Welcome to UK Essays:

• Home
• Prices
• Order now
• Guarantees
• How this works

About UK Essays:

• About UK Essays
• Helping the Community
• Press
• Custom essays
• FAQs
• Meet us
• Testimonials
• Scam warning
• What's your situation?
• Contact UK Essays
• Request a callback

Our Services:

• Essay writing services
• Dissertation writing services
• LPC writing services
• MBA writing services
• PHD writing services
• Marking services
• Other services

Other Information:

• Get verified
• Search
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Further information
• Writer jobs
• Recommend a friend

Essay & Dissertation Help:

• Essay help
• Free essays
• Dissertation help
• Free dissertations
• Plagiarism scanner

Free Essays - History Essays

American Congress

The American Congress is one of the three arms of the American Government. The other arms of the Government include the Executive headed by the American President who is elected on a four-year term that is eligible for the re-election. The third arm is the Judiciary that adjudicates the policy process as well as interprets the USA Constitution. The US Congress that is the core of the legislative arm of the American Government has a long history tracing back to over 200 years since the establishment of the USA.

The revolution of the 1776 gave the American s an opportunity to provide the legal framework that would steer them to their management of their public affairs. It traces to the 13 North American States that were colonies of the British who after intense effort had managed to declare their independence in the famous Declaration of Independence that followed the birth of the USA in 1776.

The USA constitution was a document that was written basing on the colonial experience that they had under the British since the discovery of America and the establishment of the plantation agriculture in the 16^th century. After frantic efforts, the 13 colonies went ahead to have a unilateral declaration of their independence from Britain. Today, the USA is the model of an ideal democratic outlook of the modern times. The USA Constitution for which legalizes the presence of the Congress has become the model of the modern democracy. It has withstood the test of time in all countries of the world. In brief, the USA is the leading political force all over the world today. The influence of the USA is felt everywhere. Indeed, the USA signifies the world power that can not be underestimated. Its powers go even beyond the mandate of the United Nations. A clear example of this is the Congress decision in the USA in 2003 to endorse the forceful eviction of the former Iraq President the Late Saddam Hussein. The case of Noriega in Panama in 1988 when he was evicted from the office contrary to the UN's security council's decision clearly demonstrates how powerful the USA can and is politically, militarily as well as economically.

In addition, the USA constitution has turned out to be unique. It has formed the basis of the constitutional processes all over the world. One interesting fact about this document has been its ability to withstand the test of time. It is the document that has received very few Amendments. This is ideal for the African countries that seek to make post-colonial states. The USA constitution was also made on the premise of the English practice that has existed for many years. In fact, the USA to date enjoys the cordial and warm relationship with the English and great Britain on the European front. The French Philosophy of human liberalism had a great effect on the American Constitution. The adoption of the latter document in the year 1781 sounded of great significance to the USA. Today, the document was heavily borrowed from during the UN Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 in Geneva.

Structure of the USA congress

The USA congress is the core operational form of the Legislative arm of the Government of the United States of America. The Congress works with staff of individual members and congressional committees that is the expertise for its own library, research service and accounting, budget and technology, assessment offices. It is assumed to be the supreme organ of the USA Government. This is basing on its powers to enact the law, control commerce and taxation and declaring war. This makes the congress supreme.

The USA congress is bicameral. That means the congress is divided into two chambers that is the Senate and the House of the Representatives. This is a tradition that was borrowed from the British Parliamentary practice but was more contextual. In the American case, the two chambers were arrived at during the Assembly duped the Federal Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

The senate.

The senate acknowledges the equality of all states. The USA consists of 50 states that once they join they cannot secede. For that, each state has two representatives amounting to 100 of them. The senators are elected for a six-year term. Once elected they are divided into three classes that are equal. The senators must be 30 years of age and one must be a US citizen for a period of not less than nine years and a resident of the state that elects him/her.

The Senate has a president who is the USA Vice President meaning that the VP serves in the capacity like that of the Speaker of the National Assembly in many countries. The VP has no vote but is entitled to vote incase there is a tie in the matter being voted for. Each senator is also entitled to one vote. In cases of resignation or death of a sitting senator, the State's Governor calls for an election to fill the vacancy.

The House of the Representatives.

This House solves the inequalities in resource mobilization as well as distribution, which is based on the population of each state. In fact, he establishment of this House is what helped the USA to stand at the verge of its collapse during the Constitutional process. The house was established on the rationale that some states like Virginia are very large as compared to smaller states like the Ohio therefore equal representation would be unfair to the respective states.

Members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years. People allowed to vote for Representatives to the State Legislature are also allowed to vote for National Representatives. Eligible members need to be 25 years of age; they must have been the USA citizens for a period not less than 6 years and must be a resident of the very State that one needs to represent. Therefore the appointment to the House is pegged on the population of each state. Today for instance, each House Representative serves 470,000 people.

Duties of the USA congress

• It collects taxes and duties to pay the debts, pay the military, and to help the people. All federal taxes and duties must be uniform throughout the land.
• Borrow money on credit of the USA.
• To regulate commerce with foreign nations and among other several states and with the Indian tribes
• Regulate international trade and interstate trade.
• Establish naturalization policies, establish uniform laws regarding bankruptcies
• Control minting of money and its value, regulate the value of foreign money, set up uniform standards for weights and measures, decide the punishment for counterfeiters, grant patents and copyrights to promote free enterprise among authors and inventors.
• Declare war.
• Raise and support an army and navy and make rules to govern the armed forces.
• Make laws concerning the property belonging to the national government.
• The elastic clause. This clause gives authority to the congress to make operational, through laws, the powers already granted.
• It approves key presidential appointments. These include secretaries who head ministries referred to as departments including the State, Defence Agriculture, and Education among others.

Rules of the congress

• The congress is required to meet at least once a year. The opening dates for the Congress are 3^rd of January following the 20^th amendment.
• The Congress judges its own members. It may refuse to seat an elected member and especially in cases of disputed election.
• For the quorum to be established, there needs to be a half of the total members both houses plus one of the majority. However, business may continue unless a member notifies that there is no quorum. In the absence of the quorum, the business may be adjourned till the next day.

Law making in the congress.

All the laws made in the congress must be approved by the President for them to become Law. The Constitutional process ends with the Presidential Assent. If the president rejects a Bill, it can be sent it back to the originating House with his objections. The Senate and the House then reconsider the bill. If each House overrides the president's veto by two thirds majority, then the bill becomes the law. If the president ignores the bill for ten days since it was presented to him excluding Sundays after it is presented, then it shall become a law automatically.

All these laws which are necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers and all other powers vested by the constitution.

Impeachments by the Congress

This is the bringing of the accused official to trial upon a charge of wrong doing. So far in the American history, only President Andrew Johnson has been impeached, and he was charged as innocent. In this case, it is the House of Representatives that make the charges. The Senate then conducts the trial. If the President is accused, the Chief Justice not the Vice president presides over. A two-thirds vote of those present is required for an impeached official to be declared guilty. An impeached person declared guilty can be punished by the senate only by removal from office and being barred from future offices. He can later be tried in a regular court and punished like anybody else.

All of the essays in the "Free Essays" section were written by students and then submitted to us to display and help others. Thanks to all the students who have submitted their essays to us. You should not hand in our essays as your own. We do not condone plagiarism!