The Legislative Branch

Roles of Members of Congress

-Legislators -Represent Constituents (with regard to legislation and policy) -Committee Members -Servants of Constituents (help constituents with problems they are having with the federal government -Politicians

Qualifications to be a member of Congress

A senator must be at least 30 years of age, must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and must be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected. The Senate, like the House, judges the qualifications of its members, and it may exclude a member by a majority vote. As has the House, the Senate has at times refused to seat a member-elect. The Senate may also "punish its Members for disorderly Behavior" by majority vote and "with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member."

Taxes

A tax is a charge levied by government on persons or property to raise money to meet public needs.

National Debt

The national debt is an accumulation of all the deficits, of all the money that the government has borrowed and has not yet paid back. The National Debt - $13.7 TRILLION!

Subcommittees

a group of people (representatives and senators) who research, hold hearings, and mark up (vote) bills.

Committees

a group of people (senators and representatives) who partially help decide whether or not to pass a bill.

Authorization

approves government programs

Appropriation

approves the amount of money that is spent on the programs that have been authorized/approved

Deficit

deficit is when the nation spends beyond its means in a one year budget cycle and has to borrow money to pay for all the programs that it approved in that year.

Constituencies

people and interests that an elected official represents