The legislative branch

The legislative branch of government is the Congress. This has two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives, sometimes called the upper and lower houses. Both meet in the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Each has a large room with a circular arrangement of seats, one seat being reserved for each member.

The main job of Congress is to make laws, but its other responsibilities include establishing federal courts, setting taxes and, if necessary, declaring war. Although the Senate and the House of Representatives have similar powers, some jobs belong only to the Senate. These include approving treaties with other countries and confirming appointments made by the President. The process of impeaching (= removing from office) a federal official, including the President, because he or she has committed a serious crime can only begin in the House of Representatives, which has the power to decide whether the official should be charged. The Senate has the power to try the official and to decide whether he or she should be impeached.

Daily events in Congress are reported in the Congressional Record. The most important responsibility for members of Congress is to represent their constituents. When deciding whether to vote for or against a new law, they are expected to put the interests of their state before those of their party. Members of Congress are also expected to help their constituents directly. If, for example, somebody needs a passport urgently they may contact the office of one of their representatives in Congress. A worker in that office, known as a constituent aid, will then help them obtain it.

The President and members of Congress are chosen in separate elections. This may mean that the President's party does not have power in Congress. This can have the effect of slowing down the process of government.

The Senate has 100 members, two from each state, both of whom represent the whole state. Senators must be over 30 and have been US citizens for at least nine years, They are elected for six years, and every two years two-thirds of the seats in the Senate are up for re-election. The Vice-president is the President of the Senate. The Senate elects a president pro tempore when the Vice-president is not available.

The House of Representatives, also known as the House, has 435 members, called Representatives, Congressmen or Congresswomen. The number elected by each state depends on its population: a few states have only one Representative, while California has 45. Larger states are divided into districts, each with one Representative. Members of the House must be over 25 and have been US citizens for seven years. Elections are held every two years for every seat in the House. A Speaker of the House is elected from the majority party to lead discussions.

Both the Senate and the House have many committees. These play an important part in the process of law-making. Each deals with a certain subject, e.g. small businesses.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 865