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American Government - Congress

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    Study Guide American Government – Congress 1. The Two Houses of Congress Congress has two chambers : the Senate and the House of Representatives . • The Senate is often called the upper chamber . • The House is called the lower chamber . The Founders believed these two chambers would attract different types of people and serve different purposes. 1.1 The House of Representa Ɵ ves • Members of the House are elected every two years . • They represent smaller districts , so the Founders thought they would stay closer to the people . • Because of frequent elections, House members must respond to their constituents’ needs quickly. The House tends to be rowdier and more competitive , which allows strong, confrontational leaders — like former Speaker Newt Gingrich — to rise in influence. 1.2 The Senate • Senators serve six - year terms and were originally chosen by state legislatures (before 1913). • There were stricter eligibility requirements , so the Founders thought the Senate would represent the nation’s wealthy and established interests . The Senate is more deliberative , with rules designed to encourage debate . Its traditions and norms give it the feel of an exclusive club , promoting polished and thoughtful discussion .

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    Study Guide 1.3 How Things Changed • The Seventeenth Amendment (1913) made Senators directly elected by voters . • Today, Senators must work hard to win reelection , making them more accountable to the public than the Founders originally expected. • House members, in contrast, rarely lose reelection unless there’s scandal or redistricting. This makes them more insulated from the popular passions the Founders feared. 2. The Powers of Congress Congress has both specific and implied powers , which have grown over time through amendments and legislation. Both the House and Senate share authority in certain areas, giving Congress broad influence over national affairs. 2.1 Speci fi c Powers The Constitution lists 27 specific powers for Congress in Article I, Section 8 . These are called enumerated powers and include: • Collecting taxes • Regulating commerce (both foreign and domestic) • Coining money • Declaring war • Supporting an army and navy • Establishing lower federal courts Other 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, and Twenty - sixth amendments

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    Study Guide 2.2 Implied Powers Implied powers are not written directly in the Constitution. Instead, they come from the “necessary and proper” clause (also called the elastic clause ) at the end of Article I, Section 8. This clause lets Congress make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers , stretching its authority as needed. • Historic example: In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) , the Supreme Court allowed Congress to create a national bank as part of its power to borrow money and regulate commerce. • Modern example: The War Powers Act (1973) limited the president’s ability to send troops into combat without consulting Congress, based on implied powers over military policy. 2. 3 Limita Ɵ ons on Congress Congress’s powers are not unlimited . • Constitutional limits: Article I, Section 9 lists powers denied to Congress . • Individual rights: The Bill of Rights prevents Congress from passing laws that violate civil liberties. • Checks and balances: o The president can veto laws o The Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional o Voters can push for repeals, like what happened with the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition) 3. The Organiza Ɵ on of Congress Congress is made up of 100 Senators (2 from each state) and 435 House members , a number fixed by the Reapportionment Act of 1929 . This law prevents the House from growing too large as the population increases. Today, each House member represents about 570,000 people .

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