Chapter 11Lawmakers and legislatures

11.2: Legislators and Their ConstituentsLegislators usually start in local politics

Constituents: people that are in home district and states

Formal qualifications: Must be residents of the state that they are

elected to represent Senators must be at least 30 years old

Representatives 25 years old

11.2: continued…Apportionment:

Senate has 100 seats, 2 for each state House of Representatives has 435 seats divided

among each states population The constitutional principle behind

apportionment is equal representation “one person, one vote”. Each district should have about the same number of people

The U.S. census every ten years reapportions each states districts due to population change

11.4: The Work of Congress The Powers of Congress

levy and collect taxes borrow money regulate interstate and foreign commerce coin money declare war

11.4: continued…How Congress Checks the Other Branches

Oversight: oversees executive agencies Confirmation: must confirm key officials appointed by

president Impeachment: The H of R can impeach federal officials

including the president by voting to accept the formal accusation against the person, senate conducts the trial and votes on whether to remove from office

Ratification: senate must ratify all treaties negotiated by the president

Override: Congress can override presidential vetoAmendment: vote of both houses can propose an

amendment to the Constitution