Difference between revisions of "United States Congress"
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Congress is divided into two houses, the [[Senate]] and the [[House of Representatives]]. The Senate gives equal weight for each state, with each state electing 2 senators who serve 6 year terms. The House is proportioned based upon population, with each House member serving a 2 year term. The House and Senate must agree for [[legislation]] to be enacted. The [[President]] can [[veto]] that legislation which can then be overridden by a 2/3rds majority of both Houses of Congress. | Congress is divided into two houses, the [[Senate]] and the [[House of Representatives]]. The Senate gives equal weight for each state, with each state electing 2 senators who serve 6 year terms. The House is proportioned based upon population, with each House member serving a 2 year term. The House and Senate must agree for [[legislation]] to be enacted. The [[President]] can [[veto]] that legislation which can then be overridden by a 2/3rds majority of both Houses of Congress. | ||
| − | The basis of these two components come from [[James Madison]]'s [[Virginia Plan]] and [[William Patterson]]'s [[New Jersey Plan]]. During the [[Philadelphia Convention]] in 1787 (where delegates set out to either ratify the current failing law of the land - the [[Articles of Confederation]] or create a new constitution all together - eventually doing the latter), Madison's [[Virginia]] Plan called for two houses both of which would be represent each state based on its population. Smaller states took issue with this, as the provision was highly favorable to Virginia. Thus, William Patterson proposed the [[New Jersey]] Plan - which called for one house that represented each stated with a single vote. Eventually the [[ | + | The basis of these two components come from [[James Madison]]'s [[Virginia Plan]] and [[William Patterson]]'s [[New Jersey Plan]]. During the [[Philadelphia Convention]] in 1787 (where delegates set out to either ratify the current failing law of the land - the [[Articles of Confederation]] or create a new constitution all together - eventually doing the latter), Madison's [[Virginia]] Plan called for two houses both of which would be represent each state based on its population. Smaller states took issue with this, as the provision was highly favorable to Virginia. Thus, William Patterson proposed the [[New Jersey]] Plan - which called for one house that represented each stated with a single vote. Eventually the [[Connecticut]] delegates proposed the [[Connecticut Compromise]] - which called for two houses, the upper of which would represent each state equally, and the lower of which would represent each state according to population.<ref>Boyer, 187</ref> |
==Quotations== | ==Quotations== | ||
Revision as of 00:55, September 30, 2007
Congress is the term for the legislative body of the United States of America, composed of the House of Representatives and Senate.
Powers
The powers of congress, called the Delegated Powers are detailed in Article I, section eight. This includes the Necessary and Proper Clause.[1]
Origin
The Congress of the United States was created in the first article of the Constitution.[2]
Houses
Congress is divided into two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate gives equal weight for each state, with each state electing 2 senators who serve 6 year terms. The House is proportioned based upon population, with each House member serving a 2 year term. The House and Senate must agree for legislation to be enacted. The President can veto that legislation which can then be overridden by a 2/3rds majority of both Houses of Congress.
The basis of these two components come from James Madison's Virginia Plan and William Patterson's New Jersey Plan. During the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 (where delegates set out to either ratify the current failing law of the land - the Articles of Confederation or create a new constitution all together - eventually doing the latter), Madison's Virginia Plan called for two houses both of which would be represent each state based on its population. Smaller states took issue with this, as the provision was highly favorable to Virginia. Thus, William Patterson proposed the New Jersey Plan - which called for one house that represented each stated with a single vote. Eventually the Connecticut delegates proposed the Connecticut Compromise - which called for two houses, the upper of which would represent each state equally, and the lower of which would represent each state according to population.[3]
Quotations
| “ | There is no distinctly American criminal class, except Congress | ” |
--Mark Twain
References
Boyer, Paul, Clifford Clark, Jr., Nancy Woloch, Neal Salisbury, and Harvard Sitkoff. The Enduring Vision. 5th. New York: Charles Hartford,
References
- ↑ U.S. Government and Politics
- ↑ http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section1
- ↑ Boyer, 187