The legislative branch of power

In the usa

Warm-up

Discuss the following questions in pairs. Share your ideas with your groupmates.

1. What are the functions of the legislative branch of power? What is it usually vested in?

2. What is understood by a bicameral legislative body? Whose interests do the upper and lower chambers represent?

Pronunciation

Watch the pronunciation of the following words. If it is necessary consult a dictionary.

legislative powers

chambers

Senate

senators

House of Representatives

guarantee

congressional district

to preside

revenue bills

to levy

naturalization

impeachment trial

Reading

Read the text and find answers to the following questions.

1. What are the two chambers in US Congress?

2. What are the main functions of Congress?

Article 1 of the Constitution grants all legislative powers of the federal government to a Congress which is made up of two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The upper chamber, the Senate, is composed of two members for each state as provided by the Constitution. Membership in the House is based on population and its size and is therefore not specified in the Constitution.

For more than 100 years after the adoption of the Constitution, senators were not elected by direct vote of the people but were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were looked on as representatives of their home states. Their duty was to ensure that their states were treated equally in all legislation. While there was intense debate in the Convention over the makeup and powers of Congress, many delegates believed that the legislative branch would be relatively unimportant. A few believed that the Congress would concern itself largely with external affairs, leaving domestic matters to state and local governments. In fact, the Congress has proved to be exceedingly active, with broad powers and authority in all matters of national concern. While its strength was waxed at different periods of American history, the Congress has never been impotent or a rubber stamp for presidential decisions.

The upper chamber of Congress is the Senate which comprises 100 Senators,. The Constitution requires that US senators must be at least 30 years old of age, citizens of the United States for at least 9 years, and residents of the states from which they are elected. Each state is entitled to two senators. Thus, Rhode Island, the smallest one, has the same senatorial representation as Alaska, the biggest state.

Senators are chosen in statewide elections held in even-numbered years. The senatorial term is 6 years, and every 2 years one-third of the chamber stands for election. Hence, two-thirds of the senators are always persons with some legislative experience at the national level.

The lower chamber is represented by the House of Representatives. Its members must be at least 25, citizens of the USA for seven years, and residents of the states which send them to Congress. The sates may also set additional requirements for election to Congress, but the Constitution gives each house the power to determine the qualifications of its members.

The total number of the House of Representatives has been determined by Congress (there are 435 members at present). That number is further divided among the states according to number of their population. Regardless of its population every state is guaranteed at least one member in the chamber. At present six states (Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) have only one representative. On the other hand, six states have more than 20 representatives – California, for example, has 45.

State legislatures divide the states into congressional districts, which must be substantially equal in population. Every 2 years, the voters of each district choose a representative for Congress. Almost all elections in the USA follow “the winner –take-it-all” principle, i.e. the candidate who wins the largest number of votes in a Congressional district is the winner.

The Constitution provides that the Vice-President shall be the head of the Senate. He or She has no vote except in the case of a tie. The Senate chooses a president pro tempore to preside when the vice-president is absent. The House of Representatives chooses its own presiding officer – the Speaker of the House. The Speaker and the President pro tempore are always members of the political party with the largest representation in each house.

Being the main legislative body of the country, Congress makes all laws, and each house has the right to introduce legislation on any subject except revenue bills, which must originate in the House of Representatives. Each can also vote against legislation passed by the other. Since legislation becomes law if both houses agree, compromise between them is essential.

The broad powers of the whole Congress are spelled out in the eighth section of the first Article of the Constitution. They are:

• to levy and collect taxes;

• to borrow money for the public treasury;

• to make rules and regulations governing commerce among the states and with foreign countries;

• to make uniform rules for the naturalization of foreign citizens;

• to coin money;

• to establish post offices and post roads;

• to set up a system of federal courts;

• to declare war;

• to raise and support armies.

However, both the upper and lower chambers of Congress have some special powers and responsibilities which are within the jurisdiction of each chamber.

The Senate has the right

• to approve presidential nominations to the federal courts (including the Supreme Court, by majority vote);

• to approve presidential appointments to federal positions (by a majority vote);

• to approve treaties (by 2/3 vote);

• to serve as jury in impeachment trials;

• to select a Vice-President if the electoral college fails to.

The House of Representatives has the right

• to originate all spending bills

• to serve as prosecution in impeachment trial

• to select a President if the Electoral College fails to.

