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Legislative Branch

Legislative Branch. What does the Legislative Branch do?. Create Laws & Amendments through debate, compromise & votes. Examples: Laws to fight terrorism, like the Patriot Act Laws to “improve” education, like No Child Left Behind”

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Legislative Branch

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  1. Legislative Branch

  2. What does the Legislative Branch do? • Create Laws & Amendments through debate, compromise & votes. Examples: Laws to fight terrorism, like the Patriot Act Laws to “improve” education, like No Child Left Behind” Laws to raise or lower certain Federal Taxes, like the income tax.

  3. What else? • Checking the powers of the other branches For Example: overriding presidential vetoes, approving Supreme Court Nominees, & Impeachment.

  4. And….. • Elective duties- tie in the electoral college • Investigations – Congress can monitor executive branch actions. Ex: Congressional Hearings on Steroid use in MLB, Investigations on the Federal response to Katrina, intelligence failures prior to 9/11, Watergate, Bill & Monica, etc.

  5. Where are the powers written? Outlined in Article I of the Constitution. Includes: length of terms, leadership, qualifications, & Congressional powers.

  6. Article I specifies that the congress shall be a bicameral legislature. Comprised of two houses 1. The House of Representatives 2. The Senate

  7. Why a bicameral Legislature? • Historical - idea borrowed from the English Parliament. • Most states had a bicameral legislature. • The Great Compromise - during the drafting of the Constitution. (Small Population States got equal representation in the Senate: 2 per state / Large States got representation based on population.)

  8. How do the two houses compare? Senate House of Representatives 435 Representatives (Population) 2 years 25 7 years • 100 Senators (Equal) • 6 years • 30 • 9 years Size Term Length Age Requirement Residency Requirement

  9. Congress is in session 2 per term 1 year each – includes breaks for holidays & vacations Ends when members vote to adjourn “Special” sessions as needed Terms Session • Begins January 3rd • Odd numbered year -every 2 years • Example 111th Congress Began January 3, 2009 Ends January 3, 2011

  10. How do they determine how many Reps a state gets? Use the census to determine if reapportionment is needed – leads to redistricting Gerrymandering Packing Draw lines to include as many of the opposing party’s voters, leaving the other districts for their own party • Party in power draws boundaries to benefit them • Often odd looking Cracking • Draw lines that divide opponent’s voters into many separate districts to weaken voter base

  11. What does gerrymandering look like? http://www.redistrictinggame.org/launchgame.php?level=basic&mission=1

  12. Senate Saxby Chambliss & Johnny Isakson Who represents you? House • Tom Price

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