US House of Representatives

1. US House of Representatives 21 Source: http://uscode.house.gov/hsereps.gif US Senate Source: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/kidspage/senate.gif Term Limitations? Source: http://www.termlimits.org/ US Congressmen represent the people or constituents from their districts. The legislators who make up the US Congress often serve for many years because defeating a sitting Congressman takes enormous sums of money. This raises the idea of term limitations. Senators serve 6 year terms and represent all the citizens of their states. The House of Representatives is based on the population of a state. It has 435 total members. The Senate has 100 members---2 per state—All states has equal power in the Senate. Representatives serve two years terms and represent a district This cartoon points out the difficult process of uprooting an incumbent candidate.

2. Enumerated Powers 22 Source: http://www.ustreas.gov/topics/currency/images/photo-currency.gif Power of the Purse Source: http://home.ccci.org/donations/images/checkbook.jpg Checks and Balances Source: The House of Representatives holds the “power of the purse” because all appropriation bills must begin there. The ability to pass special interest or “pork” projects often makes a balanced budget difficult. A deficit is when the government spends more money than is has by borrowing. One of the major responsibilities of Congress is passing the federal budget. The power to make currency is one of the Enumerated power of Congress. One power of the Senate is to confirm or approve of the President’s appointments. The House begins the impeachment investigations and the Senate acts as the jury in an impeachment case. Recent record deficits have caused some services to be discontinued.

3. Speaker of the House 23 Speaker Dennis Hastert Source: http://www.house.gov/emerson/crc/images/photo-crc-hastert-rra-010928.jpg Senate Leadership Source: http://www.smu.edu/newsinfo/images/01236n.jpg Congressional Committees Source: http://www.spie.org/Announcements/images/house_science_committee.jpg It is sometimes possible for one party to control most of the government because it has control over most of the political positions. Current Speaker of the House – Nancy Pelosi Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott resigned as majority leader after some controversial remarks. The Vice-President serves as the official head of the US Senate. The Library of Congress was founded to a place of research for legislators and is now the world’s largest library. One major hurtle for Congress each year to for Democrats and Republicans to work together. Congress works through its many bills by working in committees to study proposed bills.

4. How a Bill Becomes Law 24 Source: http://www.tvguide.com/tv/televisionary/images/010313tvask1.jpg Debating Bills Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/images/congress/jan-june02/mpmeehan.jpg President Receives a Bill Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/bush-signing.jpg A bill is a proposed law. Ideas for laws can come from many people but can only become laws through Congress. A Filibuster is often an effective way for a Senator to try and kill a proposed bill. The large board pictured here displays the votes of Congressmen as they vote. The process of a bill becoming law is long and difficult and most propose bills are never passed. The last part of a bill becoming law is for the President to sign the bill into law. A major part of the bill process is the debate scheduled in both houses. The activities of Congress are recorded and televised on C-SPAN The competing nature of interest groups often make law making a difficult process.