Liberty Central
Follow Liberty Central
Posts Tagged ‘House’
Welcome to the 112th Congress!
The American people sent a message last November: they want to change the way Washington works. Starting today, we will see if their message has been heard. A new Congress will be sworn in in Washington. With a change in leadership in the House, and dozens of new tea party...
Ask an Expert: Fewer Conference Committees – Does it Matter?
Question: A big deal was made about having a House-Senate conference for the Dodd-Frank Financial Sector Reform bill. Why? Aren’t conferences routine? Decatur, AL Answer: We are seeing fewer and fewer conference committees because, in a very disturbing trend, congressional leaders have avoided having them when major legislation is involved!...
Ask an Expert: Qualifications for Congress
Question: What does it take to run for a seat in Congress? Anonymous, Darien, Connecticut. Answer: Formally, not much. Informally, a lot! The required qualifications are found in Article 1 of the Constitution: House of Representatives twenty five years of age a citizen of the United States for 7 years...
History News: A History of Congress Coming Back to Session During Breaks
While it is unusual for the House to return to Washington during recess, it is not entirely unprecedented. In fact, there is a long history of Congress returning during a break. As early as 1790, Congress adjourned off-and-on during August, despite the unbearable heat and humidity. It was customary for...
Ask an Expert: Size of the House and Senate
Question: Why do we have 100 Senators and 435 Members of the House? Can these numbers be changed? Minneapolis, MN Answer: The number of Senators is set by the Constitution and cannot be changed without amending that document. The size of the Senate is established by Article I, section 3...
Ask an Expert: Constitutionality of Legislation
Question: Is there any type of formal procedure within Congress that evaluates the constitutionality of proposed legislation? Columbus, OH Answer: There is no formal procedure on behalf of Congress overall to determine the constitutionality of proposed bills. During floor debate in both the House and Senate, the constitutionality of a...
Ask an Expert: Bill Types
Question: What is the difference between a “bill,” a “resolution,” “a joint resolution,” and a “concurrent resolution?” Haverford, PA Answer: The key distinction among them is that two make law, and two don’t. The measures that make law are bills and joint resolutions, while concurrent and simple resolutions do...
Ask an Expert: House and Senate Differences
Question: What is the essential difference between the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives? Perth Amboy, NJ Answer: The design of the U.S. Congress is consistent with the basic principle of government endorsed by the framers of the U.S. Constitution: that dividing government into units which must share power...
Ask an Expert: Chaplains
Question: Have the House and Senate always had chaplains? Isn’t having one in Congress a violation of the separation of church and state? Houston, Texas Answer: There have been persistent critics over the years who have charged the practice of official chaplains violates the concept of separation of church and...