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Congress

“Though the President is Commander in Chief, Congress is his Commander… this is not a Government of kings…, but a Government of the people, and… Congress is the people.” U.S. Representative Thaddeus Stevens 1867. Congress. The National Legislature. Constitutional Principles.

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Congress

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  1. “Though the President is Commander in Chief, Congress is his Commander… this is not a Government of kings…, but a Government of the people, and… Congress is the people.” • U.S. Representative Thaddeus Stevens • 1867

  2. Congress The National Legislature

  3. Constitutional Principles • Separation of Powers • Checks and Balances • Limited Government

  4. Separation of Powers • Make laws • Separating the power to make laws from the power to enforce and the power to review them prevents the misuse of governmental authority

  5. Checks and Balances • Number of powers with which it can check the actions of the executive and judicial branches

  6. Limited Government • Congress can exercise only those powers given to it by the Constitution • Cannot violate and provision of the Constitution

  7. Bicameral Congress • Two chambers • “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives” • U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 1, Clause 1

  8. The Purpose of Bicameral Congress • Historical • Practical • Theoretical

  9. Historical Purpose • British Parliament • State legislatures

  10. Practical Purpose • The Virginia Plan • “Large-state” plan • Population-weighted representation • The New Jersey Plan • “Small-state plan” • Equal state representation • Federalism • Senate=equal representation • House=proportional population representation

  11. Theoretical Purpose • One house act as a check on the other • “In a republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature into different branches” • The Federalist No. 51 • Diffuse the power of Congress

  12. Terms and Sessions • Term=2 years • January 3 • Session: • Period during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business • Two sessions per year • Adjourn • Sine die (finally ending a session) with permission of other House • Presidential power • Prorogue • Special sessions

  13. Assignment • 10.2, #1-5 • 10.3, #1-5

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