The Legislative Branch | The White House

All legislative power in the government is vested in Congress, meaning that it is the only part of the government that can make new laws or change existing laws ... Skiptocontent ToggleHighContrast ToggleHighContrast ToggleLargeFontSize ToggleLargeFontSize NavigatethisSection Select TheLegislativeBranch TheExecutiveBranch TheJudicialBranch ElectionsandVoting StateandLocalGovernment TheConstitution OurGovernment TheLegislativeBranch TheExecutiveBranch TheJudicialBranch ElectionsandVoting StateandLocalGovernment TheConstitution EstablishedbyArticleIoftheConstitution,theLegislativeBranchconsistsoftheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate,whichtogetherformtheUnitedStatesCongress.TheConstitutiongrantsCongressthesoleauthoritytoenactlegislationanddeclarewar,therighttoconfirmorrejectmanyPresidentialappointments,andsubstantialinvestigativepowers. TheHouseofRepresentativesismadeupof435electedmembers,dividedamongthe50statesinproportiontotheirtotalpopulation.Inaddition,thereare6non-votingmembers,representingtheDistrictofColumbia,theCommonwealthofPuertoRico,andfourotherterritoriesoftheUnitedStates:AmericanSamoa,Guam,theU.S.VirginIslands,andtheCommonwealthofNorthernMarianaIslands.ThepresidingofficerofthechamberistheSpeakeroftheHouse,electedbytheRepresentatives.HeorsheisthirdinthelineofsuccessiontothePresidency. MembersoftheHouseareelectedeverytwoyearsandmustbe25yearsofage,aU.S.citizenforatleastsevenyears,andaresidentofthestate(butnotnecessarilythedistrict)theyrepresent. TheHousehasseveralpowersassignedexclusivelytoit,includingthepowertoinitiaterevenuebills,impeachfederalofficials,andelectthePresidentinthecaseofanElectoralCollegetie. TheSenateiscomposedof100Senators,2foreachstate.Untiltheratificationofthe17thAmendmentin1913,Senatorswerechosenbystatelegislatures,notbypopularvote.Sincethen,theyhavebeenelectedtosix-yeartermsbythepeopleofeachstate.Senators’termsarestaggeredsothataboutone-thirdoftheSenateisupforreelectioneverytwoyears.Senatorsmustbe30yearsofage,U.S.citizensforatleastnineyears,andresidentsofthestatetheyrepresent. TheVicePresidentoftheUnitedStatesservesasPresidentoftheSenateandmaycastthedecisivevoteintheeventofatieintheSenate. TheSenatehasthesolepowertoconfirmthoseofthePresident’sappointmentsthatrequireconsent,andtoprovideadviceandconsenttoratifytreaties.Thereare,however,twoexceptionstothisrule:theHousemustalsoapproveappointmentstotheVicePresidencyandanytreatythatinvolvesforeigntrade.TheSenatealsotriesimpeachmentcasesforfederalofficialsreferredtoitbytheHouse. InordertopasslegislationandsendittothePresidentforhisorhersignature,boththeHouseandtheSenatemustpassthesamebillbymajorityvote.IfthePresidentvetoesabill,theymayoverridehisvetobypassingthebillagainineachchamberwithatleasttwo-thirdsofeachbodyvotinginfavor. TheLegislativeProcess ThefirststepinthelegislativeprocessistheintroductionofabilltoCongress.Anyonecanwriteit,butonlymembersofCongresscanintroducelegislation.SomeimportantbillsaretraditionallyintroducedattherequestofthePresident,suchastheannualfederalbudget.Duringthelegislativeprocess,however,theinitialbillcanundergodrasticchanges. Afterbeingintroduced,abillisreferredtotheappropriatecommitteeforreview.Thereare17Senatecommittees,with70subcommittees,and23Housecommittees,with104subcommittees.Thecommitteesarenotsetinstone,butchangeinnumberandformwitheachnewCongressasrequiredfortheefficientconsiderationoflegislation.Eachcommitteeoverseesaspecificpolicyarea,andthesubcommitteestakeonmorespecializedpolicyareas.Forexample,theHouseCommitteeonWaysandMeansincludessubcommitteesonSocialSecurityandTrade. Abillisfirstconsideredinasubcommittee,whereitmaybeaccepted,amended,orrejectedentirely.Ifthemembersofthesubcommitteeagreetomoveabillforward,itisreportedtothefullcommittee,wheretheprocessisrepeatedagain.Throughoutthisstageoftheprocess,thecommitteesandsubcommitteescallhearingstoinvestigatethemeritsandflawsofthebill.Theyinviteexperts,advocates,andopponentstoappearbeforethecommitteeandprovidetestimony,andcancompelpeopletoappearusingsubpoenapowerifnecessary. Ifthefullcommitteevotestoapprovethebill,itisreportedtotheflooroftheHouseorSenate,andthemajoritypartyleadershipdecideswhentoplacethebillonthecalendarforconsideration.Ifabillisparticularlypressing,itmaybeconsideredrightaway.Othersmaywaitformonthsorneverbescheduledatall. Whenthebillcomesupforconsideration,theHousehasaverystructureddebateprocess.Eachmemberwhowishestospeakonlyhasafewminutes,andthenumberandkindofamendmentsareusuallylimited.IntheSenate,debateonmostbillsisunlimited—Senatorsmayspeaktoissuesotherthanthebillunderconsiderationduringtheirspeeches,andanyamendmentcanbeintroduced.Senatorscanusethistofilibusterbillsunderconsideration,aprocedurebywhichaSenatordelaysavoteonabill—andbyextensionitspassage—byrefusingtostanddown.Asupermajorityof60Senatorscanbreakafilibusterbyinvokingcloture,orthecessionofdebateonthebill,andforcingavote.Oncedebateisover,thevotesofasimplemajoritypassthebill. AbillmustpassbothhousesofCongressbeforeitgoestothePresidentforconsideration.ThoughtheConstitutionrequiresthatthetwobillshavetheexactsamewording,thisrarelyhappensinpractice.Tobringthebillsintoalignment,aConferenceCommitteeisconvened,consistingofmembersfrombothchambers.Themembersofthecommitteeproduceaconferencereport,intendedasthefinalversionofthebill.Eachchamberthenvotesagaintoapprovetheconferencereport.Dependingonwherethebilloriginated,thefinaltextisthenenrolledbyeithertheClerkoftheHouseortheSecretaryoftheSenate,andpresentedtotheSpeakeroftheHouseandthePresidentoftheSenatefortheirsignatures.ThebillisthensenttothePresident. WhenreceivingabillfromCongress,thePresidenthasseveraloptions.IfthePresidentagreessubstantiallywiththebill,heorshemaysignitintolaw,andthebillisthenprintedintheStatutesatLarge.IfthePresidentbelievesthelawtobebadpolicy,heorshemayvetoitandsenditbacktoCongress.Congressmayoverridethevetowithatwo-thirdsvoteofeachchamber,atwhichpointthebillbecomeslawandisprinted. TherearetwootheroptionsthatthePresidentmayexercise.IfCongressisinsessionandthePresidenttakesnoactionwithin10days,thebillbecomeslaw.IfCongressadjournsbefore10daysareupandthePresidenttakesnoaction,thenthebilldiesandCongressmaynotvotetooverride.Thisiscalledapocketveto,andifCongressstillwantstopassthelegislation,theymustbegintheentireprocessanew. PowersofCongress Congress,asoneofthethreecoequalbranchesofgovernment,isascribedsignificantpowersbytheConstitution.AlllegislativepowerinthegovernmentisvestedinCongress,meaningthatitistheonlypartofthegovernmentthatcanmakenewlawsorchangeexistinglaws.ExecutiveBranchagenciesissueregulationswiththefullforceoflaw,buttheseareonlyundertheauthorityoflawsenactedbyCongress.ThePresidentmayvetobillsCongresspasses,butCongressmayalsooverrideavetobyatwo-thirdsvoteinboththeSenateandtheHouseofRepresentatives. ArticleIoftheConstitutionenumeratesthepowersofCongressandthespecificareasinwhichitmaylegislate.Congressisalsoempoweredtoenactlawsdeemed“necessaryandproper”fortheexecutionofthepowersgiventoanypartofthegovernmentundertheConstitution. PartofCongress’sexerciseoflegislativeauthorityistheestablishmentofanannualbudgetforthegovernment.Tothisend,Congressleviestaxesandtariffstoprovidefundingforessentialgovernmentservices.Ifenoughmoneycannotberaisedtofundthegovernment,thenCongressmayalsoauthorizeborrowingtomakeupthedifference.Congresscanalsomandatespendingonspecificitems:legislativelydirectedspending,commonlyknownas“earmarks,”specifiesfundsforaparticularproject,ratherthanforagovernmentagency. BothchambersofCongresshaveextensiveinvestigativepowers,andmaycompeltheproductionofevidenceortestimonytowardwhateverendtheydeemnecessary.MembersofCongressspendmuchoftheirtimeholdinghearingsandinvestigationsincommittee.RefusaltocooperatewithacongressionalsubpoenacanresultinchargesofcontemptofCongress,whichcouldresultinaprisonterm. TheSenatemaintainsseveralpowerstoitself:Itconsentstotheratificationoftreatiesbyatwo-thirdssupermajorityvoteandconfirmstheappointmentsofthePresidentbyamajorityvote.TheconsentoftheHouseofRepresentativesisalsonecessaryfortheratificationoftradeagreementsandtheconfirmationoftheVicePresident. Congressalsoholdsthesolepowertodeclarewar. GovernmentOversight OversightoftheexecutivebranchisanimportantCongressionalcheckonthePresident’spowerandabalanceagainsthisorherdiscretioninimplementinglawsandmakingregulations. OneprimarywaythatCongressconductsoversightisthroughhearings.TheHouseCommitteeonOversightandGovernmentReformandtheSenateCommitteeonHomelandSecurityandGovernmentAffairsarebothdevotedtooverseeingandreforminggovernmentoperations,andeachcommitteeconductsoversightinitspolicyarea. Congressalsomaintainsaninvestigativeorganization,theGovernmentAccountabilityOffice(GAO).Foundedin1921astheGeneralAccountingOffice,itsoriginalmissionwastoauditthebudgetsandfinancialstatementssenttoCongressbytheSecretaryoftheTreasuryandtheDirectoroftheOfficeofManagementandBudget.Today,theGAOauditsandgeneratesreportsoneveryaspectofthegovernment,ensuringthattaxpayerdollarsarespentwiththeeffectivenessandefficiencythattheAmericanpeopledeserve. TheExecutiveBranchalsopolicesitself:Sixty-fourInspectorsGeneral,eachresponsibleforadifferentagency,regularlyauditandreportontheagenciestowhichtheyareattached. 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