Lawmaking
Where do the ideas for a law come from?
Citizen letters and email
Challenges facing the nation
Interest Groups
Research on Issues
What type of laws is the Senate responsible for working with?
Foreign affairs
What type of laws is the House of Reps responsible for working with
Bills dealing with money-
tax bills
Which chamber of Congress represents an entire state?
Describe the different “special duties” that separate Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Senate approves presidential appointments, like ambassadors, judges, and cabinet members.
All bills that deal with raising money (like taxes) must start in the House.
Once a lawmaker gets an idea for a bill, she will write up a proposal and work to get support from others in the Senate.
This is called:
The Proposal
Who is in charge of the Senate?
(Who is currently in charge of the Senate)
The Vice President of the United States
(Mike Pence)
Who is in charge of the House of Representatives?
(Who is currently in this position?)
Speaker of the House
(Previously Paul Ryan, current elections favor Nancey Pelosi)
Congress meets in Washington D.C. to make what kind of laws?
Federal
What does an enumerated power mean? Provide one example of an enumerated power.
Create rules on how to become a citizen Collect taxes, pay debts, and borrow money
Regulate commerce (trade) between the states and with other countries
Coin money and punish counterfeiters
Punish pirates (!)
Establish post offices
Protect patents and copyrights
Create lower federal courts
Declare war, raise and support an Army and Navy
Make any other laws that are “necessary and proper” to carry out the powers in this list
All of the Senators get a chance to read the bill and debate whether it should be supported or opposed. The bill is read again and changes are suggested.
What is another name for changes made to a bill?
Amendments
How many members are in the Senate?
How many senators per state?
50
2
How many members are in the house of representatives?
What is the basis for determining how many representatives a state has?
435
population of the state
All of the instructions for Congress can be found in:
How does Congress, or the legislative branch, check the powers of the executive and judicial branches?
They can overturn a president's veto
They must approve the president's approval for supreme court justices
Can vote to place the president on trial for impeachment
What must happen in order for a bill to make it to the President's desk?
BOTH chambers of Congress must have a majority vote on the bill.
Senators must be _____ years old to serve in Senate.
30
Representatives must be _____ years old to serve in the House.
25
The words legislate, legislator, legislative, and legislation are all common in their meaning. What do they all essentially mean?
To make/write laws
What are the 7 steps that a bill must take before it becomes a law?
Step One: The Proposal
Step Two: The Introduction
Step Three: The Report
Step Four: The Floor Debate
Step Five: The Vote
Step Six: The Delivery
Step Seven: The Vote (Part 2)
Describe what happens when a bill is vetoed by the president
It is sent back to Congress where it must recieve 2/3s support in order for the veto to be overturned.
If the House and Senate version of a bill do not agree, it is sent to the ___________ and __________ has the final say on whether a bill becomes a law.
Compromise Committee; Congress
What is the lowest percentage of support that a bill can receive and still pass the House or Senate?
51%
Define bicameral. Describe what makes Congress a bicameral system?
Two-party system.
Congress has two chambers: The Senate and the House
What special step occurs after step 7- The Vote (Part 2)
Congress can override a veto if there are enough votes (2/3 of Congress) to do so. The president can also ignore the bill. If a bill is ignored while Congress is in session, it automatically becomes a law after ten days. If Congress is not in session, it doesn't.