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Study GuideAmerican Government–Congress1.The Two Houses of CongressCongress hastwo chambers: theSenateand theHouse of Representatives.•TheSenateis often called theupper chamber.•TheHouseis called thelower chamber.The Founders believed these two chambers would attractdifferent types of peopleand servedifferent purposes.1.1The House of RepresentaƟves•Members of the House areelected every two years.•They representsmaller districts, so the Founders thought they would staycloser to thepeople.•Because of frequent elections, House members must respond to their constituents’ needsquickly.The House tends to berowdier and more competitive, which allowsstrong, confrontationalleaders—like former Speaker Newt Gingrich—to rise in influence.1.2The Senate•Senators servesix-year termsand wereoriginally chosen by state legislatures(before1913).•There werestricter eligibility requirements, so the Founders thought the Senate wouldrepresent thenation’s wealthy and established interests.The Senate is moredeliberative, with rules designed toencourage debate. Its traditions and normsgive it the feel of anexclusive club, promotingpolished and thoughtful discussion.

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Study Guide1.3How Things Changed•TheSeventeenth Amendment (1913)made Senatorsdirectly elected by voters.•Today, Senators mustwork hard to win reelection, making them more accountable to thepublic than the Founders originally expected.•House members, in contrast,rarely lose reelectionunless there’s scandal or redistricting.This makes them moreinsulated from the popular passionsthe Founders feared.2.The Powers of CongressCongress hasboth specific and implied powers, which have grown over time through amendmentsand legislation. Both theHouseandSenateshare authority in certain areas, giving Congress broadinfluence over national affairs.2.1Specific PowersThe Constitution lists27 specific powersfor Congress inArticle I, Section 8. These are calledenumerated powersand include:•Collecting taxes•Regulating commerce(both foreign and domestic)•Coining money•Declaring war•Supporting an army and navy•Establishing lower federal courtsOther powers come from different parts of the Constitution or amendments:•Admitting new states–Article IV, Section 3•Proposing amendments to the Constitution–Article V•Collecting federal income taxes–Sixteenth Amendment•Protecting civil rights–Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth, andTwenty-sixth amendments

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Study Guide2.2Implied PowersImplied powersare not written directly in the Constitution. Instead, they come from the“necessaryand proper” clause(also called theelastic clause) at the end of Article I, Section 8. This clause letsCongress make lawsneeded to carry out its enumerated powers, stretching its authority asneeded.•Historic example:InMcCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court allowed Congressto create anational bankas part of its power to borrow money and regulate commerce.•Modern example:TheWar Powers Act (1973)limited the president’s ability to send troopsinto combat without consulting Congress, based on implied powers over military policy.2.3LimitaƟons on CongressCongress’s powers arenot unlimited.•Constitutional limits:Article I, Section 9 lists powersdenied to Congress.•Individual rights:TheBill of Rightsprevents Congress from passing laws that violate civilliberties.•Checks and balances:oThepresidentcan veto lawsoTheSupreme Courtcan declare laws unconstitutionaloVoterscan push for repeals, like what happened with theEighteenth Amendment(Prohibition)3.The OrganizaƟon of CongressCongress is made up of100 Senators(2 from each state) and435 House members, a number fixedby theReapportionment Act of 1929. This law prevents the House from growing too large as thepopulation increases. Today, each House member represents about570,000 people.

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