The Legislative Branch Introduction

The Legislative Branch Introduction

By Shane Zimmerman

​Three Reasons:

-Historical: British Parliament (House of commons and House of lords)

-Pratical: Settle disputes between​ large & Small states

-​Theoretical- System of Checks and Balances

​

Bicameral Legislature

-Most in article 1 section 8​

​-Powers that are defined in the Constitution

Expressed Powers​

Open Ended

Using the following web link list two more expressed powers of the Government? Why are each of those important?

https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-8/

​-Necessary and Proper/Elastic Clause

-Those not stated​ but created through Expressed Powers

-​Regulate Commerce-Set Minimum wage

​

Implied Powers

Open Ended

What did the following court case establish

https://www.oyez.org/cases/1789-1850/17us316

Powers that belong to all sovereign ​nations

-​Control borders

Inherent Powers​

Multiple Choice

(Activating Prior Knowledge)

What compromise created a bicameral legislature and the representation model on our government?

• The Virginia Compromise

• The New Jersey Compromise

• The Great Compromise

• The 3/5 Compromise

• 100 members

  • 2 per state

• 6 year term

The United States Senate

Multiple Choice

How many Senators are elected every 2 years?

• 1/3

• 2/3

• 3/4

• 1/2

• 30 years old

• Be a Citizen for 9 years​

• Live in the state you wish to run in at the time of the election​

Senate: Qualifications

• Tries impeach cases brought by the house

Powers of the Senate

Open Ended

What are reasons a president maybe impeached List 2 from the site below

https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S4-1-1/ALDE_00000282/

• Votes​ on bills and legislation sent from the House.

  • ​More often than not it amends such bills before passage, requiring it be sent back to the house, which either votes on it or further amends it.

Powers of the Senate

• ​The Vice President is officially "President" of the senate

  • Ceremonial

  • Only votes incase of tie​

  • Least and most important position

Senate Leadership

Open Ended

Why is the Vice Presidents role, in the senate, a paradox? provide an example

• True power of the Senate

• ​Elected by senate members of their party

• ​Most visible member of Senate

• ​Often meet and acts in concert with Speaker and president

​

Senate Leadership: Majority Leader

Multiple Choice

According to the website below, who is the Senate Majority Leader for the 117th session of Congress?

• Mitch McConnell

• Chuck Schumer

• Kamala Harris

• Nancy Pelosi

• True power of the Senate

• ​Elected by senate members of their party

• ​Most visible member of Senate

• ​Often meet and acts in concert with Speaker and president

​

Senate Leadership: Minority Leader

Multiple Choice

According to the website below, who is the Senate Minority Leader for the 117th session of Congress?

• Mitch McConnell

• Chuck Schumer

• Kamala Harris

• Nancy Pelosi

​Responsible for:

• Party Discipline

• Keeping members in line

• ​generally enforcing proper part behavior

​

Senate Leadership: Majority/Minority Whip

Multiple Choice

Who is the senate majority whip of the 117th congress?

https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/parties-leadership.htm

• John Thune

• Richard Durbin

• Kamala Harris

• Harry Reid

• Almost entirely ceremonial

• ​Usually granted to senior member of the Maj. Party

• ​Presides over senate when VP is unavailable

• ​Has same powers as any other Senator

​

Senate Leadership: President Pro tem

Multiple Choice

Who is the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for the 117th Congress?

https://www.senate.gov/senators/leadership.htm

• Nanci Pelosi

• Patrick Leahy

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

• Harry Reid

The House of Represen​tatives

1. 435 members elected every 2 years

The House of Represen​tatives: Qualifications

​2. 25 years of age, 7 years a citizen, live in the state you represent.

Open Ended

Why do you think the members of the House only serve 2 year terms?

Power of the House of representatives

1. Introduce legislation an​d if passed, move on to senate approval.

   ​

Power of the House of representatives

2. ​Originate revenue raising measures

​“All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills.”— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 7, clause 1

Power of the House of representatives

​ 3. Impeachment, the house has the sole power to bring articles of impeachh

Multiple Choice

(Activating prior knowledge)

Who has the power to try an impeached official

• The President

• The Senate

• The Vice President

• The Supreme Court

Leadership in the House of representatives

1. ​Speaker of the House

   1. ​presides over house

   2. 3rd in line of succession

   3. Assigns members to committees and bills to committees

Multiple Choice

Where, in the constitution do we find information about the office of Speaker of the house?

https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Speaker-of-the-House/

• Article 1, sec. 1, clause 1

• Article II, sec. 1, clause 4

• Article I, sec. 2, clause 5

• Article I, sec. 8, clause 1

Open Ended

How did Henry Clay change the Speaker of the House Position according to the following cite?

https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Speaker-of-the-House/

Leadership in the House of representatives

2. Floor Leaders

   1. Majority

   2. ​Minority

3. Party Whips