How a Bill becomes a law.
1. A bill is introduced by a Representative. The Speaker of the House sends the bill to the proper committee.
2. The committee discusses the bill, holds hearings, and changes parts of the bill if needed. If approved, the bill goes to the rules committee.
3. The rules committee puts the bill on the calendar for presentation to the entire House of Representatives.
4. The House debates the bill and may add to or change the bill. For approval, a majority must agree to pass the bill. If passed, the bill goes to the Senate.
5. The conference comittee is made up of House and Senate members. They work together to resolve any differences. The final bill then goes back to both houses for another vote. The final approved bill is then sent to the President.
6. The President has 10 days to study a bill . If signed, the bill becomes law. If vetoed, Congress may override rhe veto by a 2/3 vote of both the House and the Senate. The bill then becomes law without the President’s approval.
The Electoral College
The President and Vice President are chosen by the electoral college. The electoral college is a collection of electors – people – chosen by voters in each state. Each state has as many electors as the total number of its Representatives and Senators in Congress. For example, the state of New Jersey has 13 Representatives and 2 Senators, making a total of 15. Therefore, New Jersey has 15 electors, or electoral votes. A Presidential candidate must win a majority in the state. The majority winner then gets all of the electoral votes for that state. There are 538 total electors in the electoral college. A candidate must also receive a majority of the electoral votes, or at least 270 votes, in order to become President.
If none of the candidates for President and Vice President receives a majority of electoral votes, the choice goes to the House of Representatives. The House votes, with each state having one vote. To be elected President, a majority vote is needed.
The Preamble is the introduction to the Constitution. It announces that people in the US have set up their own government to keep peace at home and to defend themselves against other countries, and that the government will do what needs to be done to provide freedom for all people.
The Constitution sets up a system in which a national = federal government is the strongest in the land, stronger than the state governments that created the Constitution. The US is also called a republic, which means that it has no king or queen.
Powers of the Constitution
1.The Federal and State government share power.
The Constitution provides for a federal system of government in which power is divided between the states and the federal government. The federal government is responsible for things the federal government cannot do. For example, only the federal government can make money, declare war, or control trade between the states. State government control education marriage, divorce, and form police forces. Both the federal and state governments can pass taxes, build roads, and try lawbreakers.
2. Representation of the people
A representative form of government has been set up in which voters elect representatives for Congress. These representatives make the laws. The number of representatives from any state in the House of Representatives, or lower house, is based on the population of each state. In the Senate, or upper house, each state has 2 Senators, regardless of its size or population.
3. Cheks and Balances
The power of the federal government is shared by its 3 branches – executive, legislative, and judicial. Each of these branches has certain powers. The branches have also limited power to check each other. By separating the power among the three areas, no branch can become too powerful, This is called a system of checks and balances.