The Legislative Branch: Congress
The legislative branch of government, established by Article I of the Constitution, is made up of Congress and several government agencies that provide assistance and support services for the Congress. Congress meets at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Its primary duty is to write, debate, and pass bills, which are then passed on to the President for approval.
The U.S. Congress is made up of two parts; the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the House, representation is based on the number of people living in each state. Currently, there are a total of 435 representatives in the House. Each member represents an area of the state, known as a congressional district. Congressional districts are required to contain a base population of 700,000 people. Each representative serves a term of 2 years. When their term is over, people from that state may choose to elect a new representative or keep the same one. There is no limit on the number of terms a representative can serve.
In the Senate, each state gets 2 senators who represent the entire state. Currently, there are a total of 100 senators in the Senate. Each senator serves a term of 6 years, which are elected on a rotating basis. When their term is over, people from that state may choose to elect a new senator or keep the same one. There is no limit on the number of terms a senator can serve.
Main Powers of Congress:
The powers of Congress are found in Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution. The following is a brief summary:
The U.S. Congress is made up of two parts; the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the House, representation is based on the number of people living in each state. Currently, there are a total of 435 representatives in the House. Each member represents an area of the state, known as a congressional district. Congressional districts are required to contain a base population of 700,000 people. Each representative serves a term of 2 years. When their term is over, people from that state may choose to elect a new representative or keep the same one. There is no limit on the number of terms a representative can serve.
In the Senate, each state gets 2 senators who represent the entire state. Currently, there are a total of 100 senators in the Senate. Each senator serves a term of 6 years, which are elected on a rotating basis. When their term is over, people from that state may choose to elect a new senator or keep the same one. There is no limit on the number of terms a senator can serve.
Main Powers of Congress:
The powers of Congress are found in Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution. The following is a brief summary:
- Levy and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises.
- Borrow money.
- Regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states, and with Indian tribes.
- Establish rules for naturalization (that is, becoming a citizen) and bankruptcy.
- Coin money, set its value, and punish counterfeiting.
- Fix the standard of weights and measures.
- Establish a post office and post roads.
- Issue patents and copyrights to inventors and authors.
- Create courts inferior to the Supreme Court.
- Define and punish piracies, felonies on the high seas, and crimes against the law of nations.
- Declare war.
- Raise and support an army and navy and make rules for their governance.
- Provide for a militia (reserving to the states the right to appoint militia officers and to train the militia under congressional rule).
- Exercise exclusive legislative powers over the seat of government (that is, the District of Columbia) and over places purchased to be federal facilities (forts, arsenals, dockyards, and "other needful buildings.")
- To "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for the carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States."
The House of Representatives:Members & Rules of the House
Representatives must:
Powers reserved for the House:
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The Senate:Members & Rules of the Senate:
Senators must:
Powers reserved for the Senate:
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Other Sources of Information:
- CongressLink: Historical information about Congress, explanations of basic congressional procedures, and selections written by scholars and subject matter experts. Online from CongressLink.
- Presentations and Activities from the Library of Congress: A teaching unit on the Constitution, Congress, and current events using documents from THOMAS and the Documents of the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, an American Memory collection at the National Digital Library of the Library of Congress. Online from the Learning Page of the Library of Congress.
- Glossary of Senate Terms Defines terms used in the Senate and the legislative process. Online from the U.S. Senate Web Site.
- A Map of Capitol Hill Online from the U.S. House of Representatives.
- 112th Congressional Pictorial Directory, 111th, 110th, 109th, 108th Congressional Pictorial Directory The 104th, 105th, 106th and 107th Congressional Pictorial Directories are also available. Online from the Government Printing Office.
- Temple of Liberty: Building the Capitol for a New Nation: Online from the Library of Congress.
- The United States Capitol Home Page: Online from the Architect of the Capitol.
- A Virtual Tour of the United States Capitol: Online from the U.S. Senate.
"Government 101: Congress." Project Vote Smart - American Government, Elections, Candidates and Voting. Project Vote Smart, n.d. Web. 16 June 2015. <https://votesmart.org/education/congress#.VYA0OTBViko>.