What are the two houses of Congress?
The legislative branch of the U.S. government is called Congress. Congress has two parts, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress meets in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. to the President.
Is Congress different from Senate?
Each state has a minimum of one representative in Congress. The House and Senate have evolved into very different bodies. They have entirely separate rules and ways of conducting business. Today, Congress consists of 100 senators (two from each state) and 435 voting members of the House of Representatives.
How does a bill become a law?
The Bill Is a Law If a bill has passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and has been approved by the President, or if a presidential veto has been overridden, the bill becomes a law and is enforced by the government.
Who makes laws for the nation?
Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government and makes laws for the nation. Congress has two legislative bodies or chambers: the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Anyone elected to either body can propose a new law. A bill is a proposal for a new law.
Which branch is made up of the president?
the Executive Branch
The power of the Executive Branch is vested in the President of the United States, who also acts as head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
Why does Congress have two chambers?
To balance the interests of both the small and large states, the Framers of the Constitution divided the power of Congress between the two houses. Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state’s population.
Does a bill go to the House or Senate first?
First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate.
What are the 7 steps for a bill to become a law?
How a Bill Becomes a Law
- STEP 1: The Creation of a Bill. Members of the House or Senate draft, sponsor and introduce bills for consideration by Congress.
- STEP 2: Committee Action.
- STEP 3: Floor Action.
- STEP 4: Vote.
- STEP 5: Conference Committees.
- STEP 6: Presidential Action.
- STEP 7: The Creation of a Law.
Who can veto a bill?
The power of the President to refuse to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevent its enactment into law is the veto. The president has ten days (excluding Sundays) to sign a bill passed by Congress.
What branch can declare war?
The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers.