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