National Washington DC Congress Every two years all of the members of the House of Representatives and 13 of the Senators are elected This two year period between elections is called a Congress ID: 557308
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Slide1
Legislative Branch
National
Washington,
D.C.Slide2
Congress
Every two years all of the members of the House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senators are elected.This two year period between elections is called a “Congress.”Slide3
Sessions
Two sessions per term/CongressBegin in JanuaryJoint Session: House of Representatives and the Senate meet together.
Special Session
: The President may call a special joint session of Congress even if they have adjourned (ended) for the year. Slide4
Parties
The political party that has the most members in each house is known as the majority party.The political party that has fewer members is called the
minority party
.
What are the two major political parties?Slide5
Bicameral
Two HousesSenate and the House of Representatives
Two house system allows each house to ‘
check
’ the actions of the other and helps prevent Congress from passing laws in a hurry.Slide6
House of Representatives
MembershipThe number of Representatives each state can elect is based on the size of that state’s population.
Each state has
at least 1
Representative.
435
total Representatives.
Every 10 years, after the census is taken, Congress determines how the seats in the House are to be
apportioned
, or distributed.
Utah has 4 representativesSlide7
Requirements
Representatives must be:
At least 25 years old
A U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
A legal resident of the state they represent
Serve 2 terms
Elections are held in November of each even-numbered year.Slide8
Leadership
Speaker of the HouseElected from the majority party.
Presiding officer of the house.
No representative may speak until called on, or recognized, by the Speaker.
Second in line
of Presidential Succession.Slide9
John Boehner (R) Ohio
Speaker of the HouseSlide10
Special Powers
Powers that only
the House of Representatives has:
Begin
impeachment
proceedings
Initiate bills to raise money (
appropriation bills
)
Select president when no candidate receives sufficient electoral votesSlide11
Senate
MembershipEach state is represented equally.2 members per state.
100
senators total.
Members are called
senators
.Slide12
Our Senators Slide13
Requirements
Senators must be:At least
30 years old
.
A U.S. Citizen for at least
9 years
.
A legal resident of the state they represent.
Serve
6 year
terms
One third (1/3) of the Senate’s membership comes up for election every two years in November.Slide14
Leadership
Vice PresidentAccording to the Constitution presides over the Senate.
Only votes to break a
tie
.
President Pro Tempore
Fills in for the Vice President when necessary. Third in line of presidential succession. Customarily the most senior senator in the majority partySlide15
Joe Biden: (D) Vice President
Daniel Inouye: (D) President Pro TemporeSlide16
Special Powers
Powers that only
the Senate has
:
Hold
impeachment trials
.
Select the vice president when no candidate has sufficient votes.
Approve
treaties
.
Approve
high officials
. (Cabinet Members, Supreme Court Justices, and Ambassadors).Slide17