Eleanor Finch
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It outlines the design of the legislative branch, including the separation of powers between the branches of government, the election of Senators and Representatives, the law-making process, and the powers that Congress has. Sections 7 and 8 of Article I outline the exercise of Congress's enumerated powers, such as the power to tax and spend, to regulate interstate commerce, to declare war, and to establish courts, among others.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legislative Branch | Congress |
| Powers | Enumerated powers, including the power to tax and spend, to borrow money, to regulate interstate commerce, to establish uniform rules on naturalization and bankruptcy, to coin money, to punish counterfeiters, to establish post offices, to regulate intellectual property, to establish courts, to punish maritime crimes, to declare war, to raise and support armies, to provide for calling forth the militia, to make rules concerning captures on land and water, to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and to exercise exclusive legislation over a limited district |
| Separation of Powers | Checks and balances between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches |
| Election of Senators and Representatives | Senators and Representatives are chosen by the people of the several states, with specific qualifications for Representatives and Senators |
| Process of Lawmaking | Procedures for enacting legislation, including the need for a bill to pass both Houses of Congress and be presented to the President for signature |
| Powers of Congress | Congress has the power to assemble at least once a year, judge the elections and qualifications of its members, confirm or reject presidential nominations, and remove the President from office in exceptional circumstances |
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What You'll Learn
Legislative powers
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It is made up of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.
The Legislative Vesting Clause (Section 1) provides that all federal legislative powers are vested in the Congress. This includes the power to tax and spend, to borrow money, to regulate interstate commerce, to establish uniform rules on naturalization and bankruptcy, to coin money, to punish counterfeiters, to establish post offices, to regulate intellectual property, to establish courts, to punish maritime crimes, and to declare war.
The Constitution does not grant Congress plenary legislative power but only certain enumerated powers. Sections 7 and 8 outline the exercise of those powers. Section 7 addresses the procedures for enacting legislation, including the need for a bill to pass both Houses of Congress and be presented to the President for signature. Section 8 enumerates Congress's specific legislative authorities.
The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states. No person can be a Representative who has not attained the age of twenty-five years, been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who is not, when elected, an inhabitant of the state in which they are chosen.
The Seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one-third may be chosen every second year. No person can be a Senator who has not attained the age of thirty years, been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who is not, when elected, an inhabitant of the state for which they are chosen. The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate, but they have no vote unless the Senate is equally divided.
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Congress composition
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It is composed of a Congress of the United States, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives is made up of members chosen every second year by the people of the states. Electors in each state must have the qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. Representatives must be at least 25 years old, have been citizens of the United States for at least seven years, and be inhabitants of the state in which they are chosen. Representatives and direct taxes are apportioned among the states according to their respective numbers.
The Senate is made up of Senators, who are elected for terms of six years. One-third of Senators are chosen every second year, and if vacancies occur during the recess of the legislature of a state, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which will then fill such vacancies. Senators must be at least 30 years old, have been citizens of the United States for at least nine years, and be inhabitants of the state for which they are chosen. The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate but has no vote unless the votes are equally divided.
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Election of Senators and Representatives
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It is made up of Congress, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
The US Constitution states that the House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states. The electors in each state must have the qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.
To be a Representative, one must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for the last seven years, and be an inhabitant of the state in which one is chosen when elected. Representatives and direct taxes are apportioned among the several states included in the Union according to their respective numbers.
Senators of the first class will vacate their seats at the end of the second year, those of the second class at the end of the fourth year, and those of the third class at the end of the sixth year. This ensures that one-third of Senators are chosen every second year. To be a Senator, one must be at least 30 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for the last nine years, and be an inhabitant of the state for which one is chosen when elected.
The Congress may at any time by law make or alter regulations regarding the election process for Senators and Representatives, except for the places where Senators are chosen. Each House is the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business.
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Law-making process
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It is made up of Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The law-making process involves several steps and is subject to certain requirements. Firstly, there is the requirement of bicameralism, which means that a bill must pass both Houses of Congress. This is followed by the requirement of presentment, which means that the bill must be presented to the President for their signature.
The Congress is responsible for proposing and passing legislation, with the specific power to tax and spend, borrow money, regulate interstate commerce, establish uniform rules on naturalization and bankruptcy, coin money, punish counterfeiters, establish post offices, regulate intellectual property, establish courts, punish maritime crimes, and declare war.
The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states. Representatives must be at least 25 years old, have been citizens of the United States for at least seven years, and be inhabitants of the state they represent when elected.
The Senate, on the other hand, has a unique classification system, with one-third of Senators being chosen every second year. Senators must be at least 30 years old, have been citizens of the United States for at least nine years, and be inhabitants of the state they represent when elected.
The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and can cast a vote in the case of a tie.
The President of the United States has the power to veto legislation created by Congress. However, Congress also has the power to override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both Houses. This showcases the system of checks and balances between the legislative and executive branches of the US government.
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Congress's powers
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It states that all federal legislative powers are vested in the Congress, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
While Congress has significant powers, it is important to note that the Constitution does not grant it plenary legislative power. Instead, Congress only has certain enumerated powers outlined in Sections 7 and 8 of Article I. Additionally, Congress's power can be checked by the other branches of government. For example, the President can veto legislation created by Congress, and the Supreme Court can overturn unconstitutional laws.
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Frequently asked questions
The Legislative Branch is one of three branches of the US federal government, alongside the Executive and Judicial branches. It is made up of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch of the federal government. It states that all federal legislative powers are vested in the Congress, which consists of a Senate and House of Representatives. It also outlines the election process for Senators and Representatives, the process by which laws are made, and the powers that Congress has.
The Legislative Branch has several enumerated powers, including the power to tax and spend, borrow money, regulate interstate commerce, establish courts, declare war, raise and support armies, and make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the powers vested in the US government.
