What Is the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Government? | History

Summary

The video script delves into the structure and functions of the US legislative branch, composed of the bicameral Congress with the House of Representatives and the Senate. It explains the origins of this system, the unique powers of each house, and the complex process of bill passage, including the roles of the Speaker of the House and the Vice President as the President of the Senate. The summary highlights the importance of Congress in representing the people and balancing national and state powers.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The United States has three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
• 📜 The legislative branch consists of the United States Congress, which includes two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• 🗳️ The Constitution's Article I outlines the functions, powers, and parameters of Congress and its representatives.
• 👥 Congressmen's primary responsibilities are to represent constituents, write laws, oversee agencies, and pass bills.
• 🏢 The House of Representatives is the first and lower house, with 435 elected officials based on state population.
• 📊 To be a member of the House, one must be at least 25 years old, have lived in the US for seven years, and be elected by the people.
• 🗣️ The House of Representatives has exclusive powers, such as initiating tax laws, spending bills, and impeachments.
• 🌟 The Senate is the upper house with two senators from each state, regardless of population size.
• 📝 Senators must be at least 30 years old, have lived in the US for nine years, and are elected by the people.
• 👑 The Vice President of the United States serves as the head of the Senate with the power to cast a tie-breaking vote.
• 📜 The Senate has exclusive powers to approve presidential appointments and treaties, and it tries impeached officials.
• 🔄 The process of passing a bill involves committees, amendments, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the President.
• ⚖️ Congress is the only branch elected directly by the people and balances national power with individual state interests.

Q & A

What are the three branches of government in the United States?

The three branches of government in the United States are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

What is the role of the legislative branch in the US government?

The legislative branch, comprised of the United States Congress, is responsible for writing and passing all federal laws, among various other functions.

How was the debate on the type of legislature resolved during the drafting of the Constitution?

The debate was resolved by settling on both equal and proportional representation, resulting in a bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What are the two houses that form the United States Congress?

The two houses that form the United States Congress are the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What is outlined in Article I of the Constitution regarding the legislative branch?

Article I of the Constitution outlines the functions, powers, and parameters of the Congress and its individual representatives.

What are the primary responsibilities of a congressman?

A congressman's primary responsibilities include representing the interests of their constituents, working together to write laws, overseeing other government agencies, and passing bills.

How many elected officials make up the House of Representatives and what determines their number?

The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected officials, with each state allotted a number of congressmen determined by their total population.

What are the qualifications to become a member of the House of Representatives?

To become a member of the House, one must be at least 25 years old, have lived in the US for seven years, live in the state they will represent, and be elected by the people.

What are the exclusive powers of the House of Representatives?

The House has exclusive powers to initiate tax laws and spending bills, initiate impeachment of a president or other government officials, and cast the deciding vote in the Electoral College if there is no majority for a presidential candidate.

How many senators are there in the Senate and how are they represented?

There are 100 senators in the Senate, with two senators from each state, ensuring equal representation regardless of state population size.

What are the qualifications to run for the Senate and the term of service for senators?

To run for the Senate, one must be at least 30 years old, have lived in the US for nine years, and live in the state they will represent. Senators serve six-year terms, with a third of the Senate up for re-election every even year.

What is the role of the Vice President in the Senate?

The Vice President of the United States serves as the head of the Senate but may only cast a vote in the event of a tie.

What are the exclusive powers of the Senate?

The Senate exclusively has the power to approve presidential appointments and treaties, and it is responsible for trying government officials when the House moves to impeach.

What is the process for a bill to become law in the United States Congress?

A bill can originate in either the House or the Senate, goes through committees, amendments, and floor debates, moves to the other chamber for the same process, and if edits are made, goes back for another vote. Both chambers must approve the exact same bill before it can move to the President for approval. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a 2/3 majority vote in both houses.

Why is it said that failing to pass legislation is an inevitable part of congressional routine?

