Role and Powers of Congress

1. Section 1: Role of Congress Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress Section 3: Powers of Congress CHAPTER 5 Role and Powers of Congress

2. Section 1: Role of Congress • Objectives: • What influences how members of Congress vote? • What purpose do congressional investigations serve? • Why is it important for members of Congress to serve their constituents?

3. Section 1 • Congress is the ________________ branch of the federal government • Framers of the Constitution outlined the legislative branch’s power in much more detail than the other two branches • Congress has three key roles • _____________________________________________ • _______________ the performance of gov’t agencies • Provides services to the people its members ____________

4. Section 1: Role of Congress • Influences on the voting decisions of members of Congress: • ___________________________________ • Members sometimes follow their own beliefs even when it goes against the wishes of voters • ___________________________________ • Members answer to the people of their locality • ___________________________________ • People acting together to achieve shared political goals • Provide info on issues, suggest legislation, and contribute to member’s campaign through political action committees (PACs) • ____________________________________ • Members of the same party have increasingly shared more of the same political beliefs and values.

5. Section 1: Role of Congress • Purpose of congressional investigations: • to examine the ____________ and ______________ of government agencies • It does this through _______________________________ • Involves conducting investigations of agency actions and programs • Focus on ____________ and _________ in federal agencies

6. Section 1: Role of Congress • Reasons members of Congress should serve their constituents: • ______________________________________________________________________________________ • Such patterns may signal a problem with a gov’t program or a change in constituents’ general attitudes. • ___________________________________________ • Individual Requests • Most constituent mail involves issues such as obtaining info. or expressing views about legislation, requesting help with finding a gov’t job, or asking for assistance with gov’t services such as Social Security

7. Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress • Objectives: • How do the houses of Congress differ in their structure and membership? • How are congressional districts drawn? • What is the typical profile of a U.S. congressmember?

8. Section 2 • ________________________________ • The Constitution’s framers intended the House to be closer to the people than would be the Senate. Their expectation was that the House would attract ordinary citizens serving for a brief period. • _______________________ • The framers of the Constitution intended for the Senate to differ from the House. They thought that the Senate should attract an older, more experienced group of people who would serve longer terms as the nation’s senior leaders.

9. Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress • Differences in the structure and membership of Congress: • House of Representatives • ____________ members • ____________ term • representation determined by ____________________ • members required to be at least ________ years old, U.S. citizens for at least _____________ years, and legal _____________ of the states they represent • ________________ • ______________ members, or __________ members from each state • _____________ term • members required to be at least __________ years old, U.S. citizens for at least ___________ years, and legal residents of the _____________ they represent

10. Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress • Congressional ____________ are drawn according to the population distribution as indicated by each official _________ every 10 years. • After each census, Congress uses the new population to count to ____________, or distribute, the _________ seats among the states. • Thus, the legislature of a state that holds nine seats in the House must divide the state into nine congressional districts.

11. Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress • Typical profile of a U.S. congress member: • has at least a ___________ degree • is a __________ male over ___________ years old • Minority groups and women generally are not represented in Congress in _________________ to their numbers in the U.S. population

12. Section 3: Powers of Congress • Objectives: • To what main areas of governing do Congress’s expressed powers apply? • What special powers does Congress hold? • What are the implied powers of Congress? • What constitutional limits exist on congressional powers?

13. Section 3: Powers of Congress • Congress’s expressed powers: (Page 105) • government _________________ • regulation of _________________ • ____________________________ • ____________________________ • national sovereignty

14. Section 3: Powers of Congress • Congress’s ______________ powers: • ____________ federal officers • Definition: formally accuse and bring to trial • Charges must be drawn up in the __________________________ • Trials held in _____________ (acts as jury) with VP as the judge • If president is on trial, the chief justice presides • Approve treaties and presidential appointments • Need _____________ vote by Senate • Decide __________________ under certain circumstances

15. Section 3: Powers of Congress • Congress’s __________________ powers: • As provided by the _______________ Clause, Congress can expand its expressed powers in order to respond to situations ___________________ by the framers of the Constitution.

16. Section 3: • Limits on ______________________ powers: • ________________ review • Supreme Court can use this power to determine when Congress has reached beyond the powers granted to it by the Constitution • the _________________ Amendment • It declares that the states or the people shall keep all the powers not specifically granted to the national government. • Article _____, Section __________ of the Constitution • Some Examples • ________________________ • A law that applies to an action that took place before the law was passed • ____________________________________ • A law that punishes a person who has not been convicted in a court of law • Congress cannot suspend the ________________________________ • A court order requiring police to bring people accused of a crime to court and show sufficient reason to keep them in jail.