The Two Houses of Congress: the Senate

The work of the legislative branch is carried out by the Congress of the United States. Congress is the lawmaking body of the national government. The Constitution provides that Congress shall be composed of houses. There are two of them - the Senate and the House of Representatives.

There were two main reasons for creating a lawmaking body of two houses, or a bicameral legislature. First, a lawmaking body of two houses would help to "check and balance" the work of this branch of the government. Having two houses to share the responsibility of making the nation's laws allows each house to check the actions of the other. As a result, there is less danger that Congress ; will pass laws in haste or pass laws that are not needed or wanted by the people. Second, the writers of the Constitution established a bicameral Congress in order to settle a dispute between the large and the small states. .- .

The Senate is the smaller of the two houses of Congress. The Constitution provides that each state, regardless of size, be represented in the Senate by two members. These members are known as senators.

The first Senate consisted of 22 senators, representing 11 states. Today
there are 100 members in the Senate - two senators elected from each of the 50
states. Each senator represents his or her whole state. /** ^: у

Senators are elected for six-year terms and may be re-elected any number I of times. Elections for senators are held in November ofeach even-numbered^л

:. ; Л5

year. Only one third of the Senate's membership comes up for election every two years. Therefore, a new Senate begins its work with at least two thirds of the members having had experience in the Senate.

The senator from each state who has served the longest period of time is called the state's senior senator. If a senator dies or resigns before the end of his or her term of office, the governor of the state may appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next regular election or until a special state election is held.

There are slightly different qualifications for members of the Senate and for the representatives. The Constitution lists these qualifications for senators:

1. A senator must be at least 30 years old.

2. A senator must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years.

3. A senator must be a legal resident of the state he or she represents.

In addition to these qualifications, members of Congress traditionally have shared a number of other characteristics. Most have attended college. A majority are lawyers. There are many business people or bankers among them. Their average age is about 50.

Throughout the history most members of Congress have been men. Only a small percentage of representatives today are women, and only a few women have served in the Senate. However, the number of women is slowly increasing.

Members of Congress usually have had previous political experience, often in their state legislature. Most members of Congress also have been active members of community and voluntary organizations.

Exercise 2. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Members of Congress traditionally have had previous medical experience.

2. The woman, who is in the Senate, is called senior senator.

3. The work of the legislative branch is carried out by the President of the U.S.

4. "Check and balance" is the name of the Senate.

5. The Congress shall be composed of three houses. =-. -'•■-.

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the two houses of Congress? Why was a bicameral legislature
created in the USA?

2. Who represents each state in the Senate?

3. How many members are there in the Senate today?

4. How are senators elected?

5. What qualifications must the members of the Senate meet?

Exercise 4. Make your own questions to the text

-20.

grow may be entitled to more representatives. But the total size of the House of Representatives can never be more than 435 members.

Congressional Districts. Each of the representatives is elected from a congressional district. Each state legislature is responsible for dividing the state into as many congressional districts as it has members in the House. The boundaries must be drawn so that each district in a state is nearly equal in population. After every census, the state legislature must re-divide the state's congressional districts if the number of people has changed.

Electing Representatives. Elections for members of the House of Representatives are held in November of each even-numbered year. All representatives are elected for two-year terms. They may be re-elected, and there is no limit on the number of terms they may serve. Because representatives often are re-elected, there are always many experienced lawmakers in the House. If a representative dies or resigns before the end of a term, the governor of her or his home state must call a special election to fill the vacancy.

These are the qualifications for members of the House of Representatives:

1. A representative must be at least 25 years old.

2. A representative must have been a United States citizen for at least seven
years.

3. A representative must be a legal resident of the state he or she represents.

Usually a representative lives in the district from which he or she is elected. However, the Constitution does not make this a requirement for office.

Exercise 2. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1.The number of representatives each state elects may be changed.

2. Each representative is elected for seven-year terms.

3. All representatives are men.

4. Each state is entitled to at least five representatives to the Congress.

5. Representatives are always the most experienced lawmakers in the House.

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions.

1. How many members are their in the House of Representatives?

2. How many representatives can each state elect to the House? Can the number
of representatives be changed?

3. What are the qualifications for members of the House of Representatives?

4. When are the elections for the members of the House held? May they be re-
elected?

5. What happens if a representative dies or resigns before the end of a term?

Exercise 4. Make your own questions to thetext

Exercise 5. Open the brackets. Use the Present, Past, Future Perfect

1. The investigator already ... (to collect) evidence on the case. 2. The state and public organizations ... (to discuss) the Draft of the Constitution before in became a law. 3. The House of Commons ... (to pass) the amendment by the end of the week. 4. The criminal just... (to plead) guilty. 5. The attorney ... (not to prepare) his speech for the trial yet. 6. We thanked the policeman for everything he ... (to do). 7. The judge already ... (to announce) the sentence when we came into the courtroom. 8. My bicycle isn't here any more. Somebody ... (to steal) it. 9. The jury already ... (to reach) a decision? 10. This scientist... (to publish) his article by next month.

Exercise 6. Openthe brackets. Use the Present, Past, Future Perfect Continuous.

1. He ... (to serve) as a judge for 20 years already. 2. How long you ... (to wait for) me? 3. The writers of the Constitution knew that the plan of government they ... (to create) would have to meet the changing needs of a growing nation.

4. My uncle ... (to work) in the House of Representatives for two years already.

5. The people became dissatisfied how their representatives ... (to govern) them. ••

6. The number of women in the Senate ... (to increase) recently. 7. He ... (to:-

drive) the automobile for 20 years by next month. 8. They ... (not to hold) another trial of the case yet. 9. The court ... (to decide) these cases for six months by next Monday. 10. He ... (to take) a practical interest in politics.

Exercise 7. Translate thefollowing sentences from English into Russian.

1. Let the witness tell the truth and nothing but the truth. 2. Don't go there alone; my friend was robbed in that street yesterday. 3. Don't accuse this man of attacking you in the street. 4. Suppose you were a judge. What sentence would you pass? 5. "Let's consider this bill next week", the deputy suggested. 6. The policeman ordered the suspect to answer his questions. 7. "Re-elect me and I'll make your life better!" the candidate promised. 8. Call him now! He will help you with your problem. He is a very good lawyer. 9. Change your claim; otherwise you'll loose the case. 10. Do everything in time and you'll have less problems!

Grammar Revision 1

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 1094