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Understanding US Congress: Bicameral System & Powers of House and Senate - Prof. Pérez Sim, Ejercicios de Derecho

Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)Derecho
Prof. Maurici Pérez Simeón

An overview of the us congress, focusing on its bicameral system and the powers of the house of representatives and senate. How the us constitution divides congress into two equal branches, the composition and powers of each house, and the differences between voting members and non-voting members. It also discusses the role of the president in the legislative process and the election of the president.

Tipo: Ejercicios

2017/2018

Subido el 24/06/2018

nataliapoga
nataliapoga 🇪🇸

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TOPIC 11. INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES

1) FEDERAL LEVEL

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

CONGRESS

The US system is a dual system of congressional representation. The congress of US is basically parliament, which is composed by 2 cameras ( bicameral system ). The 2 cameras of the congress are:

  • House of Representatives
  • Senate Article I of the US Constitution divides Congress into two separate but equal branches. Both of these 2 cameras have the same powers in law making. In many systems there exist asymmetric bicameralism (one has more power than the other like Spain) but in US system exists a symmetric bicameralism. Background : Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise), Philadelphia Convention, 1787 It existed a dispute because the larger states favored the Virginia Plan (different number of representatives for each state based on the state's population) while the smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan (same number of representatives for each state). Great Compromise : In the House of Representatives each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population. In the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Composition: Composition and powers of the House are established in Article I US Constitution Congress has the power to determine the size of the House and to divide representation according to state population in order to ensure that states with large populations have more representatives than small states. It also provided for at least one representative for each

state. There are six states with just one representative (Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming). California has the most representatives, a total of 53. Every 10 years a census is taken in order to adjust the number of state representatives to increasing population. There were 59 members at the first session of the House of Representatives. Currently there are 435 voting members. There are differences between voting members and non-­‐voting members , which are delegates for important territories for US ( special status territories ). They are not a part from the federation but they have a very hard link with US and they have the right to vote on committees but not in the House. The 6 non-­‐voting members: Five delegates (District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands) and one resident commissioner (Puerto Rico) The qualifications for being a Representative are also set in Article I of US Constitution.

  • At least 25 years old
  • US citizen for at least 7 years
  • Inhabitant of the state they seek to represent at the time of their election
  • Mandate: two-­‐year term Constituencies ( Circunscripciones ): There are 435 constituencies. Voting system: US System is a majority system, the candidate who gets the majority in each constituency goes to the House of Representatives. Powers: The main power or function is passing federal legislation. However its bills approved or passed must also be passed by the Senate and further agreed to by the President before becoming law. Exclusive powers:
  • Legislative initiative in tax matters (revenue bills). They are able to present bills in tax matters, these matters can only be discussed and approved in bills by the House of Representatives not in the Senate.

Exclusive powers (checks and balances):

  • Confirmation of federal officials (judges of the Supreme Court…). They are appointed by the president of US and this appointment has to be confirmed by the senate.
  • Ratification of Treaties (2/3) that has been negotiated and signed by US President.
  • Impeachments trials. This is the second part of the Impeachment procedure is when the federal official is judged. The senate decides if he/she has to go out of his/her office. EXECUTIVE BRANCH (Article II of US Constitution) PRESIDENT The Executive branch is based on the figure of the President (Presidentialist system) who is:
  • Head of government and
  • Head of state, and
  • Commander-­‐in-­‐Chief of the armed forces. He is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws enacted by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet. Election: The President and the Vice President are elected together in a Presidential election. So, the president has direct legitimacy. His election is an indirect election , with the winner being determined by votes cast by electors of the Electoral College. In each college (435) there is a candidate with the majority of the votes. At the end only counts the votes of the majority of each constituency, there only exists 435 votes to determine the President. Qualifications :
  • Natural-­‐born citizen,
  • At least 35 years old,
  • US resident for at least 14 years Mandate : 4 years-­‐term and term limit of two mandates (XXII Amendment,1947)

Powers: The role of the President in the law making procedure ( Legislative role ): The president basically has 2 powers:

  • To sign the law and make the law pass, and
  • Also the power to veto bills enacted by Congress (in 95% of the cases the veto of the president is effective because the congress do not rewrite the bills). The president does not have to see if the bill is not constitutional to make the veto (like in other systems) he can veto it without any reason. Executive powers:
  • Commander-­‐in-­‐chief
  • Foreign affairs (negotiation and signature of treaties, then ratified by the Senate)
  • Head of the administration
  • Appointment of federal judges (confirmed by the Senate) and other federal officials
  • Pardon ( indulto ) VICE-­‐PRESIDENT Assumes the Presidency should when the need arise. Also serves as the P resident of the United States Senate , where he or she casts the deciding vote in the case of a tie (hen is a deadlock in the Senate his vote will decide the matter discussed). CABINET The Cabinet and independent federal agencies are responsible for the day-­‐to-­‐day enforcement and administration of federal laws. JUDICIAL BRANCH In federal level the federal judiciary will be basically 3 level court system.

It is not mandatory to hear all cases the court receive, the court may decide which cases are interesting to hear and solve (the court has discretionary power to decide). Process:

  1. Writ of certiorari (petitioner/respondent),
  2. Amicus curiae (Third party intervening in the proceeding)
  3. Oral argument and
  4. Decision/judgment FEDERAL COURTS: DISTRICT COURTS, COURTS OF APPEAL Article III authorizes the Congress to create lower federal courts if needed (non mandatory). Appellate jurisdiction (circuit courts/ courts of appeal):
  • There are 13 courts of appeal (12 regional and 1 for the federal circuit)
  • Mandatory review. Every appeal that has been made has to be heard.
  • Composition: 3 judges appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Original jurisdiction (district courts):
  • General courts: 94 District Courts
  • Composition: district judge who tries the case and a jury that decides the case (in appellate courts there isn’t a jury to decide cases).
  • Specialized courts: bankruptcy, tax, federal claims, etc. 2) STATE LEVEL THE STATES There are 50 States and also special status territories (District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other US territories). States are free to decide their own institutional system , make constitutions and decide their constitutional design. The institutional design at state level depends on each state constitution (but in general very similar to the federal design)

LEGISLATIVE POWER

  • Bicameral structure: Senate and House of Representatives/State Assembly/House of Delegates
  • Unicameral structure: Nebraska EXECUTIVE POWER
  • Governor (Chief executive will be the governor (the president of each state).
  • ‘Plural executive’: Some officials are elected directly by the people (Attorney General, Sheriff, etc.) JUDICIAL POWER The Judicial Power is the Supreme interpreter of state law , subject to federal law and federal courts. Normally we have 3 types of courts.
  • Court of last resort: State Supreme Court
  • Appellate jurisdiction: State courts of appeals
  • Original jurisdiction: State trial courts THE DISTRIBUTION OF POWERS BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATES US Constitution sets out the powers of the federal government (enumerated powers), the remaining powers are left to the States. X Amendment (part of the Bill of Rights) protects the state powers against a federal imposition and gives some powers to them (discussed in federalists and antifederalists discussion). If there exists a conflict between federal and state law
  • Article VI: supremacy clause
  • Federal courts are the final arbiters

6. The Declaration of incompatibility is a mechanism in the hands of British judges that allows them: a. To declare incompatible and void an Act of Parliament that is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights. b. To declare incompatible an Act of Parliament that is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights. c. To declare incompatible and void an Act of Parliament that is contrary to rights and freedoms settled down by the Human Rights Act. d. To declare incompatible an Act of Parliament that is contrary to rights and freedoms settled down by the Human Rights Act.