The Legislative Branch: Structure, Powers, and Processes

Four years

Six years

Two years

One year

Geographic size

Population, with each state guaranteed at least one representative

State wealth

Number of counties

One

Two

Three

Four

Authority to command the military

Control over government spending and budgeting

Ability to declare laws unconstitutional

Power to ratify constitutional amendments

Only the House of Representatives

Only the Senate

Either chamber alone

Both the House and the Senate

With a public referendum

With a Supreme Court ruling

With a member of Congress introducing a bill

With a presidential executive order

The Supreme Court

Congress

State Governors

The Electoral College

The Senate

The Supreme Court

The House of Representatives

State legislatures

To declare it unconstitutional

To veto it or sign it into law

To send it back to committee without explanation

To amend it directly

A single chamber of elected representatives

Two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate

Appointed councils from each state

A tribunal of judges and governors