Scanning

1. Complete the following sentences.

1. Article 1 of the Constitution grants all legislative powers to … .

2. Membership in the House of Representatives is based on … .

3. The upper chamber of Congress comprises … .

4. For electoral purposes all states are divided into … .

5. The head of the Senate … .

6. The House of Representatives is presided over by … .

7. Revenue bills must originate … .

8. Both the upper and the lower chambers of Congress have … .

2. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the legislative power in the USA vested in?

2. What are the two chambers of American Congress?

3. How has the role of Senate changed since the nineteenth century?

4. How many members does the upper chamber of Congress comprise?

5. What requirements must a candidate for the post of a senator meet?

6. Are all states equally represented in Senate?

7. What are the main requirements for a member of the House of Representatives?

8. How many members does the House of Representatives consist of?

9. What is the main principle of the states/ representation in the lower chamber of Congress?

10. What is a congressional district?

11. What does “the winner-takes-it-al” principle imply?

12. Who presides over the two chambers of Congress?

13. What are the functions of the president pro tempore?

14. Why is the compromise between the houses essential?

15. What are the main functions performed by Congress?

16. What issues are under the jurisdiction of Senate?

17. What issues must be necessarily examined by the House of Representatives?

18. What role does Congress play in the elections of US President?

3. Complete the table. Compare the structure and main functions of Senate and the House of Representatives.

Aspects	House of Representatives	Senate
Structure
Principles of election
Basic requirements for the members
The head of the Chamber
Main functions

Speaking

Using the table from the previous exercise speak about the structure, functions and role of US Congress.

Word Study

1. Give Russian equivalents to the following words and phrases from the text.

The upper chamber; the lower chamber; to be based on population and size; to be treated equally in legislation; to be waxed; to be impotent; to be entitled to two senators; to be held in even-numbered years; revenue bills; to be spelled out in the Constitution; to levy and collect taxes; to coin money; to declare war; to raise and support armies; to serve as a jury in impeachment trials.

2. Give English equivalents to the following words and phrases from the text.

Давать законодательную власть; состоять их двух палат; избираться прямым голосованием; состав и функции Конгресса; обладать широкой властью и полномочиями в делах государственной важности; житель штата; выдвигать требования к кандидатам; равное распределение голосов; принимать законы; представлять на рассмотрение законопроект; государственная казна; принимать законы регулирующие торговлю; создавать единые требования по процессу натурализации иностранных граждан; одобрять кандидатуры, выдвинутые президентом, на посты судей; одобрять назначения президента на федеральные посты; вносить законопроекты по расходам и бюджету страны; выступать в качестве обвинения в процедуре импичмента.

3. Define the following words and word combinations:

• Congress

• Senate

• House of Representatives

• a senator

• a representative

• a congressional district

• “the winner-takes-it-all” principle

• Vice President

• President pro tempore

• the Speaker of the House

• jury

• prosecution

• impeachment

• naturalization

4. Complete the following text by translating the words or expressions in brackets.

The (законодательная ветвь власти) – (конгресс) – consists of the (Сенат) and the (Палата Представителей). Each (сенатор) is elected for six years and each (представитель) for two years, with no limitation on the number of (сроков).

Each of the 50 states (выбирает) two senators under a system in which (одна треть) of the Senate is elected every two years. A senator must be older than 30 years old and must have been an (гражданин Америки) for (по меньшей мере) nine years.

The House of Representatives has 435 (членов). Each state is divided into congressional districts of roughly (равное) population, and the (избиратели) of each district elect one representative to Congress. A member must be older than 25 years of age and must have been an American citizen for at least seven years.

Both (палата) of Congress must (одобрить законопроекты) before they become law. The Senate alone (утверждает) the President’s (кандидатуры) for high-level official positions and (ратифицирует договоры) with other nations.

5. Make up 10 sentences to translate from Russian into English using the Vocabulary units from the Word Study section.

Talking Point

Compare the legislative branches of power in the USA and Great Britain. Consider the following points:

• the structure of Congress and Parliament

• the lower chambers, their structure and powers

• the upper chambers, their structure and powers

• the role the main legislative bodies play in the political life of the countries

Writing

Write an essay on the following topic: “A comparative analysis of the legislative branches of power in Great Britain and in the USA: Parliament and Congress”

UNIT VI