The Legislative Branch Makes Laws

The Legislative Branch Makes Laws

For the framers of the Constitution, the first step in building a trusted government was to create a fair way to make laws.   Article I of the Constitution gives the power to make laws to the legislative branch of government.

legislative branch: the lawmaking part of government, called the legislature. To legislate is to make a law.

The Structure of Congress

 The Constitution creates a bicameral, or two-part, national legislature called Congress. The two parts, or houses, of Congress are the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Multiple Choice

bicameral means....

• one house

• two houses

• three houses

Members of the Senate serve six-year terms so that they can enjoy some independence from the day-to-day opinions of voters.  In contrast, members of the House serve two-year terms.  As a result, they have to face the voters much more often.  In this way, the framers tried to balance the independence and thoughtfulness of the Senate with the House's responsiveness to the changing wishes of the voters.

Multiple Choice

House serves

• 2 years

• 6 years

Multiple Choice

Senate serves..

• 2 years

• 6 years

The framers also designed Congress to balance the rights of large and small states, so  while every state gets two senators, representation in the House is based on population.  States with more people have more representatives in the House.  To determine the number of representatives for each state, the Constitution calls for a census (a count of the population) to be conducted every ten years.  In time, the number of representatives in the House was set at 435, divided among the states based on their population.

Multiple Choice

How many representatives do we have?

• 777

• 435

• 2

Multiple Choice

house is based on...

• population

• each get 2

The framers considered the Senate to be the “upper house” of the legislature, meaning that its members are supposed to be wiser and more experienced than members of the “lower house.” For this reason, senators must be at least 30 years old and citizens for nine years, while House members only have to be 25 and citizens for seven years.

Originally, the Constitution allowed state legislatures to choose the two senators to represent their state. Today, however, senators are elected by popular vote (direct vote by the people).

Multiple Choice

senators have to be

• 25 years

• 30 years

Multiple Choice

House must be

• 25 years

• 30 years

How Congress Makes Laws

 The primary job of Congress is to make laws. Any member of the House or Senate has the power to submit a bill, or proposal for a new law, but only the House can propose new taxes. If a majority in one house votes in favor of the bill, it is sent to the other house for debate. If both houses approve the bill, it goes to the president, who may then choose to sign or veto the law.

Multiple Choice

If a bill passes both houses ...

• it goes to the President

• its now a Law!

Although  the president can veto any proposed law,  Congress can override the president's veto, which means passing the bill over the president's objections.   However, overriding this presidential power requires a two-thirds majority in both houses.

Multiple Choice

overriding this presidential power requires a two-thirds majority in both houses.

• true

• false

The Powers of Congress

 Article I elaborates on the other powers of Congress. For example, only Congress can decide how to spend the money raised through taxes. Other congressional powers include the power to raise an army and navy, to declare war, to pay government debts, and to grant citizenship.

Multiple Choice

congressional powers include the all but WHAT

• power to raise an army and navy

• to declare war

• grant citizenship

• give away jobs

In addition, Congress may “make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper” to carry out its other powers.  This power, known as the Elastic Clause, gives Congress the flexibility needed to do its job.  Over the years, the Elastic Clause has been stretched to allow Congress to do many things that were never listed among its powers in the Constitution.

Multiple Choice

Over the years, the Elastic Clause has been stretched to allow Congress to do many things that were never listed among its powers in the Constitution.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Elastic cause can be compared to a ...

• ruber band

• piece of string