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Legislative Branch - Coggle Diagram
Legislative Branch
Congress
Senate
Each state is represented equally
two representatives with two votes
More "mature" body in congress
30+ year old members
6 year terms
more constitutional responsibility
Less connected to the people they represent
House of Representatives
Amount of representatives correlates to population of individual states
More populous states have more representatives and less populous states have less
Each state is guaranteed at least one
Max representatives in all is 435
Supposedly less "mature" body in congress
Members only need to be 25 years old
Two year terms
Because of the increased number of members per state, they are generally closer to the issues that people in their districts care about
Less likely to team up with other members for common legislative goals
Unique purpose is to specifically make laws
How are laws made?
Both houses of Congress have to agree by vote on identical versions of the bill
Gets passed to the president for signing
Senate rules
Unlimited Debate
Filibustering
Generally more relaxed than the house
House rules
Limited debate
Way more rules than the senate
Generally more strict
Where does it get its power?
Article 1, Section 8
Enumerated Powers
I. Power to pass a federal budget (Power of the purse)
II. Power to raise revenue
III. Power to coin money
IV. Power to declare war
V. Power to raise and maintain the armed forces
Necessary and proper clause
Implied Powers
Basically anything that falls under the necessary and proper clause
Congress can pass any law that helps carry out the enumerated powers
Facts about congress as a whole
Congressional approval ratings rarely climb above 40%
Founding fathers originally intended the most power to rest within this branch