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Legislative Branch (Congress). Organization of Congress. Starter: Vocabulary Quiz. Bicameral Census Constituent Gerrymander Majority Party Minority Party Standing committee Seniority Express powers Implied powers Elastic clause Impeach Writ of habeas corpus Bill of attainder
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Legislative Branch (Congress) Organization of Congress
Starter: Vocabulary Quiz • Bicameral • Census • Constituent • Gerrymander • Majority Party • Minority Party • Standing committee • Seniority • Express powers • Implied powers • Elastic clause • Impeach • Writ of habeas corpus • Bill of attainder • Ex post facto law • Lobbyist • Veto • Pocket veto • Fillabuster
House of Representatives • Requirement: 25years old, U.S. citizen for 7 years, resident of state representing • Terms: 2years terms, focus on concerns in their district • Larger Body--Total size: 435, representation based on size of state • Make laws • Article I Section 2 Constitution • Republican or Democratic • Elected by the people • Sole Power of Impeachment
House of Representatives • Speaker of the House: Most powerful leader in House. He steers legislation, chooses who belongs to which committees, & other duties. He is always a member of the majority party (political party with the most members in Congress) • Majority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the majority party (party with the most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party. • Minority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the minority party (party with the 2nd most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party. • Party Whips: Helpsthe floor leader. The Democrats have a party whip and the Republicans have a party whip. The Party Whips help keep track of the members of Congress and how they vote on issues.
Senate • Requirements: 30years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, resident of state representing • Terms: 6 years terms, unlimited amount • Total size: 100, two per state • Article I Section 3 • Meets in secret sessions • Republican or Democratic
Senate • Vice President of the United States: the official leader of Senate. The presiding officer. Rarely attends debates over legislation. Votes in case of a tie only. • President Pro Tempore: acts as chairperson and monitors debates. Member of the majority party. Title means “for the time being”; in charge when vice president is absent. • Majority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the majority party (party with the most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party. • Minority Party Floor Leader: person in charge of the minority party (party with the 2nd most members in Congress). Tries to sway votes that support the political goals of that party. • Party Whips: Helpsthe floor leader. The Democrats have a party whip and the Republicans have a party whip. The Party Whips help keep track of the members of Congress and how they vote on issues.
Congressional Leaders • House and the Senate • Majority party- political party to which more than half the members belong • Minority party- fewer members • Speaker of the House-most powerful with the House of Representatives • President pro tempore-chairperson of the Senate
Congressional Committees • Committees study, revise, and debate bills that could become a law, a budget, resolution, or act. • Their job is to decide if this is good for America and is it possible. • Committee assignments are chosen by the leader of each house of Congress often based on seniority
Step 1 • Starts with an idea from a citizen, member of Congress, or the president. • idea sponsored by member of Congress, put into draft form, & introduced into Congress • Assigned a number (S.123) (HR 123)
Step 2 • Bill assigned to Committee. The committee studies, researches, and revises the bill. They can: Send the bill to next step Kill the bill (bill will not become a law) Pigeonhole the bill (set it aside for later)
Step 3 • Subcommittee studies bill, gets citizen input, then has the same options as Step 2 (send, kill, or pigeonhole)
Step 4 • Full committee: votes to sent to full House or Senate (which ever one it started in)
Step 5 • Bill read to full House or Senate • Debated • vote (voice, standing, or roll-call)-must have a 2/3 approval to go to next step
Step 6 • If passes, must go to other house • Bill must pass in the same form (no changes can be made) • If changes are made must call a Conference committee to work out compromises • If changes are approved by both House and Senate, goes to next step
Step 7 • Sent to President for final approval ,he/she can: *sign bill into law/declare it law *Pocket veto (put aside, if after 10 days Congress is in session it becomes a law, if not in session it dies) *Veto (refusal to sign it into law)
Step 8 • If vetoed by president, Congress can override the veto but 2/3 vote in each house. Very difficult to achieve.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE GOVERNMENT Chapter 13 Section 1 Legislative Branch of North Carolina
FEDERALISM SHARING OF POWER BETWEEN NATIONAL (FEDERAL) AND STATE GOVERNMENTS
THE TWO GOVERNMENTS FEDERAL: USA STATE: NORTH CAROLINA
NC STATE CONSTITUTION • “FIRST IN FREEDOM” • NC FREEDOM FOR ENGLAND • NC CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES • PREAMBLE: INTRODUCTION: WE THE PEOPLE • PG 355 • AMENDMENT PROCESS (2 TIERED) • 3/5 VOTE OF PROPOSAL IN HOUSE & SENATE • MAJORITY VOTE OF THE NC CITIZENS • DECLARATION OF RIGHTS • 25 GUARANTEES OF FREEDOM • POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY • PEOPLE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF POWER GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT • LIMITED GOVERNMENT • SEPARATION OF POWERS • CHECKS AND BALANCES
NC LEGISLATIVE Called General Assembly 2 house legislature (bicameral)- Senate and House of Representatives
N.C. LEGISLATURE • NC GENERAL ASSEMBLY • SERVE 2 YR TERMS WITHOUT LIMITS • HOUSE OF REPRESENTATE • 120 MEMBERS, SPEAKER • SENATE • 50 MEMBERS, LT. GOV & PRESIDENT PRO TEMP • POWERS • LONG SESSION (JAN-JUN) • SHORT SESSION (MAY-6WK) • NEW BUDGET YEAR OR FISCAL YEAR 6/1 • US CONGRESS • 2 YR TERMS HOUSE • 6 YR TERMS SENATE • HOUSE OF REPRESENTATE • 435 MEMBERS, SPEAKER • SENATE • 100 MEMBERS, V.P. & PRESIDENT PRO TEMP • POWERS • SESSION LAST 2 YRS • NO LONG OR SHORT • NEW BUDGET OR FISCAL YEAR: 10/1
Activity Venn Diagram: Comparison Chart: Legislative Branches U.S. Legislative and N.C. Legislative
Requirements To be a member of the General Assembly, you must be a citizen of the state, live in district they represent and meet an age requirement. (Senator-25 yrs old, Representative- 18 yrs. old) Elected every two years
Function of General Assembly Main job is to make laws Each house has a leader; Lieutenant governor resides over Senate and President Pro Tempore is in charge if Lt. Governor is not there. Introduce, sent to committee, study, revise, debate and pass or kill bills.