The Legislative Branch 

In our country, we have a bicameral system. This comes from The Great Compromise that gives the people representation based on population (House of Representatives) and equally throughout the number of states (the senate). 

Senate 

The Senate is made up of 100 Senators (Two from each state). Each Senator must be at least 30 years old, and each term is six-years. The Senate approves presidential appointments (supreme court justices, cabinet members), approves treaties, and holds impeachment trials. 

House of Representatives 

The House is made up of 435 members (based on each state population). They serve two-year terms and must be at least 25 years old. The House introduces bills which involve taxes and government spending, impeaches federal officials, and focus on issues like healthcare and education. 

Powers of Both

While they are separate, the Senate and the House have many powers that require them collaboration. Those powers include declaring war, approving a bill before it's a law, creating the federal budget, supporting the military, and borrowing money. 

How a bill becomes a law

1. The idea

Someone or a group has an idea for a law. 

2. Congress

The idea gets the attention of someone from Congress, and they make it into a bill. 

3. Committee

The bill then goes to a committee that discusses it. 

4. House or Senate

The bill will then go to either the House or the Senate. 

5. The other group

Once the bill is passed in the House or the Senate it will then go to the other part of the legislative branch for review. 

6. Markup

Once the bill is in the other part of the legislative branch, the people there will make markups to the bill that the other House will have to agree or pushback against. 

7. President

Once a final bill is made by Congress it goes to the president for him to sign. 

8. Yes or no

If the bill is signed, then it becomes a law. If the bill is not signed, then two-thirds of both the House and the Senate can vote against the president and can make the bill a law themselves.