Failing to pass legislation is an inevitable part of congressional routine due to the complex process of bill passage, the need for consensus between the two chambers, and the potential for presidential vetoes.

How does Congress balance the relationship between the power of the nation and the individual states?

Congress balances the relationship between the power of the nation and the individual states through its bicameral structure, which includes representation based on population in the House and equal representation of states in the Senate.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Structure and Function of the U.S. Congress

The United States Congress, part of the legislative branch, is composed of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Constitution's Article I outlines their powers and functions. The House of Representatives consists of 435 members elected based on state population, serving two-year terms. It has exclusive powers to initiate tax and spending bills and impeachments. The Senate, with two members from each state, has equal representation regardless of population size and serves six-year terms. It holds the power to approve presidential appointments and treaties. Both houses work together to pass bills, which involves a complex process of committees, amendments, and debates, culminating in a presidential approval or veto, which can be overridden by a 2/3 majority vote in both houses.

Keywords

💡Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is one of the three branches of government in the United States, responsible for writing and passing federal laws. It is the focus of the video script, which explains its composition and functions. The term is used to describe the United States Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate, as outlined in the Constitution's Article I.

💡Bicameral Legislature

A bicameral legislature refers to a legislative body that is divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses. In the context of the video, the United States Congress is bicameral, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the legislative branch responsible for law-making.

💡House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress. It is composed of 435 elected officials, with each state's representation determined by its population. The video script highlights the qualifications for members, the election process, and its exclusive powers, such as initiating tax laws and impeachments.

💡Senate

The Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with each state having two senators regardless of population size. The script explains the Senate's composition, the qualifications for senators, and its unique powers, including the approval of presidential appointments and treaties.

💡Constituents

Constituents are the people who are represented by an elected official in a legislative body. In the video, it is mentioned that a primary responsibility of a congressman is to represent the interests of their constituents, emphasizing the democratic nature of the legislative process.

💡Bills

Bills are proposed laws that are submitted for consideration by a legislative body. The video script details the process of how a bill is passed, including committee reviews, amendments, and debates, highlighting the complexity and importance of this legislative action.

💡Impeachment

Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official, including the president. The video script notes that the House of Representatives has the exclusive power to initiate impeachment proceedings, which are then tried by the Senate.

💡Electoral College

The Electoral College is the body that formally elects the president and vice president of the United States. The script mentions that if no candidate receives a majority in the Electoral College, the House of Representatives casts the deciding vote.

💡Speaker of the House

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer and leader of the House of Representatives. The video script explains that the Speaker is elected by the members of the House and plays a crucial role in the legislative process.

💡Veto

A veto is the power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress. The script describes the process where, if the president vetoes a bill, Congress can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses.

💡Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land and outlines the structure and powers of the government. The video script refers to the Constitution, particularly Article I, which details the functions, powers, and parameters of the legislative branch.

Highlights

The U.S. has three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.

The legislative branch includes the United States Congress, which is responsible for writing and passing federal laws.

The Founding Fathers debated between equal and proportional representation for the legislature.

The legislative branch consists of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Article I of the Constitution outlines the functions, powers, and parameters of Congress.

A congressman's responsibilities include representing constituents, writing laws, and overseeing government agencies.

The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected officials based on state population.

Members of the House must be at least 25 years old, have lived in the U.S. for seven years, and be elected by the people.

Congressmen serve two-year terms and can be re-elected every even year.

The Speaker of the House leads the House of Representatives and is elected by its members.

The House has exclusive powers, such as initiating tax laws, spending bills, and impeachment.

The Senate is composed of 100 members, with two senators from each state, regardless of population size.

Senators must be at least 30 years old, have lived in the U.S. for nine years, and live in the state they represent.

Senators serve six-year terms, with a third of the Senate up for re-election every even year.

Before the 17th Amendment, senators were elected by state legislatures; now they are elected by the people.

