ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱ
US House of Representatives
435 voting members each represents a congressional district serves for a 2-year term 6 non-voting members 5 delegates from the District of Columbia, Guam, Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands (2-year term) resident commissioner from Puerto Rico (4year term)
US House of Representatives
Each party elects a whip. to ensure that the party's members vote as the party leadership desires
US House of Representatives
We will explore
Legislative branch bicameral Congress House of Representative Senate
Executive branch President Cabinet members and other officials Judicial branch Courts Federal courts the Supreme Court lower federal courts State courts
US House of Representatives
3 qualifications (1) be at least 25 years old; (2) have been a citizen of the United States for the past 7 years; (3) be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they represent Disqualification (Under the 14th Amendment ) a federal or state officer engages in rebellion or aids the enemies of the United States, is disqualified from becoming a representative
US Senate
qualifications • each senator must be at least 30 years old, • must have been a citizen of the United States for at least the past 9 years • must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state he or she seeks to represent
The House uses committees and their subcommittees for a variety of purposes The appointment of committee members is formally made by the whole House, but the choice of members is actually made by the political parties. Membership on committees represents the party's strength in the House as a whole.
US House of Representatives
Each House committee and subcommittee is led by a chairman. control the committee/subcommittee agenda, and may prevent the committee from dealing with a bill
Members
253 178 4 435
US House of Representatives
The presiding officer of the House: the Speaker elected by the members of the House also the leader of their party second in the line of presidential succession behind the Vice President The powers of the presiding officer are extensive one important power is that of controlling the order in which members of the House speak.
US House of Representatives
Each party elects a floor leader. Majority Leader Minority Leader Party leaders decide what legislation members of their party should either support or oppose.
Three basic principles
• federalism division of power was between the national government and the state governments • separation of powers • division of power was within the national government— • legislative, executive, and judicial • checks and balances
US House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party
Delegates / Resident Commissioner (non-voting)
6 0 0 6
Affiliation Democratic Party Republican Party Vacancy Total
US Senate
an oath to support the Constitution I, A— B—, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
Chapters 10 &11
The U.S. Federal Regime
General introduction
• Federal government of the United States is the central government entity established by the United States Constitution • Shares sovereignty over the United States of America with the governments of the individual U.S. states • The seat of the federal government is in the District of Columbia. • the first modern national federation in the world
US Senate
the upper house of the US Congress each state is represented by two senators serve staggered 6-year terms (1/3 of the Senate stands for election every 2 years ) • consenting to treaties as a precondition to their ratification • consenting or confirmation of appointments of Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, other federal executive officials, military officers and other federal uniformed officers • trying federal officials impeached by the House
US House of Representatives
Committee of the Whole largest committee, consists of all members of the House considers and amends bills 20 standing committees each has jurisdiction over a specific set of issues considers, amends, and reports bills that fall under its jurisdiction oversee the departments and agencies of the executive branch