Eleanor Finch
The US government is divided into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch, also known as Congress, is responsible for making laws and consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives and the Senate have equal legislative authority, although only the House can originate revenue and appropriation bills. The Speaker of the House, elected by the Representatives, is the presiding officer of the chamber. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and can cast a decisive vote in the event of a tie.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | United States Congress |
| Composition | House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Number of members | 535 voting members (435 representatives and 100 senators) and 6 non-voting members |
| Term | Two-year term, commencing every other January |
| Election | Members are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a governor's appointment |
| Location | United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. |
| Powers | Enact legislation, declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, investigative powers, regulate commerce, coin money, raise and maintain the armed forces, make rules for the military, manage the budget, borrow money on the credit of the United States |
| Limitations | The President may veto bills passed by Congress, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses |
| Committees | 17 Senate committees with 70 subcommittees, 23 House committees with 104 subcommittees |
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What You'll Learn
The US Congress is the legislative branch
The House of Representatives and the Senate have equal legislative authority, although only the House can originate revenue and appropriation bills. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the Representatives. The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state, who are elected to six-year terms by the people of each state. Senators' terms are staggered, with about one-third of the Senate up for reelection every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, US citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and can cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie in the Senate.
Congress has the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers. It also has the power to borrow money on the credit of the United States, regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states, and coin money. Congress convenes for a two-year term, commencing every other January, and elections are held every even-numbered year on Election Day. The legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill to Congress, which is then referred to the appropriate committee for review. While anyone can write a bill, only members of Congress can introduce legislation.
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The Senate and House of Representatives
The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers. Congress has a total of 535 voting members, including 100 senators and 435 representatives, with the House of Representatives having 6 additional non-voting members. The House of Representatives is made up of elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population.
The Senate and the House of Representatives have equal legislative authority, although only the House can originate revenue and appropriation bills. The Senate has the sole power to confirm the President's appointments and ratify treaties, except for appointments to the Vice Presidency and any treaty involving foreign trade, which require the approval of the House. The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state, who are elected to six-year terms by the people of each state. Senator terms are staggered, with about one-third of the Senate up for reelection every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, US citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent.
The House of Representatives, on the other hand, meets to discuss ideas and decide if these ideas, in the form of bills, should become laws. The House has 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. The presiding officer of the House is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the Representatives.
Congress plays a crucial role in national defense, with the exclusive power to declare war, raise and maintain the armed forces, and make rules for the military. It also has authority over financial and budgetary policy, including the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, and excises, and to appropriate funds. However, critics argue that the executive branch has sometimes usurped Congress's power to declare war.
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The President can veto Congress bills
The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers. The President is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces.
The President can veto bills passed by Congress. A bill that is passed by both houses of Congress is presented to the President. The President approves of legislation by signing it into law. If the President does not approve of the bill, they may choose not to sign it and return it unsigned to the house of the United States Congress in which it originated within ten days, while Congress is in session. Returning the unsigned bill to Congress constitutes a veto.
The President is constitutionally required to state any objections to the bill in writing, and Congress is required to consider them. If Congress overrides the veto by a two-thirds vote in each house, it becomes law without the President's signature. Otherwise, the bill fails to become law. This is called a regular veto.
If Congress is in session and the President takes no action within 10 days, the bill becomes law. If Congress adjourns before 10 days are up and the President takes no action, the bill does not become law. This procedure is called a pocket veto. The President may still assert a pocket veto, but it must be accompanied by a message setting forth their objections.
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The Vice President's role in the Senate
The Vice President of the United States, also known as VPOTUS or Veep, is an important position in the executive branch of the federal government. The Vice President is often described as being "a heartbeat away from the presidency", meaning that if a sitting President dies or is impeached, the Vice President takes over.
The Vice President's main role in the Senate is that of President of the Senate. The Vice President presides over the Senate and breaks tie votes in Senate votes. The Vice President votes on legislation or other motions only when there is a 50-50 deadlock in the Senate. This has occurred 243 times and involved 35 different Vice Presidents.
The Vice President also has other formal and informal responsibilities. They are a statutory member of the United States Cabinet and the United States National Security Council, playing a significant role in executive government and national security matters. They also serve as a principal advisor to the President. The Vice President makes public appearances representing the President and performs ceremonial duties in their place.
The role of the Vice President has changed dramatically since the office was created during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The first two vice presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both presided regularly over Senate proceedings and did much to shape the role of Senate president. However, the emergence of political parties in the 1790s quickly frustrated the election plan in the original Constitution, and as a result, the president and vice president were sometimes from opposing parties. In the 1800s, some vice presidents followed the example of Adams and Jefferson, while others were rarely present. In the 1930s, the role of the vice presidency began to grow in importance, and the Office of the Vice President was created in the executive branch in 1939.
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The Legislative Branch's powers
The Legislative Branch is one of the three branches of the US government, alongside the executive and judicial branches. The Legislative Branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress.
The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, elected by the Representatives. The House has several exclusive powers, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie.
The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 from each state. Senators are elected to six-year terms, with staggered terms so that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, US citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate. The Senate has the sole power to confirm the President's appointments and to ratify treaties, although there are some exceptions to this rule.
Congress has authority over financial and budgetary policy, including the power to "lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States". Congress can also borrow money on the credit of the United States, regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states, and coin money. Congress has an important role in national defense, including the exclusive power to raise and maintain the armed forces and to make rules for the military.
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Frequently asked questions
The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate. The presiding officer of the House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House, elected by the Representatives.
The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers. Congress also has the power to borrow money on the credit of the United States, regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states, and coin money.
The first step in the legislative process is the introduction of a bill to Congress. Anyone can write it, but only members of Congress can introduce legislation. After being introduced, a bill is referred to the appropriate committee for review. The committees are not set in stone, but change in number and form with each new Congress as required for the efficient consideration of legislation. Each committee oversees a specific policy area, and the subcommittees take on more specialized policy areas.