The Vice President of the United States is the head of the Senate and casts a vote in case of a tie.

The Senate has the exclusive power to approve presidential appointments and treaties, and to try impeached officials.

Both houses have the power to tax, coin money, declare war, and regulate foreign and interstate commerce.

Passing a bill involves committees, amendments, floor debates, and approval by both chambers.

If a bill is vetoed by the president, Congress can attempt to override with a 2/3 majority vote in both houses.

Congress is the only branch elected directly by the people and balances national and state powers.

Transcripts

- There are three branches

of government in the US,

legislative, executive,

and judicial.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The legislative branch

is comprised of the United States

Congress, the bicameral

legislature responsible for

writing and passing all federal laws,

among various other functions.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Back when the Founding Fathers

drafted the Constitution, debate

stirred over the type of legislature

they'd have, one with equal

representation, ie, the same number

of representatives for each state,

or of proportional representation,

in which the number of representatives

reflected the size of each state's

population.

Unable to choose, they

settled on both, a legislative branch

with two houses, the House

of Representatives and the Senate,

which together, form the Congress.

This was all outlined in Article I

of the Constitution, which also notes

the functions, powers,

and parameters of the Congress

and its individual representatives.

A congressman's primary

responsibilities include representing

the interests of their constituents,

working together to write laws,

overseeing other government agencies,

and passing bills.

But of course, that's all way easier

said than done.

To understand how it all works,

we have take a closer look

at the makeup of the two distinct houses.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The first and lower house

is the House of Representatives

made up of 435 elected officials.

Each state is allotted a number

of congressmen determined

by their total population.

To become a member of the House,

one must be at least 25,

have lived in the US for seven years,

live in this state they will represent,

and be elected by the people.

Congressmen serve two-year terms

and are up for re-election

every even year.

The House is led by the Speaker

of the House, who is elected by the House

of Representatives.

The House has a few exclusive powers

not shared by the Senate.

Only the House can initiate tax laws

and spending bills.

Only the House can initiate impeachment

of a president or other government

officials.

And in the event that there is no majority

in the Electoral College for one

of the presidential candidates,

it's the House who casts

the deciding vote.

The Senate, or the Upper House,

is made up of only 100

elected members with two senators

from each state.

Here, a state like Wyoming

has as strong a voice as California,

even though California

has a much larger population.

To run for Senate, one

must be at least 30 years old,

have lived in the US for nine years,

and live in the state that they

will represent.

Senators serve six-year terms.

Every even year, a third of the Senate

is up for re-election.

Before the 17th amendment

was ratified in 1912, senators

were elected by the state legislatures.

But now, they are elected

by us, the people.

The vise president of the United States

serves as the head of the Senate,

but he or she may only

cast a vote in the event of a tie.

The Senate exclusively

has the power to approve

presidential appointments

and treaties.

And when the House moves to impeach

a government official,

it's the Senate that tries them.

Together, both houses have the power

to tax, coin money, declare war,

and regulate foreign and

interstate commerce.

But Congress's bread and butter

is writing and passing bills.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Getting a bill passed is no easy task.

A bill can originate in either the House

or the Senate.

But before it gets voted upon,

it goes through a series

of committees, and amendments,

and floor debates.

After a vote, it moves

to the other chamber, and the process

continues.

If the one chamber makes any edits

to a bill passed by the other,

it has to go back for another vote.

The House and Senate must vote to approve

the exact same bill before it

can move on.

If it fails to get a majority vote,

it has to be reintroduced.

If it passes, it goes to the president's

desk for approval.

If the president chooses

to veto a bill, which essentially voids

it, Congress can push back

the veto override.

But to do this, they needed 2/3 majority

vote in both houses.

Failing to pass legislation

is an inevitable part of congressional

routine.

Congress is the only branch of government

whose members are elected directly

by the people, and the only part

of government that tries to balance

the relationship between the power

of the nation and the individual states.

[MUSIC PLAYING]