The Power To Shape Laws: Voting On The Bills

The Legislative Branch of the US government is responsible for voting on whether bills become laws. The Legislative Branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The process of a bill becoming a law involves its introduction, referral to a committee, placement on the calendar, debate, voting, and review by the President.

The Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate

The Legislative Branch of the United States government is comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate, together forming the United States Congress. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years old, a US citizen for a minimum of seven years, and a resident of the state they represent. The House has several exclusive powers, including the ability to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an Electoral College tie.

The Senate, on the other hand, is composed of 100 Senators, with 2 Senators representing each state. Senators are elected to six-year terms by the people of each state and their terms are staggered, meaning that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years. Senators must be at least 30 years old, US citizens for a minimum of nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The Vice President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate and can cast a decisive vote in the event of a tie.

The Legislative Branch is responsible for creating and modifying laws. Congress has the sole authority to enact legislation, declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and conduct investigations. To pass legislation, a bill must be introduced in Congress, assigned to a committee, and undergo a process of research, discussion, and potential changes. The bill then goes through a series of votes in both the House and the Senate, and if passed by both chambers, it is sent to the President for approval. The President can sign the bill into law or veto it. If vetoed, Congress has the power to override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers, and the bill becomes law.

The House of Representatives has 435 elected members

The Legislative Branch of the United States government is comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The House of Representatives has 435 elected members, who are divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. In addition, there are six non-voting members representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other US territories: American Samoa, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.

The House of Representatives has several powers exclusive to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an Electoral College tie. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be 25 years of age, US citizens for at least seven years, and residents of the state (but not necessarily the district) they represent.

The process of how a bill becomes a law begins with the introduction of legislation. Any member of the House of Representatives can introduce a piece of legislation, which is then handed to the clerk of the House or placed in the hopper. The bill is then assigned a number (e.g. HR 1) and labelled with the sponsor's name. It is sent to the Government Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made. Members can also cosponsor the piece of legislation.

The Speaker of the House or the presiding officer in the Senate then refers the bill to the appropriate committee for review. The bill may be referred to more than one committee and can be split so that parts are sent to different committees. The Speaker of the House may also set time limits on committees. The bill is placed on the calendar of the committee to which it has been assigned. Failure to act on a bill is equivalent to killing it.

The committee will then hold a "mark-up" session, during which it will make revisions and additions. If substantial amendments are made, the committee can order the introduction of a "clean bill" that includes the proposed amendments. This new bill will have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the old bill is discarded. The chamber must approve, change, or reject all committee amendments before conducting a final passage vote. After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares a written report explaining why they favour the bill and why they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted. Committee members who oppose a bill may write a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.

In the House, most bills go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor. The Rules Committee adopts rules that govern the procedures under which the bill will be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments. These rules can have a major impact on whether the bill passes.

The bill is then placed on one of four House Calendars. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader decide what will reach the floor and when. The House has a very structured debate process. Each member who wishes to speak only has a few minutes, and the number and kind of amendments are usually limited. Amendments must be germane to the subject of a bill – no riders are allowed. A quorum call is a vote to ensure there are enough members present (218) for a final vote. If there is not a quorum, the House will adjourn or send the Sergeant at Arms out to round up missing members. The bill is then voted on. If passed, it is sent to the other chamber unless that chamber already has a similar measure under consideration.

If the House and the Senate pass the same bill, it is sent to the President. If they pass different bills, they are sent to a Conference Committee. A Conference Committee is made up of members from each house who work to maintain their version of the bill. If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written conference report, which is submitted to each chamber. The conference report must be approved by both the House and the Senate.

The bill is then sent to the President for review. A bill becomes law if signed by the President or if not signed within 10 days while Congress is in session. If Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up and the President has not signed the bill, then it does not become law ("Pocket Veto"). If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress with a note listing their reasons. The chamber that originated the legislation can attempt to override the veto by a vote of two-thirds of those present. If the veto is overridden in both chambers, then the bill becomes law.

