Power Structure/Leadership Charts:
Powers of Congress:
Implied Powers: Congress's implied powers are also known as enumerated powers which are acts "necessary and proper for the welfare of the nation." These powers include things such as creating a national bank, establishing a minimum wage, and enacting a military draft.
Expressed Powers: These powers are clearly written out in the Constitution. Congress has the power to tax, to regulate trade, to coin money, to borrow, to establish a process of becoming a US citizen, to manage federal areas, to declare war, to impeach government officials and to establish post offices and post roads a well as determine mail legality.
Expressed Powers: These powers are clearly written out in the Constitution. Congress has the power to tax, to regulate trade, to coin money, to borrow, to establish a process of becoming a US citizen, to manage federal areas, to declare war, to impeach government officials and to establish post offices and post roads a well as determine mail legality.
Requirements for Office:
House of Representatives: To be elected, someone must be 25 years old, a citizen for 7 years, and live in the state that they are elected.
Senate: Someone must be 30 years old, a citizen for 9 years, and live in the state that they are elected.
Senate: Someone must be 30 years old, a citizen for 9 years, and live in the state that they are elected.
Term Length and Membership Number:
House: 435 total voting members- 2 year terms
Senate: 100 total voting members- 6 year terms
Senate: 100 total voting members- 6 year terms
How a Bill Becomes a Law:
Step 1: The bill must be introduced. This can only be done by congress; a bill is dropped into a box by a congressman and read out loud at a congressional meeting.
Step 2: The bill is sent to a committee within Congress. These committees will either choose to kill the bill, send it to the floor, or change the bill and then send it to the floor.
Step 3: Congressman make arguments for and against the bill on the floor and can make any changes to it that they feel are necessary. During floor action, Congress can "talk a bill to death" which is known as a filibuster.
Step 4: Congress votes on the bill and a quorum (majority) must be present for the vote to take place.
Step 5: Conferencing takes place so that both the House and the Senate agree on the same bill.
Step 6: The House and the Senate vote on the same exact bill.
Step 7: The bill is sent to the president and the president either signs the bill into action, doesn't sign it and it automatically becomes a law after 10 days, vetoes the bill, or pocket vetoes the bill.
Step 8: If the bill is vetoed by the President, Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 vote in the House and the Senate.
Step 9: If a bill is approved, it is registered as a law in the national archives.
Step 2: The bill is sent to a committee within Congress. These committees will either choose to kill the bill, send it to the floor, or change the bill and then send it to the floor.
Step 3: Congressman make arguments for and against the bill on the floor and can make any changes to it that they feel are necessary. During floor action, Congress can "talk a bill to death" which is known as a filibuster.
Step 4: Congress votes on the bill and a quorum (majority) must be present for the vote to take place.
Step 5: Conferencing takes place so that both the House and the Senate agree on the same bill.
Step 6: The House and the Senate vote on the same exact bill.
Step 7: The bill is sent to the president and the president either signs the bill into action, doesn't sign it and it automatically becomes a law after 10 days, vetoes the bill, or pocket vetoes the bill.
Step 8: If the bill is vetoed by the President, Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 vote in the House and the Senate.
Step 9: If a bill is approved, it is registered as a law in the national archives.