Christensen 1 Keegan Christensen Jamie Nelson, MPA POLS 1100 Section 012 23 February 2014 The United States

Congress The legislative branch is just one of the three branches that make up the United States government. This branch works alongside the executive and judicial branches, but has their own separate powers and purpose. The purposes, or jobs, of the legislature are essentially what make them an important part of our government. These purposes and powers have changed slightly over time, though some of them are specifically outlined within the constitution. The composition of congress has also been established by the constitution. The legislative branch is broken into two chambers. This composition is called bicameralism. The two chambers are the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is comprised of 435 elected officials, chosen by the citizens of their respective states. The term for each representative is two years. In the Senate, each state is simply given two representatives. Originally, these senators were chosen by members of the House. However, with the passing of the Seventeenth Amendment, the system was changed to allow citizens to directly elect their senators. Senators hold their office for a total of six years, with one-third of the body facing election every two years. This staggers the elections in a way that prevents the entire body from being changed in a single election.

Christensen 2 When you consider the role of Congress, one of the first things that comes to mind is lawmaking. This does not mean that Congress actually writes the bills which they pass, making them binding laws for American citizens. Most laws are actually written by the Executive branch, special interest groups, and other outside organizations. Congress debates these bills, builds support for them, add their own earmarks, and may eventually pass them into law. Congresss job of passing bill into law is not a simple process. In the Senate, when a bill is introduced, it is sent to a committee. Committees review the bill. Bills may then be sent to a subcommittee. The subcommittee may continue hearings and revisions. They may also conduct studies, but essentially must approve the bill and send it back to the full committee. The full committee will occasionally make revisions and conduct hearings. At this point the full committee may approve the bill and recommend it, or allow it to die. When the bill is approved, it goes to a rules committee, and then on to the House floor. Once a bill makes it to the house floor, they debate the bill and vote on passing it. Bills on the House floor are often amended as well. The Senate process is very similar. The bill is sent to a committee, then to a subcommittee, back to the full committee, and then potentially to the Senate floor for debate and passage. The key difference is that the Senate does not have a rules committee. They also have different rules for debate. Once related bills have made it through each chamber, they are sent to a conference committee to work out differences between the two. After the committee comes to an agreement, the revised versions are sent to each chamber for approval. If both chambers agree, the bill is sent to the President, who signs the bill into law, or vetoes it. In the event that the President does veto a bill, Congress can still enact the law if they are able to gain a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Christensen 3 Congress also has the job of oversight. When they pass laws, it is their job to ensure that these laws are being enforced appropriately, and having the desired effect on the nation. They ensure that agencies are operating as intended and are appropriately funded. Often, oversight is conducted through hearings and investigations. Sometimes the amount of oversight conducted is determined by the political party holding the majority of power in Congress, in comparison to the political affiliation of the President. When they are the same party, there may be less oversight than when the parties differ. Another job of Congress is to represent their constituents. There are two different philosophies on how this should be done, and every representative attempts to act in the way they feel best serves their people. Some legislators approach their job as delegates. They feel it is their duty to enact the will of those who elected them. The opposing philosophy is that they are not delegates, but trustees. In this instance they feel that is their duty to act in the interest of the nation as a whole, and not simply tackle individual issues the way their constituents might hope. It is not easy for legislators to please the public by enacting just one of these philosophies. Often, they must try to balance the two. Legislators must also provide certain services to their constituents, often in the form of casework. While a good portion of this work is actually performed by a legislators office, it allows constituents to contact them with potential issues and concerns. Issues and concerns may lie in the realm of legislation, regulations, or the interests of constituents. With the complexity of our government, it is sometimes essential in making sense of things. Legislators also perform the duties of education the public, and attempting to resolve conflicts between differing ideologies and public interest groups.

Christensen 4 The powers of Congress are also part of what make them an important part of our governmental structure. Congress has the power to shape the economy through currency, to generate revenue for maintaining the government and infrastructure, to regulate commerce, and to provide for the security of nation through establishment of military and declarations of war. They also hold the power to amend the constitution, though this is only possible through a twothirds majority vote. The Senate, specifically, has the power to review and approve the appointment of Supreme Court justices, as well as certain positions within the Executive branch. The way in which the legislative branch works with the executive and judicial branches very much lies within their powers and duties. They work alongside the executive branch through oversight, approval of ambassadors and executive officers, and overriding presidential vetoes. They work alongside the judicial branch through their establishment of law and their approval of Supreme Court and federal court justices. The importance of the legislative branch comes from the duties they perform, and the balance they provide to the other branches of our government. They strike a balance between the many differing viewpoints of our nations citizens, attempting to resolve conflict and providing education on important issues and topics. They establish laws that protect, and promote the interests of various groups. They assist their constituents in understanding complex laws, and attempt to intervene with various agencies on their behalf. They provide a voice for the people in establishment and execution of law, preventing tyrannical rule and appointment of corrupt officers within the executive branch. They also attempt to ensure that the judicial system maintains a balance of viewpoints and does not arbitrarily promote their own agenda through case law. While legislators may not always do what the citizens wish, their branch does, at the very least, balance the scales of the system. They do have a crucial role.

Works Cited Schmidt, Steffen W., Mack C. Shelley II, and Barbara A Bardes. American Government and Politics Today. 2012-2013 Brief Edition. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print