ESLvideo Quiz
Chapter 2 - The Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch (Congress)
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Chapter 2: The Legislative Branch
Congress
The legislative branch is one part of the US government. Another name for the legislative branch is the US Congress.
The Constitution says that Congress makes federal laws. When the founders were writing the Constitution, they believed that the power to make laws is the most important power in government.
At the Constitutional Convention, the founders decided each state should have representatives in Congress, but they disagreed about how many representatives each state should have. Finally, the founders agreed that Congress would have two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives
There are 435 voting members in the House of Representatives. Each of the 50 states is divided into congressional districts, and each district elects one representative to serve in the House of Representatives.
Some states have more representatives because they have more people electing members. Members of the House of Representatives are elected every 2 years. A person must be at least 25 years old and must live in the state where the congressional district is located. Only US citizens can run for federal office, so a person must be a US citizen to be elected to the House of Representatives.
To find the name of your representative, please visit: https://www.house.gov
The Speaker of the House
The leader of the House of Representatives is called the Speaker of the House.
To find the current Speaker of the House, please visit: https://www.speaker.gov
The Senate
The Senate has 100 US senators – two for each state. Each senator represents everyone in their state.
Electing US Senators
Senators serve for 6 years. A person must be at least 30 years old to join the Senate. Only US citizens can run for federal office.
To find your senators, visit: https://www.senate.gov
Making Federal Laws
Congress makes federal laws. These are rules that everyone in the United States must follow. When members of Congress want a new law, they write a bill. A bill is a proposal for a new law.
For the bill to pass, most of the voting members in both the House of Representatives and the Senate must vote "Yes."
For example:
- There are 435 voting members in the House of Representatives. To pass a bill in the House, at least 218 members
must vote "Yes."
- In the Senate, there are 100 US senators. To pass most bills in the Senate, at least 51 senators must vote "Yes."
If both parts of Congress pass the bill, it goes to the president. If the president agrees, he or she signs the bill into law, and everyone in the country must follow it. If the president disagrees, he or she vetoes the bill, which means the bill does not become a law.
Congress
The legislative branch is one part of the US government. Another name for the legislative branch is the US Congress.
The Constitution says that Congress makes federal laws. When the founders were writing the Constitution, they believed that the power to make laws is the most important power in government.
At the Constitutional Convention, the founders decided each state should have representatives in Congress, but they disagreed about how many representatives each state should have. Finally, the founders agreed that Congress would have two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives
There are 435 voting members in the House of Representatives. Each of the 50 states is divided into congressional districts, and each district elects one representative to serve in the House of Representatives.
Some states have more representatives because they have more people electing members. Members of the House of Representatives are elected every 2 years. A person must be at least 25 years old and must live in the state where the congressional district is located. Only US citizens can run for federal office, so a person must be a US citizen to be elected to the House of Representatives.
To find the name of your representative, please visit: https://www.house.gov
The Speaker of the House
The leader of the House of Representatives is called the Speaker of the House.
To find the current Speaker of the House, please visit: https://www.speaker.gov
The Senate
The Senate has 100 US senators – two for each state. Each senator represents everyone in their state.
Electing US Senators
Senators serve for 6 years. A person must be at least 30 years old to join the Senate. Only US citizens can run for federal office.
To find your senators, visit: https://www.senate.gov
Making Federal Laws
Congress makes federal laws. These are rules that everyone in the United States must follow. When members of Congress want a new law, they write a bill. A bill is a proposal for a new law.
For the bill to pass, most of the voting members in both the House of Representatives and the Senate must vote "Yes."
For example:
- There are 435 voting members in the House of Representatives. To pass a bill in the House, at least 218 members
must vote "Yes."
- In the Senate, there are 100 US senators. To pass most bills in the Senate, at least 51 senators must vote "Yes."
If both parts of Congress pass the bill, it goes to the president. If the president agrees, he or she signs the bill into law, and everyone in the country must follow it. If the president disagrees, he or she vetoes the bill, which means the bill does not become a law.
