The Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch

Introduction The legislative branch of the United States government is called Congress. It is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators and representatives speak for the American people in the U. S. government. They write and change the laws of the country. They also have other important jobs.

The U. S. Constitution The Constitution, adopted in 1788, breaks up the U. S. government into three parts. The president is in charge of the executive branch. The Senate and the House of Representatives make up the legislative branch. The judicial branch runs the Supreme Court and the U. S. court system. The different parts sometimes work together and sometimes disagree.

How Congress Works The Senate and the House of Representatives have different numbers of members. The House of Representatives has 435 members. Each member is elected to a two-year term. Members of the House are divided among the fifty states by how many people live in each state. California has more people than any other state. It has the most representatives in the House. Some states only have one.

One hundred senators make up the Senate. Senators are elected to a six-year term. Each state has two senators. It does not matter how many people live in the state.

How a Bill Becomes a Law It takes many steps to make a new law. The first step is to write a bill. Anyone can do this, even people who do not work in the government.