Congress: Legislation

US Constitution

The US Constitution is the supreme law of the US, establishing the national government, fundamental laws and guaranteeing certain basic rights to citizens.
Constitution was signed at the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.
It outlays the separation of powers, dividing the government into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
The Constitution also outlines the concept of federalism, a system where power is shared between federal and state governments.

The Constitution includes a provision for amendment to allow for changes over time.
There have been 27 amendments to date, the first 10 known as the Bill of Rights.
Significant amendments include the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, and the 26th Amendment, lowering the voting age to 18.

The Constitution outlines a number of individual liberties, including free speech, religious freedoms, and the right to bear arms.
The 14th Amendment crucially ensures equal protection under law, creating a constitutional foundation for civil rights.

The Constitution stands on key principles such as popular sovereignty, republicanism, limited government, and individual rights.
It endorses a checks and balances system to prevent any branch from gaining too much power.

Under federalism, powers are divided between the states and the national government.
Some powers are shared, known as concurrent powers, like the power to tax, while others are reserved specifically for either the federal government or the states.
The 10th Amendment reserves all powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.

Federalism allows states to act as “laboratories of democracy”, trying out different policies and solutions.
However, it can also lead to inconsistencies and inequalities across states, such as disparities in public education or health care services.

The UK has an uncodified constitution, contrasting with the US’s written constitution.
US Constitution affords a separation of powers between branches; in contrast, the UK’s Parliament is both the legislative and executive.
The US has a federal system while the UK is a unitary system with devolved powers.

The US Congress consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Each state has two Senators, while Representatives are apportioned based on population.

Composition of Congress has been largely dominated by two parties: Democratic and Republican.
However, the balance of power between them can vary significantly from one election cycle to the next.

Congress has the power to make laws, regulate commerce, declare war, approve treaties, and oversee the executive branch through impeachment.
The House of Representatives holds the power of the purse, controlling government spending.

The House tends to focus more on domestic issues due to the frequency of elections, while the Senate often handles foreign policy issues.
Senators are generally seen as more prestigious due to the larger constituency they represent and their longer term.

Congressional Committees play a key role in the legislative process, from drafting legislation to oversight activities.
Standing Committees are permanent, while Select or Special Committees are temporary and formed for specific purposes.

Legislation can be proposed by any member of Congress with the final bill requiring approval from both houses.
Once both houses approve the same version of a bill, it goes to the president to either sign into law or veto.