Bellwork: Day 5

Rule #133 “Students must be in class when the bell rings.”

How can this rule be interpreted? What are some ways its original meaning could be twisted? How is this related to Gov?

Create Your Own BillRequirements:20 Points- Blank Bill Worksheet: Correctly fill out and use

appropriate bill-language. This means do not use words like you, I, basically, kinda, sorta, sometimes, etc. Make sure you fill out everything in the right place. Carefully read where everything should go.

10 Points - Visual: Create a visual (poster, commercial, etc.) for your Bill. Visual should look nice, describe in a few words what your Bill aims to do, and be complete by Bill Presentation Day.

20 Points - Bill Presentation: Present your Bill to the class. Be able to accurately describe what your Bill aims to do and persuade the Senate (class) to pass it. Be prepared to answer questions or take challenges from your colleagues.

Assignment 7: Congress Super Notes

Organization of CongressEvery two years, a new Congress is seated.

Two years = one sessionThe first order of business = election of leaders.

Both houses of Congress are organized on the basis of party for both leadership and committee purposes.

President of the SenateJoseph BidenVice President of the US

LeadersHarry ReidSenate Majority LeaderDemocrat

Nancy PelosiSpeaker of the HouseDemocrat

LawmakingOnly a member of the House or Senate may introduce a bill but anyone can write a bill.

Over 9,000 bills are proposed and fewer than 5 to 10% are enacted.

Most bills originate in the executive branch.

A bill must survive three stages to become a law: committees, the floor, and the conference committee. A bill can die at any stage.

CommitteesCommittees were designed to allow

Congress to specialize in key areasWhichever party is in the majority

controls all of the committees and has a majority on each committee

How Members Make Decisions

It is rare for a legislator to disregard strong wishes of constituents, particularly on hot button issues or those contentious issues that get a lot of media attention.

The perceptions of the representative are important since he/she cannot really know how all the constituents feel about an issue... right?

Members often introduce legislation that will benefit their district or state above that of the country. This is why more than 90% of Reps are reelected.

Don’t’ write,just listen.

Representative

Colleagues

Constituents Staff

CaucusesParty

Interest Groups

Political Action Committees

How Members Make Decisions

Congress and the PresidentHowever, Congress

retains several key powers vis-a-vis the president:funding powers oversightimpeachment/

removal.

• Congress has the power to review the actions of the executive branch

Famous Impeachments

Andrew Johnson

Terrible president

Impeached for firing his Secretary of War.

Impeachment was 1 vote short.

Famous Impeachments

Richard Nixon

Was going to be impeached for his role in the breaking in to the Democratic Headquarters at Watergate.

Resigned in the face of impeachment.

Famous Impeachments

Bill Clinton

Had an “inappropriate relations” with White House intern.

Lied about it under oath.

Voted to be impeached; House passed; Senate did not.

Declare WarOnly Congress has the power to declare war.

TaxOnly Congress has the power to tax Americans.

Voting ProcessCongressmen

can vote Yay, Nay, or Present. (Present means you don’t want to take a stand)

FilibusterSenate has the power to

filibuster, an attempt to “talk a bill to death”

In Senate, there are few limits on debate

Minority of Senators try to block a bill

Senate can vote to cloture a bill, limiting debate (ending the filibuster). Requires 3/5ths vote (60 Senators)

The longest speech in the history of the Senate was made by Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Thurmond, a Democrat who later became a Republican, spoke for twenty-four hours and eighteen minutes during a filibuster against passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Senators rest on cots set up in the old Supreme Court Chamber during a filibuster that attempted to prevent the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

On the President’s Desk1) Pres can sign into law2) Pres can veto, sending

back to Congress for 2/3 vote.

3) Pres can do nothing for ten days and bill will become law

4) Pres can pocket veto. If Congress adjourns session within ten days, he can do nothing and bill dies.

Quiz!

Which qualification for House members is NOT in the Constitution?

a. must be at least 25 years oldb. must have been a citizen for at least seven years

c. must live in the district being represented

d. must live in the State from which chosen

How many Senators are there?a. 50b. 100c. 435d. 430

Which statement about the Senate is true?

a. It has two members from each State.b. Its members are chosen by State legislatures.

c. Each member represents one congressional district.

d. Seats are apportioned among the States according to their populations.

Few members of Congress todaya. are minorities.b. have college degrees.c. are white males.d. are married.

Under the Constitution, Congress has the sole power to

A. act as the commander in chief.B. meet ith foreign leaders.C. declare war.D. none of the above.

Which of the following is a way a bill can become a law without the President's signature?

A. The President delegates the signing of a bill to the Vice President.

B. The President waits until the Congress is not in session.

C. The President fails to act on the bill within 10 days of receiving it while Congress is in session.

D. The President leaves the country.

Unlike the House, the Senate has a legislative process with

A. few limits on debate.B. strict limits on debate.C. no roll-call voting.D. no voice voting.

The main way to end a filibuster is by

A. a two-thirds vote of the Senate.B. invoking the Cloture Rule.C. convening a conference committee.

D. voting the filibusterer out of office

In order to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law, the President may

A. sign it and attach a veto message.B. refuse to sign it and attach a veto message.C. sign it after ten days if Congress is in

session.D. negotiate a compromise bill with Congress.

Create Your Own BillRequirements:20 Points- Blank Bill Worksheet: Correctly fill out and use

appropriate bill-language. This means do not use words like you, I, basically, kinda, sorta, sometimes, etc. Make sure you fill out everything in the right place. Carefully read where everything should go.

20 Points - Visual: Create a visual (poster, commercial, etc.) for your Bill. Visual should look nice, describe in a few words what your Bill aims to do, and be complete by Bill Presentation Day.

25 Points - Bill Presentation: Present your Bill to the class. Be able to accurately describe what your Bill aims to do and persuade the Senate (class) to pass it. Be prepared to answer questions or take challenges from your colleagues.