two made up of__________ chambers, each with different requirements, responsibilities,...

Lesson 4  What Is The Legislative Branch? Article I ___________________________ of the US Constitution established bicameral a___________________________ legislature, a body of Congress two made up of__________ chambers, each with different requirements, responsibilities, and constituencies (see pgs. 374-376).  What is The Senate? The US Senate (see pg. 376). 100 _____________members 30 Minimum age __________ 6 _____________year terms / no term limits 1/3 ____________of the Senate is up for 2 reelection every _________years Representation is equal (2 per state) Ted Cruz ______________________ - TX John Cornyn ______________________ - TX What is Leadership in The Senate? 118th US Senate (see pgs. 396-397). 47 How many democrats in the US Senate? _________ 49 How many republicans in the US Senate? _________ 4 How many independents in the US Senate? ________ Vice President The _____________________________________ votes in case of a tie and presides over the Senate. In the VP’s absence a President Pro Tempore will preside. At the beginning of each Congressional Session (every 2 years) party leaders are elected by a majority vote of all the senators of their party assembled in a conference or, as it sometimes is called, a caucus. The head of the majority party in the Senate is the Senate majority leader. Chuck Schumer Current Senate Majority Leader: ___________________ What is The House of Representatives? The House of Representatives (see pg. 376). 435 ____________________members 2 ___________year terms / no term limits 2 All members are up for reelection every _______ years 25 Minimum age ________ Representation is based on population. TX has 38 (out of 435) US House Reps. Organized geographically with equal population in each district.  What is Leadership in the House of Reps.? 118th US House of Representatives (see pgs. 396- 397). How many democrats in the House? _________ 211 How many republicans in the House? 220 _________ 4 How many vacancies? ____________ At the beginning of each Congressional Session (every 2 years) The House votes on the position of Speaker of the House The head of the majority party is the ____________________________________ Speaker of the House 3rd who is also _______in line to succession of the presidency. Mike Johnson Current Speaker of the House: ______________  How Are Congressional Districts Created? Dividing up the 435 (see pg. 377). In1929 the Permanent Apportionment Act became law which permanently set the maximum number of representatives at 435. Reapportionment _____________________ the process of reallocating all 435 seats in the House of Representatives based on population. Texas gained the most seats (2) following the 2020 Census making the new total of US House Representatives to 38.  How Are Congressional Districts Created? Dividing up 38 (see pgs. 376-378). Redistricting ______________________________- is the process of dividing states into districts. The process of redistricting is left up to the states (usually up to the state legislature). They determine the boundaries of districts. Each district must have approximately the same number of people ________________________ in each district. In TX, 25 out of the 38 districts have a John Carter, R-TX-31 republican representative. How Are Congressional Districts Created? Are congressional districts drawn fairly? Gerrymandering _____________________ occurs when districts are drawn with political intent. The way in which a district is drawn can heavily influence election outcomes. What Are Congressional Committees? Congressional Committees (see pgs. 397-401). Committees __________________________________ – small groups oriented around policy or procedural issues where the real work of Congress gets done! Committees are in the House and the Senate. Committee assignments are determined by the majority party leadership _____________________________________ Party members who do not have a good relationship with their party leadership may not get the committee assignments they desire.  What Are Various Types Of Committees? Standing Committees ______________________________________________ Permanent committees responsible for a particular policy area House Rules Committee ______________________________________________ The committee that determines how and when debate on a bill will take place Select (special) Committees ______________________________________________ Committees appointed to deal with an issue or problem not suited to standing committees Joint Committees ______________________________________________ Committees made up of members from the house and senate Conference Committee ______________________________________________ Committee formed to reconciled difference in the house and senate versions of a bill  What Are Roles of Congress? Congressional oversight _____________________________________- refers to the efforts of Congress, through committees, to monitor agency rule- making, enforcement, and implementation of congressional policies (see pg. 380). Examples: There was an investigation held on the death of a US ambassador in Benghazi, Libya in 2012 while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. In 2024 House Committees are trying to investigate Hunter and Joe Biden for illegal business dealings. In 2021 Congressional Committees investigated the events of Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. In 2018 Mark Zuckerberg testified before committees regarding social media and privacy concerns.  What Are Roles of Congress? Impeachment __________________________ is a formal charge by the House on the president (or other members of the executive branch) for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes, misdemeanors” which may result in removal from office. House The _________________votes to impeach Senate The _________________votes to convict Andrew Johnson 1868, Bill Clinton 1998, Donald Trump 2019; *Nixon resigned before impeachment 1974  What Are Roles of Congress? The United States Constitution provides that the president "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice _____________________ and Consent __________________________ of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for." (Article II, section 2). What Are Roles of Congress? Senate The Constitution gives the ____________ the power to approve, by a two-thirds __________________________________ vote, treaties made by the executive branch. The Senate has rejected relatively few of the hundreds of treaties it has considered, although many have died in committee or been withdrawn by the president. How Does A Bill Becomes Law? (see pgs. 401-404).