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Explore the structure, functions, and leadership of the US Legislative Branch, including the House of Representatives and the Senate. Learn about committee roles, impeachment, and membership qualifications. Discover key leaders and their roles in shaping legislation.
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Legislative Branch Chapter 6 Sections 1 and 3
Legislative Branch • Article I of the Constitution • Makes the laws • Bicameral (2 houses) • House of Representatives • Membership based on a state’s population • 435 total members • Senate • Equal membership from each state (2) • 100 total members
Qualifications • House of Representatives • At least 25 years old • Live in the state district you represent • US citizen for at least 7 years • Senate • At least 30 years old • Live in the state you represent • US citizen for at least 9 years
Committee • Congress must consider thousands of bills during a yearlong session • To make it possible for so many bills to pass, Congress has committees
Impeachment • Impeach- accuse officials of misconduct in office • Government officials (Congress, President, Judges) can be impeached and removed from office • House of Representatives impeaches which begins process and officially accuses • Senate holds the trial and is jury to decide guilt/removal from office
House of Representatives Leadership • Speaker of the House- leader of the HoR, chosen by members of the majority party • Has a GREAT amount of power! • Controls legislation in the HoR • Next in line if Pres and VP die • John Boehner, Republican, Ohio
Senate Leadership • Vice President of the US is the technical leader of the Senate but only votes if a tie • President Pro Tempore- day to day leader of the Senate, chosen by members of the majority party • Not as powerful as Speaker of the House • Patrick Leahy, Democrat, Vermont
Membership • Each state is guaranteed at least 1 member • Each Representative serves a 2 year term • There is no limit to the amount of terms Representatives can serve • The entire House of Representatives is up for reelection every 2 years • Membership adjusted for states every 10 years • Census- official population count every 10 years
Districts • Members represent people from their district in their home state • Constituents- people represented • NC has 13 districts Don’t write: NC had 12 districts– but gained a new district with the 2000 census NC had to make a new district so they made the 13th district with Greensboro, Northern NC, and Raleigh (since these areas had the highest gains in population which added the new seat)
Gerrymander • Gerrymander- nickname given to an oddly shaped district • Gerrymander is not suppose to happen, (its illegal) • Why would people want to create odd shaped districts?
12th District • Alma Adams (Democrat) • Half of Greensboro, most of High Point, Winston-Salem, Thomasville, Lexington, Salisbury, and Charlotte • Appears to go down I-85 • Gerrymander?
5th District • Virginia Foxx (Republican) • Northwestern NC, and areas around Winston-Salem such as Kernersville and Clemmons • Was Richard Burrs seat before a Senator
NC Districts • Show map of NC House of Representatives District • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina's_congressional_districts
Membership • Senators serve a 6 year terms before up for reelection • There is no limit to the amount of terms Senators can serve • Senator elections are staggered so the entire Senate is not up for reelection at once • 1/3 of all Senators are up for reelection every 2 years
NC Senators Both are all NC resident’s Senators- equally Richard Burr (Republican) Elected in 2004, 2010 From Winston Salem Formerly in the HoR Thom Tillis (Republican) Elected in 2014 From Charlotte Formerly a state legislator
Kay Hagan Commercials • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLkazmjpcIs • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lf2vDk-4Ag • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksWwMd9_CJc • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yug8HcPSwQ