The United States Congress The United States Constitution Article One

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The United States CongressThe United States
Constitution Article One
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The Two House Congress

• The Congress is bicameral. It is divided into two
  houses
• The House of Representatives
• Representation based on population
• The United States Senate
• Representation based on equal votes per state (2)
• Each house must vote separately on all bills

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Which Party Currently Holds the Majority of Seats
in Both Houses of Congress?
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Why must all Tax/Revenue Bill originate in the
House of Representatives?

• Tax/Revenue bills originate in the H.O.R. because
  the framers designed the House to be the part of
  the Federal Government that is most responsive
  (closest) to the people. (Taxation WITH
  Representation)
• Representatives in the House are closest to the
  people because they have the smallest
  constituency, and face the voters most often.
  (every 2 years)

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• THE POWER TO TAX
• Raise the money needed to run the government and
  fund the treasury.

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• To Borrow Money
• Additional money may be needed to fund money (if
  tax receipts are not enough)

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• Regulate Commerce
• Responsible to make sure businesses are
  responsibly run, and trade is regulated.

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• To Coin Money
• Only the federal government prints the currency
  (replacing the system under the Articles of
  Confederation)

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• Declare War, Raise Support the Armed Forces
• Only the Congress can Declare War, however, the
  President is the Commander in Chief of the Armed
  Forces

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• Establish Naturalization Procedures
• Regulate immigration and set procedures for
  people to become American citizens

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The Powers of Congress(Enumerated/Delegated
Powers)

• Establish a Post Office
• Help the nation communicate

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The E L A S T I C Clause

• The Elastic Clause/Implied Powers
• Congress may make all laws that are necessary and
  proper for carrying out its other powers.
• The Elastic Clause allows the Congress to change
  with the times and regulate industries which were
  unforeseen when the Constitution was first
  written (airline, TV, Communications, Auto ECT)

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Limits of Congressional Power

• Congress CAN NOT
• Tax EXPORTS
• Grant titles of nobility
• Favor the ports of one state over those of
  another state
• Suspend the writ of habeas corpus except in an
  emergency

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COMING SOON!
How does a BILL become a LAW?
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Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see
them being made.
Otto von Bismark
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Rep Introduces a bill, The Speaker refers the
bill to committee
Rules Committee places bill on calendar for
entire House of Reps
Committee studies bill, hold hearings, Makes
changes, Sends bill to rules committee
If the Senate passes a different bill, the bill
goes to a conference committee
House debates bill, may make changes, vote on bill
Bill is introduced to Senate, debated voted on.
If bill passes both houses, it goes to the
President for his signature
HS members resolve differences, and send bill
back to their respective chambers
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Influence of Pressure Groups

• Special Interest Groups, PACs (Political Action
  Committees), Lobbyists try to influence the
  law-making process.
• Businesses, Unions, farmers, Senior Citizens, and
  others all use their influence, and campaign
  contributions to influence the political system.
• Lobbying for a bill is a feature of the unwritten
  Constitution.

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Why is the Law Making Process so Complicated?

• The law making process can involve thousands of
  people!
• The Framers created this process to allow for
  citizen input into the legal process, remember,
  they feared abuses of power by the government
  wanted to prevent tyranny by high government
  officials
• Out of hundreds of bills that are introduced in
  Congress, only a few actually become laws.