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Congress is made up of:
•House•Senate
Which branch of government is established by Article 1
• Legislative Branch• What is the main function of the legislative
branch?• To make laws• Where does Congress meet?• Washington D.C.• Name given to a two house legislature• Bicameral
House of Representatives
• How many members?• 435• Minimum age• 25• Which party controls?• Democrats• How many up for reelection every two years?• All-435
How many reps in Washington?
• 9• What district do you live in?• District 1• Who is your representative?• Jay Inslee—Democrat• Name the top five leadership positions?
What are crucial factors in the selection?
• Seniority and majority party• Members are elected for how many years?• 2• A census must be taken every ______ years• 10• Define apportionment• Divide into shares or dividing seats in a
legislative body
Reapportion
• To redistribute legislative seats after a census• Redistricting means:• Redrawing legislative boundaries or districts
after a census• Gerrymandering means:• To draw unreasonable or oddly shaped
districts to benefit one political party over another
Gerrymander
Washington’s Congressional Districts
How many did constituents did the representatives have originally?
• 30,000• How many do they have today?• About 650,000• According to paragraph 5, what is the power
given to the House?• Sole power of impeachment• What does impeach mean?• To bring formal charges against an elected official
Has this power ever been used against a president?
• Yes, twice• Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton
Senate
• Each state has how many senators?• 2• How many members in the senate today?• 100• Minimum age• 30• Which party controls the senate today?• Democrats
Who are Washington state’s senators?
• Patty Murray -democrat• Maria Cantwell-democrat• Senators are elected for how many years?• 6• Minimum age is:• 30• Who is the president of the senate?• Vice president of the US—Joseph Biden
What official presides when he is gone?
• President Pro Tempore• Currently Daniel Inouye• When does the Vice President vote?• When there is a tie• Define filibuster• Talking a bill to death; holding the floor at
length in an attempt to avoid or postpone a vote
Define cloture:
• Parliamentary tactic used to stop a filibuster• Requires signatures of 3/5 of senators• Who are the top five leadership positions in
the Senate?• http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/
a_three_sections_with_teasers/leadership.htm
The House is given sole power of impeachment.
• What related power is given to the Senate?• The power to try the impeached official• They are the “jury”• What two penalties are imposed?• Removal from office• Never holding another public office• Originally, senators were elected by:• State legislatures
How was this changed?
• By the 17th amendment allowing for direct election of senators
• How often does Congress meet?• Once a year• 20th amendment says opening day is:• January 3rd
• Who determines the rules?• Each house decides its own
Congressional Immunity
• You can’t be arrested for a misdemeanor while Congress is in session
• You can’t be sued for slander for speeches made on the floor
• Current compensation:
What is a bill?
• A proposed piece of legislation• Define law:• A bill that has passed through both houses of
congress, and signed by the President• All revenue bills must originate in which
house?• House of representatives
Define Quorum
• The number of people required to transact business
• 218 in the house• 51 in the Senate• What fraction is required to override a
presidential veto?• 2/3• Name of official record is:• Congressional record or Journal
Powers of Congress
• There are 17 powers granted to Congress by the Constitution
• Collect taxes• Borrow money• Establish rules of naturalization• Regulate commerce (trade) with foreign
nations• Coin money
Powers con’t
• Punishment for counterfeit• Establish post office• Issue patents and copyrights• Raise and support an army• Define and punish piracy• Declare war• A few others….
Elastic clause
• Article 1, section 8, paragraph 18• Also called the necessary and proper clause• Gives congress “implied powers”• Ability to make any law that is “necessary and
proper”• Very important part of the Constitution!!!
Loose construction
• Utilizing the elastic clause to it’s fullest• Stretching the interpretation to fit changing
times• Strict Construction• Literal interpretation of the document• Ver Batim –word for word• Example—2nd amendment
SECTION 9Powers Denied to Congress
• Cannot deny a writ of Habeus corpus• This is the right to know why you are being
detained• Cannot pass ex-post facto laws• Punishment for something that was legal
when you did it!• No bills of attainder—punishment withjout a
legal trial!
Powers denied to the States
• No state may enter into a treaty
Review!
• “Rule of man, not of law” or rule by one• Autocracy• “Rule of law, not of man” or rule by the people• Democracy• Rule by a few or a small group• Oligarchy• Rule by inheritance• Monarchy
Review con’t
• A republic means to have elected officials• What are two ways you can “limil” a republic?• Who can vote• Who can run for office• Define popular sovereignty• “power to the people”
Review con’t• Define delegated powers• Powers give to the federal government• What is an example of a delegated power?• Coin money, declare war, post office, punish
counterfeiters etc.• Define reserved powers• Powers “reserved” or saved for the states• What is an example?• Set age limits, licenses, public education
Review con’t
• Define concurrent power• Powers all levels can share• What is an example of a concurrent power?• Taxation, making laws• Describe /define a federal system of
government• State and central share power with the federal
(central) being supreme
Review con’t
• Define/describe a confederate system of government
• State and central share power with the state being supreme
• What type of system do we use today?• Federal!• What were some of the problems unfer the
Articles of Confederation that caused this change?
Review con’t
• No chief executive• No standing military• No common currency• No court to settle disputes between states• 9/13 had to agree to any changes• No central mail service• No control of interstate trade
Review con’t
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