WHAT: The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the United States government. The structure and responsibilities of Congress are defined in Article One of the United States Constitution. The United States Congress is bicameral, that is, having two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

 

The Senate has 100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms. Each state has equal representation in the Senate because the states are each equal members of the federal union. 

The House of Representatives has 435 seats. Members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms from Congressional districts. The states with the smallest population still have at least one seat. These seats are apportioned according to the population of each state, but the total number is fixed at 435.

 

WHY: As the lawmaking (legislative) branch of our government, the Congress is tasked with responding to the needs of the people with proposals called legislation. The powers of the Congress are set forth in Article 1 (particularly Article 1, Section 8) of the United States Constitution. Congress's powers were later supplemented by the post-Civil War amendments to the Constitution (Amendments 13, 14, and 15, each of which authorizes the Congress to enforce its provisions by appropriate legislation), and by the 16th Amendment, which authorizes an income tax. Other parts of the Constitution--particularly Article 1, Section 9, and the first ten amendments to the Constitution (the Bill of Rights)--impose limitations on Congress's power.

 

Each house of Congress has the power to introduce legislation on any subject except raising revenue, which must originate in the House of Representatives. The large states may thus appear to have more influence over the public purse than the small states. In practice, however, each house can vote against legislation passed by the other house. The Senate may disapprove a House revenue bill — or any bill, for that matter — or add amendments that change its nature. In that event, a conference committee made up of members from both houses must work out a compromise acceptable to both sides before the bill becomes law.

 

The Senate also has certain powers especially reserved to that body, including the authority to confirm presidential appointments of high officials and ambassadors of the federal government, as well as authority to ratify all treaties by a two-thirds vote. In either instance, a negative vote in the Senate nullifies executive action. In the case of impeachment of federal officials, the House has the sole right to bring charges of misconduct that can lead to an impeachment trial. The Senate has the sole power to try impeachment cases and to find officials guilty or not guilty. A finding of guilt results in the removal of the federal official from public office.

 

The broad powers of the whole Congress are spelled out in Article I of the Constitution:

• To levy and collect taxes;

• To borrow money for the public treasury;

• To make rules and regulations governing commerce among the states and with foreign countries;

• To make uniform rules for the naturalization of foreign citizens;

• To coin money, state its value, and provide for the punishment of counterfeiters;

• To set the standards for weights and measures;

• To establish bankruptcy laws for the country as a whole;

• To establish post offices and post roads;

• To issue patents and copyrights;

• To set up a system of federal courts;

• To punish piracy;

• To declare war;

• To raise and support armies;

• To provide for a navy;

• To call out the militia to enforce federal laws, suppress lawlessness, or repel invasions;

• To make all laws for the seat of government (Washington, D.C.);

• To make all laws necessary to enforce the Constitution

 

WHO: Who represents you? There are two US Senators from each state. This is regardless of the size or population of the state.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Kay Hagan (D)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every 10 years the US Census Bureau, housed in the Department of Commerce, conducts an exhaustive process of counting those living in our country, for the purposes of planning and providing services, but also to give an accurate estimation of where folks are living within the country. This is important because it changes the make up Congress every 10 years. For example, in the 2000 Census, the state of NC was found to have grown significantly .. enough to warrant another US Congressman. Thus the NC Congressional Delegation went from 12 congressmen and 2 senators to 13 congressmen and 2 senators. Conversely, another state lost enough population to lose a congressman. Currently North Carolina has 13 US Congressmen.

 

Wake County is served by three Congressional Districts. The House 2nd, 4th and 13th districts compose parts of Wake county. The Congressmen are:

 

Representative Renee Elmers (R-2nd)

Dunn, NC Click here to visit Renee's website

 

 

 

 

Congressman David Price (D-4th)

Chapel Hill, NC 

To visit David Price's official website, please click here








Congressman Brad Miller (D-13th)

Raleigh, NC To visit Brad's official website, please click here







To see who represents you, click here