Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• Congress is the legislative branch of US government. It is bicameral, meaning it has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress is created by Article I of the Constitution and is central to law-making, representation, scrutiny and control of public money.
• The House of Representatives has 435 voting members, distributed according to state population. Members serve two-year terms, so the House faces frequent elections and is generally seen as closer to public opinion. The House has key powers including initiating revenue bills and bringing impeachment charges.
• The Senate has 100 members, with two senators per state regardless of population. Senators serve six-year terms, with one-third elected every two years. The Senate is often seen as the more prestigious chamber and has special powers including ratifying treaties, confirming presidential appointments and trying impeachment cases.
• Congress has a range of important powers. Its core function is to make laws, but it also carries out oversight, meaning it scrutinises and investigates the actions of the executive branch. Congress also has the power of the purse, which means it controls taxation and government spending. This gives it major influence over policy and the operation of government.
• The committee system is vital to the work of Congress. Most detailed legislative work takes place in committees, which examine bills, hold hearings, gather evidence and investigate issues. There are different types of committees, including standing committees, select committees, conference committees and joint committees. Committees are important because they allow detailed scrutiny and give members opportunities to develop expertise.
• Oversight is one of Congress's most important functions. Through committees, hearings and investigations, Congress can question executive officials, monitor departments and hold the President's administration to account. Oversight helps maintain checks and balances within the constitutional system.
• Party is important in Congress, but it does not always operate in the same way as in the UK. Members of Congress are often influenced by constituency interests, personal beliefs and pressure groups as well as party loyalty. Party leadership matters, especially figures such as the Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader, but party discipline is usually weaker than in parliamentary systems.
• Senators and representatives have a representative role. They are expected to speak for and defend the interests of those they represent, whether this means acting as delegates following voters' views, or as trustees using their own judgement.
• There are important debates about the effectiveness of Congress. Supporters argue that it is a powerful and representative institution with strong legislative, financial and scrutiny powers. Critics argue that it can be slow, partisan, divided and prone to gridlock, particularly when different parties control different institutions.
• Congress's relationship with the executive branch and the Supreme Court is shaped by checks and balances. Congress makes laws, approves budgets, can override presidential vetoes and may impeach federal officials. However, the President can veto legislation, and the Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional through judicial review.

• Students should be able to define and use accurately the key terms: Congress, House of Representatives, Senate, oversight and committee system.
• Students should be able to describe the structure of Congress, including bicameralism, the size and electoral basis of each chamber, and the different terms of office.
• Students should be able to explain the roles and powers of Congress, especially in legislation, oversight and the power of the purse.
• Students should be able to compare the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying their different powers, status and representative functions.
• Students should be able to analyse the significance of the committee system, including its role in detailed law-making, scrutiny, investigation and policy expertise.
• Students should be able to explain the role of party in Congress, including the importance of party leadership, the limits of party discipline and the influence of constituency interests.
• Students should be able to assess the representative role of senators and representatives and consider how far members act as delegates, trustees or party figures.
• Students should be able to evaluate the effectiveness of Congress, weighing up its strengths in scrutiny, representation and law-making against problems such as partisanship, divided government and gridlock.
• Students should be able to explain the relationship between Congress, the executive and the Supreme Court, showing how checks and balances shape these interactions.
• Students should be able to support analysis with relevant examples, such as impeachment, confirmation hearings, treaty ratification, budget disputes and committee investigations.