LEGISLATIVE BRANCH PROJECTBy Jaden Zurn

What does the Legislative branch do for our country?

The Legislative branch was made to create laws for the nation, especially since the Constitution couldn’t cover every topic, because they had no idea what the world would be like in 300 years.

Where do the members of the branch meet

The legislative branch along with all the other branches of government meet at The Capitol Building in Washington D.C!

Purpose

The legislative branch helps pass a law and checks these laws over to make sure that we don’t accidentally pass a law that would be bad for our country. If the legislative branch did not exist we would be passing laws that would do us no good or could deeply affect our countries future like using nuclear weapons or something of that sort.

People within the legislative Branch

535 in the US federal legislative branch. 435 are in the House of Representatives,

100 in the Senate.

How to become a Senator

1. Get a campaign committee to deal with public stuff.

2. Pay the filing fee, but in some states there are ways to not have pay the fee.

3. Visit the elections office and get 60 signatures stating that you should be a senator. Signatures must be from people in the same political party as you, though. Such as Democrat or Republican.

4. Official voting results are in the elections office, so you can find out if you are an official senator now!

Terms and qualifications to be a senator

Only people that live in the US, are 30 years old or more, and lived in the US 9 years or more can be qualified for election to be a senator. A term for a Senator is 6 years long and a third of the Senators are elected every 2 years. Also a term for a Senator begins on January 3rd

Our senators

There are 100 senators 2 from each state, our two are Herb Kohl and Russ Fiengold.

How to become a rep

1. Know your politics2. Join a political party3. Be a citizen of the United States seven

years or more.4. Be 21 years old or older.

A term for a rep is 2 years long.

Our Reps

Tammy Baldwin Steve KagenRon Kind

Gwen MooreDavid Obey

Thomas PetriPaul Ryan

James Sensenbrenner

Presiding Officer of Wisconsin

Michael Huebsch is our presiding officer of Wisconsin he is a republican that likes to fish.

To impeach is to accuse someone of something while in a important government job. Only the Senate has the power to impeach, they have a court case which determines whether or not the rep will be removed from office.  Once the House agrees, impeachment is figured out by the Senate. During the entire thing the Senate is the jury. Only the Senate can get rid of a rep. When the case ends the Senate votes to get rid of the rep. There has to be a 2/3 for the official to be kicked out.

Impeachment

How a bill becomes a law

First you start out with an idea, this then becomes a bill which must be approved by a committee in the House of representatives. Then it needs to have a quorum to be accepted, a quorum is 1 over half of the people or 218 members of the House. After this it goes to the Senate committee, soon after it goes to the Senate itself. Then both the House and the Senate hold a joint committee. If during any of this process it does not reach the correct amount of votes it dies. The rest of the process will be continued on the next page.

How a bill becomes a law continued.

If it passes the joint committee it goes to the president of the United States Barrack Obama, if he okay’s it then the bill becomes a law if not it is vetoed and the bill is sent back to the House where there is another quorum but, it includes the Senate this time, it requires a 2/3 vote, if it makes the 2/3 vote then the presidents veto is over ruled and it becomes law.

4 powers given to Congress

The Congress is in charge of collecting taxes, the money goes towards debts, the army, and for essential stuff, like schools and stores or paving roads, etc. Congress has the power to print money.

The Congress has the power “regulate” trade to foreign countries (like Poland!)

The Congress is responsible for defending our country. The congress also has the power to declare war on other countries.

Congress has the power to make important stuff like a post office. They also make laws for copyrights, so someone’s idea isn’t stolen if it’s their idea.

Limits on Congress

No Bill of Ex post facto law can be passed. Ex post facto laws are laws that punish someone for what they did before the law stated that it is illegal.

No laws could be passed outlawing slave trade till 1808.

A person can have a case in court no matter how bad the crime is.

You can’t be sent into prison without a chance to attend a court trial.

Minor Limits on Congress

Congress can’t tax from a state.It can’t give a preference to a states

seaport.No title of nobility like King, or Prince, can

given by the US.Government money can’t be spent except

for if a new law is being past.

Would I want to be a member of this branch

No I would not want to be a member of the Legislative branch, it holds to much responsibility. I just want to be a regular Joe with a regular job. Not making laws and attending court cases. I’m fine with being a normal American.

A law I would change

I would make it so that kids attending school would be able to eat, not only during lunch but in all classes, but certain types of food wouldn’t be allowed like chocolate cake. Also you can’t have a dinner buffet on your desk but moderately healthy food or better would be allowed.

How does the Legislative branch impact my life

Without it old laws would still be in effect, government wouldn’t be able to tax. Then with no money the government would crumble and the US would be a land filled with looters and thieves, the country would be in chaos. The United States would be a developing country with no valuable resources.

THANK YOU!