How is the congress formed?

Answer 1

A. Party

1. Party membership is important; majority party controls leadership positions in each body and all committees.

B. Leadership: 1. House: a. Speaker- normally of majority party. Election by party-line vote. i. power to determine committee assignments ii. important influence on legislation thru procedures iii. presides at House debates

b. Majority leader --leader of majority party (not the Speaker)--coordinates party activity (Minority leader is for Minority party). c. Whips --next-in-line after majority/minority leaders. Each party has their own. Responsible for assisting leader & getting party members to actually show up at important votes.

2. Senate: a. President of the Senate--is the VP of the US (Cheney). i. power to preside ii. only votes to break a tie iii. only actually presides for important events

b. President pro tempore i. presides in absence of VP

c. Majority/minority leaders and whips

i. Majority leader is most powerful person in the Senate, but is less powerful than the House leadership.

C. Committees

1. All legislation is assigned to at least one committee

2. Committee membership based on party--majority party always has a majority of committee members

3. Different kinds of Committees

a. Standing Committees

i. Permanent committees that have a substantive area of competence

ii. areas of competence frequently overlap iii. decision of which committee to send bill to is important

b. ad hoc committees

i. committee set up for special, temporary purpose

c. others

i. conference committees--see next lecture

ii. House Rules committee--see next lecture

4. Committee leadership:

a. elected by majority party but usually based upon seniority (time of service in that committee).

5. Committee Hearings:

a. hearings are held on bills that are being considered

b. opportunity to bring in people to testify for & against bill

6. Committee Action

a. Committees generally are free to change bills (markups)

b. Most bills are never reported out of committee (never voted on).

c. If a bill gets a favorable report, it is sent to the full body for consideration (if allowed by that body's leaders!!).

Answer 2

congress is formed by House of Reps and the Senate in the executive branch which is the lowest of branches the highest is legislative which includes the judges and then the second highest branch is Judical which includes the President

1(HIghest) Legislative: Judges

2(Second Highest) Judical: President

3(Lowest) Executive: Senate and house of Reps

Answer 3

the labour union formed in 1935 by john l. Lewis as the result of division with the American federation of labor BY:-bAd bRiT