Legislative Branch

Ms. Gold and Ms. Steitz

Senate
● Two per state (100 in total)
● President of senate = vice president
Senator Robert “Bob” P. Casey

● Democrat Senator

○ Senior Senator for PA

● Hometown: Scranton

● Senator since 2007

● Pennsylvania Auditor General from 1997 to 2005

● Pennsylvania Treasurer from 2005 to 2007

Senator Pat Toomey

● Republican Senator

○ Junior Senator for PA

● Since 2011

● From Providence, RI

● Businessman and Politician

House of Representatives
● 435 seats currently
● Based on population
● 18 Pennsylvania representatives
Not all states are represented evenly
The Great Compromise of 1787

● Proposed by Robert Sherman of Connecticut.

● Large states wanted larger number of representatives, so they felt

represented.

● Smaller states wanted a smaller number of representatives so they felt

represented.

● Created the bicameral legislature

○ proportional representation of the states in the lower house

○ the upper house to be weighted equally among the states

Duty 1: Pass Legislature
Senate House of Representatives

● President of the Senate ● Speaker of the House

● Majority leader ● Majority leader
● Minority leader ● Minority leader
● Majority whip ● Majority whip
● Minority whip ● Minority whip

Should we be allowed to discuss religious holidays in public school?

Duty 2: Approve Treaties and Appointments
● Checks and balances
● Kavanaugh
Duty 3: Impeachment

● Legislatislative body levels charges against government officials.

● Limits to those who may have committed “high crimes and misdemeanors”

● Who are the three presidents that have been impeached or almost

impeached?
Richard Nixon - almost impeached
● Watergate scandal
○ Tampered with a tape he had to give to the FBI
○ It was clear a section was missing
○ He refused to hand over the part taken out
● From July 27-29, the Committee approved three articles of
impeachment against Nixon,
○ for obstruction of justice
○ abuse of power
○ contempt of Congress
● Before the vote, Nixon resigned from office on August 9,
1974.
Bill Clinton Impeachment
● 1995: 21 year old, Monica Lewinsky, started her internship at the White house
and quickly began a two year relationship with Clinton.
● 1997: The affair came to light in the public
● December 1998: Two charges on impeachment
○ Perjury
○ Obstruction Of justice
● perjury to a grand jury (by a 228–206 vote)
● obstruction of justice (by a 221–212 vote).