The united states of america legislative branch

The legislative branch of the United States government is represented by Congress of the United States. Congress is composed of two chambers with equal powers: the 100-member Senate and the 435-member House of Representatives. The primary duty of Congress is to write, debate, and pass bills (proposed laws), which are then passed on to the President for approval. Once the President approves the legislation, the executive branch enforces the new laws and the judicial branch interprets them. Other congressional duties include investigating pressing national issues, supervising the executive and judicial branches, and shaping U.S. foreign policy.

A new Congress begins in January every two years following congressional elections, in which voters choose all representatives and a third of the senators. The entire House membership faces reelection every two years, but the Senate is a continuing body because there is never an entirely new Senate. Since the First Congress, which met from 1789 to 1791, all Congresses have been numbered in order. The members elected in 1996 served in the 105th Congress, convened in 1997 and 1998. Congress usually holds one session a year. Originally, most congressional sessions lasted from the first Monday in December until the following March 4. The 20th Amendment, which was adopted in 1933, changed the beginning of the congressional session to January 3, but permits Congress to select a different date. There is no fixed adjournment date. During the annual session Congress takes several recesses to allow members to return to their home states. Besides the regular sessions, the President can call special sessions of Congress.

The House and the Senate each convene in their own chambers in the Capitol. On rare occasions they gather for a joint session in the House chamber, usually to hear a speech by the President or by a dignitary from another country. Congress also meets in joint session to count the electoral votes for Presidential elections.

Most members of Congress work very hard. Daily tasks typically include: (1) meeting with constituents to discuss issues, (2) attending committee meetings, (3) meeting with government officials and lobbyists, (4) studying and discussing legislation, (5) working with informal groups of colleagues, (6) assisting constituents with problems, (7) managing the congressional office and staff, (8) raising money for the next campaign, (9) working with party leaders to build support for bills, (10) overseeing how agencies are carrying out laws, and (11) appearing publicly outside the state or district to address issues.

Members of Congress rely on staff aides to help them with their heavy workload. House members are allotted up to 18 staff members, who work in local district offices or on Capitol Hill—the location of House and Senate chambers and offices. Senators' staffs vary according to their states' populations. About a third of congressional aides work in state offices, and the rest on Capitol Hill. (2538)

TEXT 21 POWERS OF CONGRESS  

The Constitution of the United States grants Congress "all legislative powers" in the national government. Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution lists a wide range of congressional powers, including printing money, maintaining a military, declaring war, and regulating interstate and foreign commerce. Congress also controls federal taxing and spending policies—one of the most important sources of power in the government. The Constitution also gives Congress the authority to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper," an implied source of power sometimes called the Elastic Clause.

One of the most important implied powers is Congress's authority to investigate and oversee the executive branch and its agencies, such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice. As part of this responsibility, which is known as oversight, Congress summons senior officials to answer questions from members, orders audits of agencies, and holds hearings to air grievances¹ of citizens.

Congress also holds hearings on matters of general public concern. Sometimes members of Congress conduct these hearings to identify problems that create a need for new laws. In other cases Congress holds hearings to raise public awareness about an issue. Sometimes members of Congress conduct hearings in an effort to bolster their reputations and improve their election prospects.

Congress reviews the professional conduct of its own members but usually punishes only the most egregious violations of House and Senate rules. Congress certifies the election results of its own members as submitted by state officials. Certification is usually routine.

Some congressional powers remain rarely used. Congress can impeach the President and other federal officials for treason, bribery, and other serious offenses, but it hardly ever does so. Although members of Congress discuss impeachment from time to time and have initiated proceedings in many cases, there have been only 14 formal impeachment trials. Of the 14 officials tried, only half were convicted and removed from office. The House of Representatives votes on whether to charge officials with impeachable offenses. If the House votes to impeach, then the Senate conducts the impeachment trial itself. The Vice President of the United States presides over the Senate during impeachment proceedings, except when the President is impeached. In an impeachment of the President, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the proceedings. A two-thirds majority vote of senators present at an impeachment trial is necessary to secure conviction.

In 1868 President Andrew Johnson was impeached on charges of defying the authority of Congress and of violating a federal law, the recently enacted Tenure of Office Act². Johnson was acquitted by a single vote, but his victory established the precedent that Presidents should not face impeachment for purely political reasons. In 1974 the House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment (charges) against President Richard Nixon, who soon resigned rather than face further congressional action based on his involvement in the Watergate scandal³.

Congress also rarely uses its power to amend the Constitution. The Constitution permits Congress to propose new constitutional amendments through a two-thirds vote of both chambers, which then must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. The difficulty of amending the Constitution stops Congress from proposing new amendments very often.

Congress shares many powers with the President. Congress takes equal responsibility with the President in framing U.S. foreign policy. The President and his representatives negotiate treaties with other countries, but the treaties go into effect only when the Senate approves them. Similarly, the President appoints ambassadors, federal judges, and many other government officials, but they must be confirmed by the Senate.

Congress also shares control over the military with the President. Congress has the authority to declare war and provide funding for soldiers and weapons, but the President serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Congress has declared war on five occasions: the War of 1812 against Britain (1812-1815), the Mexican War (1846-1848), the Spanish-American War (1898), World War I (1914-1918), and World War II (1939-1945). In more than 200 other instances, however, Presidents have sent armed forces into hostile situations in other countries to protect U.S. lives or property, without a declaration of war. Many of these were brief rescue or peacekeeping missions. Some, such as the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1959-1975), were full-blown conflicts.

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