Changes

{{Government Lectures}}

{{Government Lectures}}

This final lecture is a good place to include some review.  The United States is governed by “Rule of Law” rather than by a king or dictator.  The “law” is the [[Constitution]], and all federal laws applying it.   

This final lecture is a good place to include some review.  The United States is governed by “Rule of Law” rather than by a king or dictator.  The “law” is the [[Constitution]], and all federal laws applying it.   

Every two years, as required by the U.S. Constitution, the entire House of Representatives is elected and one-third of the U.S. Senate is also elected.  The first week in the subsequent January after the November elections, the new (and returning) politicians are sworn into office, and a new "session" of Congress begins.  There is a 1st and 2nd session of Congress, for the first and second years of its two-year term.

Every two years, as required by the U.S. Constitution, the entire House of Representatives is elected and one-third of the U.S. Senate is also elected.  The first week in the subsequent January after the November elections, the new (and returning) politicians are sworn into office, and a new "session" of Congress begins.  There is a 1st and 2nd session of Congress, for the first and second years of its two-year term.

The 1st session of the 1st Congress was in 1789, after the elections of 1788.  The 2nd session of the 1st Congress was in 1790.  There were congressional elections in 1790 (but not a presidential election, because that did not happen until 1792).  Beginning in 1792 was the 2nd Congress, beginning in 1794 was the 3rd Congress, and beginning in 2013 is the 113th Congress.<ref>2013 minus 1879 equals 224, which divided by 2 is 112.  Hence there have been 112 Congresses in the history of the United States, and this is the beginning of the 113th Congress in 2013.</ref>  The last bill passed by the 112th Congress was the fiscal cliff legislation it passed in an extraordinary vote on New Year's Day.

The 1st session of the 1st Congress was in 1789, after the elections of 1788.  The 2nd session of the 1st Congress was in 1790.  There were congressional elections in 1790 (but not a presidential election, because that did not happen until 1792).  Beginning in 1792 was the 2nd Congress, beginning in 1794 was the 3rd Congress, and beginning in 2013 is the 113th Congress.<ref>2013 minus 1789 equals 224, which divided by 2 is 112.  Hence there have been 112 Congresses in the history of the United States, and this is the beginning of the 113th Congress in 2013.</ref>  The last bill passed by the 112th Congress was the fiscal cliff legislation it passed in an extraordinary vote on New Year's Day.

No legislative sponsored or introduced in a prior Congress carries over to a new Congress.  Each new Congress starts with a blank slate.  But this 113th Congress has bigger challenges than most: the United States is 16 trillion in debt, and the "debt ceiling" (the maximum amount allowed by law for the United States to borrow) must be raised to an even higher level for the government to continue to operate as it has been.

No legislative sponsored or introduced in a prior Congress carries over to a new Congress.  Each new Congress starts with a blank slate.  But this 113th Congress has bigger challenges than most: the United States is 16 trillion in debt, and the "debt ceiling" (the maximum amount allowed by law for the United States to borrow) must be raised to an even higher level for the government to continue to operate as it has been.