how congress is organized ch. 8 sec. 3 pp. 223-228
TRANSCRIPT
How Congress Is Organized
Ch. 8Sec. 3
Pp. 223-228
Congress The terms, or meeting
periods, have been numbered since their 1st meeting in 1789
Current Congress is the 110th
Stay in session from Jan. 3rd until they vote to end the session (usually Oct.)
Division into committees is not in the Constitution
Leadership in Congress Presiding officer in the
House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House
Presiding officer in the Senate is the Vice President, or the President Pro Tempore when the VP is absent.
The political parties make decisions about the leadership positions
Joe BidenVice President/President of Senate
Speaker of the House Most powerful
member Presides over
sessions (decides order of business and who may speak)
Appoints committee members and refers bills to committees
John Boehner
Congressional Leadership Vice president
presides over Senate, but can not take part in debates and only votes when there is a tie
Chief officers of majority and minority party in House and Senate are Floor Leaders
Work with committee leaders and help guide bills through Congress
Working in Committees Citizens, interest groups,
and the president can draw up bills
Congressmen introduce them and they are given numbers
They are then sent to one of the standing committees, and they decide if they will be introduced to Congress
Committees are needed, because over 10,000 bills introduced in a term
Committees in Congress Select committees are
formed to deal with problems not covered by standing committees
Joint committees have members from both houses and usually conduct investigations
Conference committees are formed when the two houses can not agree on a bill
The President’s Role President can sign a bill
into law 2 kinds of veto –
a) send it back unsigned and Congress can override it by a 2/3 voteb) pocket veto – keeps bill for 10 days, during which Congress ends their session
Questions The most powerful member of
the House of Representative is thea. Speakerb. U.S. Presidentc. President pro tempored. Majority floor leader
Questions The Constitution does not tell
thea. House to pick a Speakerb. Senate to pick a presidentc. Congress how to make laws. d. Vice President to lead the Senate.
Questions Why is a system of committees
necessary in Congress?a. too few members of Congressb. too many bills to studyc. citizens demanded committeesd. U.S. Constitution requires it
Questions Only a member of Congress can
a. Draw up a billb. Veto a billc. Introduce a billd. All of the above
Questions Floor leaders work to
a. create an elastic clause for the Constitution.
b. gain the favor of special interest groups.
c. guide bills through Congress. d. assist in selecting judges.
Questions In order to reach the President,
a bill must pass througha. the state legislaturesb. only the Senatec. a standing committeed. both houses of Congress
Questions What is true of events that can occur
after the President vetoes a bill?a. the bill is deadb. bill returns to committeec. The Speaker has a day to change
the billd. Congress can override by two-thirds
vote