CHAPTER 5 Role and Powers of Congress Section

CHAPTER 5 Role and Powers of Congress Section 1: Role of Congress Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress Section 3: Powers of Congress 1

Role and Power of Congress Section 1: Role of Congress Objectives: l What influences how members of Congress vote? l What purpose do congressional investigations serve? l Why is it important for members of Congress to serve their constituents? 2

Role and Power of Congress Section 1 l. Congress is the ________ branch of the federal government l. Framers of the Constitution outlined the legislative branch’s power in much more detail than the other two branches l. Congress has three key roles l _______________________ l ________ the performance of gov’t agencies l Provides services to the people its members ______ 3

Role and Power of Congress Section 1: Role of Congress Influences on the voting decisions of members of Congress: l __________________ l Members sometimes follow their own beliefs even when it goes against the wishes of voters l __________________ l Members answer to the people of their locality l __________________ l People acting together to achieve shared political goals l Provide info on issues, suggest legislation, and contribute to member’s campaign through political action committees (PACs) l __________________ 4 l Members of the same party have increasingly shared more of the same political beliefs and values.

Role and Power of Congress Section 1: Role of Congress Purpose of congressional investigations: l to examine the ______ and _______ of government agencies l It does this through ________________ l Involves conducting investigations of agency actions and programs l Focus on ______ and _____ in federal agencies 5

Role and Power of Congress Section 1: Role of Congress Reasons members of Congress should serve their constituents: l ___________________________________________ l Such patterns may signal a problem with a gov’t program or a change in constituents’ general attitudes. l ______________________ l Individual Requests l Most constituent mail involves issues such as obtaining info. or expressing views about legislation, requesting help with finding a gov’t job, or asking for assistance with gov’t services such as Social Security 6

Role and Power of Congress Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress Objectives: l How do the houses of Congress differ in their structure and membership? l How are congressional districts drawn? l What is the typical profile of a U. S. congressmember? 7

Role and Power of Congress Section 2 l________________ l The Constitution’s framers intended the House to be closer to the people than would be the Senate. Their expectation was that the House would attract ordinary citizens serving for a brief period. l____________ l The framers of the Constitution intended for the Senate to differ from the House. They thought that the Senate should attract an older, more experienced group of people who would serve longer terms as the nation’s senior leaders. 8

Role and Power of Congress Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress Differences in the structure and membership of Congress: l House of Representatives l l ______ members ______ term representation determined by __________ members required to be at least ____ years old, U. S. citizens for at least _______ years, and legal _______ of the states they represent l ________ l _______ members, or _____ members from each state l _______ term l members required to be at least _____ years old, U. S. citizens for at least ______ years, and legal residents of the _______ they represent 9

Role and Power of Congress Section 2: Houses and Members of Congressional ______ are drawn according to the population distribution as indicated by each official _____ every 10 years. l After each census, Congress uses the new population to count to ______, or distribute, the _____ seats among the states. l Thus, the legislature of a state that holds nine seats in the House must divide the state into nine congressional districts. 10

Role and Power of Congress Section 2: Houses and Members of Congress Typical profile of a U. S. congress member: l has at least a ______ degree l is a _____ male over ______ years old l Minority groups and women generally are not represented in Congress in _________ to their numbers in the U. S. population 11

Role and Power of Congress Section 3: Powers of Congress Objectives: l To what main areas of governing do Congress’s expressed powers apply? l What special powers does Congress hold? l What are the implied powers of Congress? l What constitutional limits exist on congressional powers? 12

Role and Power of Congress Section 3: Powers of Congress’s expressed powers: (Page 105) l government _________ l regulation of _________________ l ____________________ l national sovereignty 13

Role and Power of Congress Section 3: Powers of Congress’s _______ powers: l ______ federal officers l Definition: formally accuse and bring to trial l Charges must be drawn up in the _____________ l Trials held in _______ (acts as jury) with VP as the judge l If president is on trial, the chief justice presides l Approve treaties and presidential appointments l Need _______ vote by Senate l Decide _________ under certain circumstances 14

Role and Power of Congress Section 3: Powers of Congress’s _________ powers: As provided by the ________ Clause, Congress can expand its expressed powers in order to respond to situations __________ by the framers of the Constitution. 15

Role and Power of Congress Section 3: Limits on ___________ powers: l ________ review l Supreme Court can use this power to determine when Congress has reached beyond the powers granted to it by the Constitution l the _________ Amendment l It declares that the states or the people shall keep all the powers not specifically granted to the national government. l Article _____, Section _____ of the Constitution l Some Examples l ____________ l A law that applies to an action that took place before the law was passed l __________________ l A law that punishes a person who has not been convicted in a court of law l Congress cannot suspend the ________________ l A court order requiring police to bring people accused of a crime to court and show sufficient reason to keep them in jail. 16