President O 2 3 Vote example essay topic
674 words
Constitution of the United States Article 1 Section 1- Congress o Legislative powers belong to congress o Congress is made up of the House of representatives and the Senate Section 2- House of Representatives o People vote members to the house of representatives every 2 years o Representatives must be at least 25 and have been a US citizen for 7 years o Number of reps is determined by states population, each state is guaranteed one representative, slaves count for 3/5 of a person o Vacancies filled by special elections o Speaker is the leader and chooses head of committees. Speaker is also in charge of Impeachment (charges to an officer) Section 3- The senate o Senators elected by the people, 2 from each state, serve for 6 years. o 1/3 of the senate elected every year, staggered the first senators terms o Must be at least 30 yrs. old and have been a US citizen for 9 years. o Vice president is president of the senate. Casts the deciding vote in a tie. o Senate selects its officers, including a preceding officer who serves when the vice president is absent or has to become president. o 2/3 vote needed for impeachment trails o The senate can only remove and official from office and prevent the person from holding further office. Section 4- Elections and meetings o Members of the house elected from districts having more than one representative. o Meetings held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. o Congress assembles once a year on the January 3rd Section 5- Organization and rules of procedure o 1969- supreme court ruled that congress could not exclude any qualified people o Minimum # of 218 of the 435 members must be present to conduct a meeting o Each house has its own rules, can punish members, and can expel them with 2/3 vote o Congressional record of roll call, journals, and everything said on the floor o Neither house can adjourn for more that 3 days or move w / o permission from the other house Section 6- Privileges and Restrictions o Senator and reps paid o Cant be sued or prosecuted for anything they say in congress o Cant be arrested with congress in session, except for major crimes o Can't be promised other jobs while in congress, can't pass laws just to benefit themselves Section 7- Passing Laws o All tax laws must originate in the house o Bill becomes a law by passing both houses and the president. o If president vetoes and 2/3 of each house votes yes, then it becomes a law, only if congress has not adjourned during a ten day period Section 8- Powers granted to Congress o Power to tax, can borrow money, regulate commerce, immigrate people, control currency, punishment for counterfeit, established post office, copyright laws, court system, protect American ships, raise an army and navy, regulate military, provide militia, national guard, laws for the capitol and the elastic clause Section 9- Powers denied to Federal Government o No person can be punished for committing a crime before the law is passed. o Bill of attainder (punishes someone w / o a trial) o Habeas Corpus- bring a person to court and show cause for holding the prisoner o Cannot tax goods that move from one state to another o Uniformity of treatment, cant favor one over another in regulation of trade o Appropriation law protects against the misuse of funds o Presidents expenditures must have congress' permission o Titles of nobility prevent nobility in the U.S. Section 10- Powers denied to the states o cannot make treaties or alliances, coin money, give bills of credit, pass laws of unfair punishment, or grant titles of nobility o cannot tax imports or exports w / o the consent of congress o cannot tax ships w / o the consent of congress, keep a regular army, make agreements with other states or countries, or enlarge in war (unless invaded or in grave danger).