US Legislative Branch Study Guide PDF

**Definitions** - **Bicameral**: A legislative body with two chambers, such as the U.S. Congress with the Senate and House of Representatives. - **Term of Congress**: A two-year period during which Congress meets, starting on January 3 of odd-numbered years. - **Session of Congress*...

**Definitions** - **Bicameral**: A legislative body with two chambers, such as the U.S. Congress with the Senate and House of Representatives. - **Term of Congress**: A two-year period during which Congress meets, starting on January 3 of odd-numbered years. - **Session of Congress**: The annual period Congress assembles to conduct business, with two sessions per term. - **Adjourns**: When Congress officially ends a session temporarily or permanently. - **Committee of the Whole**: A procedure where the entire House of Representatives acts as a committee to expedite debate and amendments. - **Quorum**: The minimum number of members (majority) needed for Congress to conduct official business. - **Missouri General Assembly**: Missouri's state legislature composed of the House of Representatives and Senate, meeting in Jefferson City. - **Incumbent**: A person currently holding an office or position. - **Suffrage**: The right to vote in political elections. - **Oversight function**: The process by which Congress monitors and reviews executive branch activities. - **Eminent Domain**: The government's power to take private property for public use with compensation. **U.S. House of Representatives** - **Representation is based on**: Population of each state, determined by the Census. - **Congressional elections are held on**: The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years. - **Apportionment/Reapportionment**: The process of redistributing seats in the House based on population changes after the Census. - **Census**: A population count conducted every 10 years to determine representation. - **Reapportionment Act of 1929**: A law capping the House at 435 members and establishing rules for reapportionment. - **Congressional districts**: Geographic areas within a state represented by one House member. - **Gerrymandering**: Manipulating district boundaries to favor one party or group. - **Off-year elections**: Congressional elections held in non-presidential election years. - **Where must revenue bills originate?**: The House of Representatives. - **How many representatives is each state guaranteed?**: At least one. - **Term of office**: Two years. **Formal Qualifications of the House of Representatives** 1. Must be at least 25 years old. 2. Must have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years. 3. Must live in the state they represent. **Missouri U.S. Representatives (St. Louis area)** - **1st District**: Cori Bush (Democrat). - **2nd District**: Ann Wagner (Republican). - **3rd District**: Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican). - **8th District**: Jason Smith (Republican). **Define Leadership Roles** - **Speaker of the House**: Presides over the House, assigns bills to committees, and leads majority party. - **Name**: Mike Johnson. - **Majority floor leader**: Leads the majority party and manages legislative business. - **Name**: Steve Scalise. - **Minority floor leader**: Leads the minority party and acts as opposition spokesperson. - **Name**: Hakeem Jeffries. **Missouri House of Representatives** - **\# of members**: 163. - **Term of office**: Two years. - **Term limit**: Four terms (8 years). - **Qualifications**: 1. Must be at least 24 years old. 2. Must be a qualified voter for 2 years. 3. Must reside in their district for 1 year. **U.S. Senate** - **\# per state**: Two. - **Length of office**: Six years. - **Continuous body**: A term that describes staggered elections, with one-third of senators up for election every two years. - **Constituency**: The residents of a senator's state. **Qualifications**: 1. Must be at least 30 years old. 2. Must have been a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years. 3. Must live in the state they represent. - **17th Amendment**: Established direct election of U.S. senators by the people. - **Filibuster**: A tactic used to delay or block legislation in the Senate through prolonged debate. - **Cloture**: A Senate motion requiring 60 votes to end a filibuster. - **President of the Senate**: The Vice President of the United States. - **Name**: Kamala Harris. - **When does he/she get to vote?**: Only to break a tie. - **President Pro Tempore**: Presides over the Senate in the Vice President's absence. - **Name**: Patty Murray. - **What does he/she do?**: Presides over Senate sessions and performs ceremonial duties. - **Majority floor leader**: Directs the majority party\'s legislative agenda. - **Name**: Chuck Schumer. - **Minority floor leader**: Directs the minority party\'s legislative strategy. - **Name**: Mitch McConnell. - **MO Senators and their parties**: - Eric Schmitt (Republican). - Josh Hawley (Republican). **Missouri Senate** - **\# of members**: 34. - **Term of office**: Four years. - **Term limit**: Two terms (8 years). - **Qualifications**: 1. Must be at least 30 years old. 2. Must be a qualified voter for 3 years. 3. Must live in their district for 1 year. **Voting Types** - **Trustees**: Vote based on personal judgment. - **Delegates**: Vote based on constituents' wishes. - **Partisans**: Vote based on party lines. - **Politicos**: Balance all voting influences. **Powers and Limitations** - **Expressed powers**: Powers explicitly granted to Congress in the Constitution. - **Implied powers**: Powers not explicitly stated but inferred from the Constitution. - **Strict constructionists**: Favor a narrow interpretation of the Constitution's text. - **Liberal constructionists**: Favor a broad interpretation of the Constitution. - **Validated by**: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). **Article I Section 8 (Clauses 1-17)**: Enumerated powers of Congress (e.g., taxing, borrowing, regulating commerce, declaring war). - **Necessary and Proper Clause**: Grants Congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper to execute its enumerated powers. **Powers denied to Congress**: - **Writ of Habeas Corpus**: Cannot be suspended except in emergencies. - **Bills of Attainder**: Cannot pass laws punishing people without trial. - **Ex post facto laws**: Cannot pass laws retroactively criminalizing actions. **Powers denied to States**: - Cannot coin money, make treaties, or declare war. **Impeachment** - **Which house has the sole power to impeach?**: The House of Representatives. - **Which house hears the impeachment and acts as the jury?**: The Senate. - **Who is the presiding officer in presidential impeachments?**: The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. - **Who has been impeached and why?**: Andrew Johnson (violated Tenure of Office Act), Bill Clinton (perjury and obstruction), Donald Trump (abuse of power and obstruction, incitement of insurrection). **Missouri's Impeachment Process**: The House impeaches, and the Missouri Supreme Court tries the case. **Senate Confirmation** - **Appointments**: Confirms presidential nominations. - **Treaties**: Requires a two-thirds Senate vote. **Lawmaking** - **Process of a bill becoming a law**: Introduced, committee review, floor debate, vote in both chambers, presidential action. - **Standing committees---possible actions**: Approve, amend, reject, rewrite, or hold bills. - **Conference committees**: Resolve differences between House and Senate bill versions. - **Seniority rule**: Gives key committee positions to longest-serving members. - **How must a bill pass in both houses?**: By majority vote in identical form. - **Possible presidential actions**: Sign, veto, allow to become law without signing, pocket veto. - **Can Congress override a veto?**: Yes, with a two-thirds majority in both houses. **Additional Terms** - **Bill**: A proposed law. - **Rider**: An unrelated amendment added to a bill. - **Floor consideration**: Debate and voting on a bill by the full chamber. - **Joint and Concurrent Resolutions**: Legislative measures addressing specific purposes or issues. - **Quorum**: The minimum number of members needed for business. - **Missouri Constitution---Initiative**: A process allowing citizens to propose legislation./ - **Referendum**: A public vote to approve or reject laws.