Congress

Examples of Congress in the following topics:

• Presidential Action

  • The Ineligibility Clause prevents the President from being a member of Congress and cannot directly introduce legislative proposals.
  • The Constitution's Ineligibility Clause prevents the President from simultaneously being a member of Congress.
  • Therefore, the president cannot directly introduce legislative proposals for consideration in Congress.
  • Conservative commentator George Will wrote of an increasingly swollen executive branch and the eclipse of Congress.
  • If both houses cannot agree on a date of adjournment, the president may appoint a date for Congress to adjourn.

• The First Continental Congress

  • The first Continental Congress was held between 1774 and 1775 to discuss the future of the American colonies.
  • The first Continental Congress was influenced by Correspondence Committees.
  • In September, the first Continental Congress, composed of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies—all except Georgia—met in Philadelphia The assembly adopted what has become to be known as the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress.
  • When the first Congress adjourned, it stipulated another Congress would meet if King George III did not acquiesce to the demands set forth in the Declaration of Resolves.
  • The first Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, PA.

• Political Strife and American Independence

  • The new congress faced many roadblocks in establishing the new nation.
  • Congress finally approved the resolution of independence on July 2, 1776.
  • The Congress moved to York, Pennsylvania, and continued their work.
  • The Continental was a bill issued by Congress to fund the Revolutionary War.
  • Describe the steps taken by the Continental Congress after declaring independence from the British Empire

• The Public-Education Function of Congress

  • In 1965, Congress passed an act allowing the Library of Congress to establish a trust fund board to accept donations and endowments, giving the Library a role as a patron of the arts.
  • Even the Library of Congress assisted during the war effort.
  • Evans as Librarian of Congress.
  • However, only members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, their staff, Library of Congress staff and certain other government officials may actually remove items from the library buildings.
  • Give examples of the various roles the Library Congress plays in public education

• The Second Continental Congress

  • The Second Continental Congress was ushered in at the beginning of the Revolution and eventually decided American independence.
  • When the Second Continental Congress came together on May 10, 1775 it was, in effect, a reconvening of the First Continental Congress .
  • The Congress was to take charge of the war effort.
  • Silas Deane was sent to France as a minister (ambassador) of the Congress.
  • Discuss the role of the Second Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary war

• Chief Legislator

  • The president may suggest and request that Congress enact laws he believes are needed.
  • He can attempt to influence Congress through promises of patronage and favors.
  • If the president does nothing, then if Congress is still in session ten days later it becomes law.
  • In 1996, Congress attempted to enhance the president's veto power with the Line Item Veto Act.
  • Once a president had stricken the item, Congress could pass that particular item again.

• Delegated Powers

  • Constitution that set forth the authoritative capacity of Congress.
  • Almost all presidential powers rely on what Congress does or does not do.
  • Presidential executive orders implement the law, but Congress can overrule such orders by changing the law.
  • And many presidential powers are delegated powers that Congress has accorded presidents to exercise on its behalf and that it can cut back or rescind.
  • Constitution that set forth the authoritative capacity of Congress.

• The 16th Amendment

  • The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results.
  • The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

• Budget Resolutions

  • The budget resolution serves as a blueprint for the actual appropriations process and provides Congress with some control over the process.
  • The budget resolution binds Congress, but it is not law since it is not sent to the President.
  • Instead, the budget resolution serves as a blueprint for the actual appropriations process and provides Congress with some control over this process.
  • However, Congress has frequently not met this target date since the fiscal year 1977.
  • In some instances, Congress has not adopted a budget resolution.

• The Declaration of Independence

  • One of the first essential acts of the second Continental Congress, once it determined it would seek independence, was to issue a declaration to King George III confirming its separation.
  • A committee was assembled to draft the formal declaration, to be ready when congress voted on independence.
  • Adams persuaded the committee to select Thomas Jefferson to compose the original draft of the document, which congress would edit to produce the final version.
  • The Independence Day of the United States of America is celebrated on July 4, the day Congress approved the wording of the Declaration.
  • After ratifying the text on July 4, Congress issued the Declaration of Independence in several forms.