🏛️ The Legislative Branch: Congress and the Power to Make Laws

🇺🇸 Introduction: What Is the Legislative Branch?

The Legislative Branch is the part of the U.S. government that makes the laws. It is made up of Congress, which has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together, these two groups write, debate, and pass the laws that affect every person in the United States.

Congress is also in charge of important decisions like declaring war, collecting taxes, and approving the national budget. It's a big job, and it's a key part of the system of checks and balances that keeps the U.S. government fair and balanced.

🏛️ What Is Congress?

Congress is the law-making body of the federal government. It was created by the Constitution in Article I, which gives Congress its powers and structure. Congress has two chambers, or "houses":

• 🏠 The House of Representatives
• 🏛 The Senate

This system is called a bicameral legislature (bi = two, cameral = chambers).

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the larger of the two chambers. It has 435 members, and the number from each state depends on the state’s population. For example, California has many representatives because it has a lot of people, while a smaller state like Vermont has only one.

✅ Key Facts:

• Members are called Representatives or Congresspeople
• Serve 2-year terms
• Must be at least 25 years old
• Must live in the state they represent
• Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
• The leader is the Speaker of the House

The House is responsible for starting bills about money and taxes and has the sole power to impeach federal officials (like the President).

🏛 The Senate

The Senate is the smaller chamber of Congress, but it has big responsibilities. Each of the 50 states elects 2 Senators, no matter how big or small the state is. That means there are 100 Senators in total.

✅ Key Facts:

• Senators serve 6-year terms
• Must be at least 30 years old
• Must live in the state they represent
• Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years
• The Vice President is the official leader of the Senate but only votes to break ties
• The daily leader is the Senate Majority Leader

The Senate approves treaties, confirms the President’s appointments, and holds impeachment trials.

🧾 What Does Congress Do?

Congress has many duties that affect every American. Its most important job is to make laws, but it also:

• Approves the federal budget (how money is spent)
• Decides on taxes and spending
• Declares war
• Regulates trade and the economy
• Holds hearings and investigations
• Approves or rejects Presidential appointments (like judges and ambassadors)

Members of Congress often work on committees, small groups focused on certain topics like the environment, education, or defense.

🧑‍🏫 How a Bill Becomes a Law (In Brief)

1. A bill (a proposed law) is written and introduced by a Senator or Representative
2. The bill goes to a committee to be studied and possibly changed
3. If approved, it goes to the full House or Senate for a vote
4. If passed, it goes to the other chamber (House or Senate)
5. If both chambers approve the same version, it goes to the President
6. The President can sign it into law or veto it
7. If vetoed, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote

🔁 Checks and Balances: How Congress Shares Power

Even though Congress is powerful, it doesn’t work alone. The Constitution created checks and balances to make sure no one branch of government becomes too strong.

Congress Checks the Other Branches:

• Executive Branch:
  • Can impeach the President
  • Can override a Presidential veto
  • Must approve appointments and treaties
• Judicial Branch:
  • Can approve or reject federal judges
  • Can change laws to respond to court rulings
  • Can propose constitutional amendments

🧒 Kid-Friendly Summary

The Legislative Branch, or Congress, is in charge of making laws for the whole country. It has two parts: the House of Representatives, based on population, and the Senate, with two Senators per state. Congress also controls money, confirms leaders, and keeps the President and courts in check.

📚 Vocabulary Words

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Congress is the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government.
• It has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• The House is based on state population, and the Senate gives equal power to every state.
• Congress writes laws, controls money, and checks the power of the President and courts.
• The system of checks and balances keeps the government fair and accountable.

🌟 Interesting Facts

• Congress meets in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
• The current Congress is numbered (e.g., the 118th Congress) because it changes every two years.
• The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and helps Congress do research.
• A member of the House is sometimes called a “Congressperson,” but Senators are also part of Congress.
• The Constitution requires that Congress meet at least once every year.

💭 Think About It

If you were a member of Congress, what law would you want to create?
Why do you think it’s important to have both a House and a Senate in Congress?