The Senate has 100 Senators, 2 from each state

The Legislative Branch of the United States government is comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The Senate is made up of 100 Senators, with 2 Senators representing each of the 50 states. Senators are elected to six-year terms by the people of each state and must be 30 years of age, US citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The terms of Senators are staggered, with one-third of the Senate up for reelection every two years.

The Senate has several powers that are exclusive to it. These include the power to confirm Presidential appointments (except for appointments to the Vice Presidency, which also requires the approval of the House of Representatives), ratify treaties (except for those involving foreign trade, which also require the approval of the House), and try impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House. Additionally, only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties.

The Senate also has several powers that it shares with the House of Representatives. Both bodies must pass a bill by majority vote for it to be sent to the President for their signature and become a law. If the President vetoes a bill, both the Senate and the House of Representatives can override the veto by passing the bill again with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor.

The Senate differs from the House of Representatives in several ways. Firstly, Senators are elected to six-year terms, while members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years. Secondly, the Senate has the sole power to confirm Presidential appointments (except for appointments to the Vice Presidency) and ratify treaties (except for those involving foreign trade), whereas the House of Representatives has the sole power to initiate revenue bills and impeach federal officials. Finally, while the House processes legislation through a majority vote, the Senate does so through deliberation and debate prior to voting.

The House has exclusive powers, including the power to initiate revenue bills

The Legislative Branch of the US government is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The House has several powers assigned exclusively to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills. This means that the House has the authority to create and modify laws related to taxation and revenue.

The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members, representing Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. The House has the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an Electoral College tie.

The process of initiating a revenue bill typically begins with the introduction of a bill by a member of the House. The bill is then referred to the appropriate committee, which will review, discuss, and make changes to the bill. The committee may hold hearings and invite experts, advocates, and opponents to provide testimony. If the committee approves the bill, it is reported back to the House, where it is debated and voted on. If the bill passes the House, it is then sent to the Senate for consideration.

The US Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 7, Clause 1, states that "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills." This provision gives the House the exclusive power to initiate revenue bills, while still allowing the Senate to propose amendments.

The House's power to initiate revenue bills is often referred to as the "power of the purse" and is considered an important check on executive authority. It allows the House to control government spending and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively and efficiently.

The House's exclusive power to initiate revenue bills is a key aspect of the legislative process and helps shape the financial and budgetary policies of the US government.

The Senate has the sole power to confirm Presidential appointments

The legislative branch of the US government, Congress, is responsible for creating and modifying laws. It is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, both of which have equal legislative powers.

The US Constitution provides that the president "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for."

The Appointments Clause in Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the US Constitution empowers the President of the United States to nominate and, with the confirmation of the Senate, to appoint public officials, including Supreme Court justices. This clause is an example of the system of checks and balances inherent in the Constitution. The president has the plenary power to nominate and appoint, while the Senate possesses the plenary power to reject or confirm the nominee prior to their appointment.

In modern practice, Supreme Court nominations are first referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee before being considered by the full Senate. The committee's examination of a Supreme Court nominee almost always consists of three parts: a pre-hearing investigation, followed by public hearings, and concluding with a committee decision on what recommendation to make to the full Senate. Once that recommendation is reported to the Senate, floor debate can begin ahead of a confirmation vote. A simple majority vote is needed for confirmation.

The process for replacing a Supreme Court justice attracts considerable public attention and is closely scrutinized. The whole process typically takes several months, but it can be completed more quickly. Since the mid-1950s, the average time from nomination to final Senate vote has been about 55 days.

The Senate's check on the president can lead to friction and frustration, especially at the start of an administration when a new president's nominees are considered and sometimes rejected by the Senate. However, as Justice Louis Brandeis famously observed, checks and balances exist "not to promote efficiency but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary power."

The Senate's role in confirming presidential appointments is an important part of the US legislative process and helps ensure that the people appointed to these positions have the necessary competence and integrity.

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