The Constitution
Preamble
- Reflects popular sovereignty
- Power of the nation, not the states
- Goal of the country is to be better over time
Article 1
S1: The Legislative Branch
- Congress is a bicameral legislature
- made up of House of Representatives and Senate
S2: The House of Representatives
- All members of the house are up for election every 2 years
- Can be re-elected unlimited times
- Must be at least 25 years old, citizen of the united states, live in same state as district
- Each representative represents a Congressional District
- Amount of representatives is based on population, determined by a census every 10 years
- Divided into districts that are decided by gerrymandering
- Every state has at least 1 Representative
- Representatives act in more radical ways than the Senate
- House chooses a Speaker of the House
- Party control is the most important thing in a legislature
- Speaker organizes votes to consider bills
- Sole power of impeachment
S3: The Senate
- 2 Senators from each state with a term of 6 years
- Can be re-elected unlimited times
- Only 1/3 of the Senate can be up for election every 2 years
- Must be 30 years old, citizen for 9 years, live in represented state
- Vice President serves as President of the Senate
- Not allowed to debate, votes in case of a tie
- Majority party chooses Majority Leader who chooses bills to be voted on
- President of Senate Pro Tempore is the longest serving senate member
- 3rd in line to be president
- Senate is the jury for impeachments
- Need 2/3 majority to impeach
- Punishment does not extend removal from office
- No time limit on speaking, makes filibusters possible
- Done to prove a point and prevent a vote
- Need 60 votes to stop one
S4: Positional Elections
- States conduct the elections of their own Reps and Senators
- This is an example of Federalism
- Congressional Session begins on January 3rd
S5: House Rules
- Each house chooses to accept the results of elections and determines the qualifications of their members
- A majority of the body is required to hold Congress
- Members may compel absent members to be present
- Punishment for not complying
- Each house determines its own rules
- Punishment/expulsion of members
- Filibusters are possible in Senate, but not House of Representatives
- Need a majority in House of Representatives, but 60 votes to pass bill in Senate
- When Congress is in session, both houses must be in session
S6: Pay of Legislators
- Both Reps and Sens are paid roughly $174,000 per year
- Leadership makes $20,000 more
- You can only hold one federal position at a time
S7: Checks and Balances
- All bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives
- Senate may propose amendments to revenue bills
- All bills must be approved by both houses, and then sent to the President for approval
- If President vetoes a bill, it is returned to the house it originated in
- A veto can be overridden by a 2/3 vote
- President has 10 days to decide to veto a bill, or else it automatically becomes law
- If there are less than 10 days left in session, the president can pocket veto or veto without action
S8: Powers Given to Congress
- There are many listed powers in this section known as enumerated powers, as they are explicitly given to Congress
- The Elastic Clause
- Allows Congress to stretch its powers when it is deemed “Necessary and proper”
S9