The Power and Significance of Congress

The Power and Significance of Congress

Firstly it is important to look at the power and significance of

congress as a legislative body. This includes the creation of law, and

the scrutiny of the executive. Because the US federal system is ruled

by 'separation of powers', it is important that the legislative -

congress - acts as a good check and restraint on the executive - the

president.

The most significant power that congress has is to create and pass

legislation. Most of the creation is down to congressional committees

- specialist groups of congressman who revise and investigate laws

into their own committee's interests, for example The House Science

Committee. Some of the legislation can come from the president

directly, however it is congress that filter's it, so in theory the

president's proposed bill could never be heard in either house.

Constitutional ammendments also work in this way, a president can

suggest them, but only congress can initiate them.

During the process of a bill becoming a law, congress plays a huge

part. Both houses have the first reading, committee stage, the time

tabling, the second and third reading before it heads to a conference

committee. This reconcile's the differences between the House and the

Senate versions of the bill. If the bill passes through these stages,

only then can the president have his say, and the actions he can take

are to sign it, leave it on his desk or veto it. However, the

constitution gives the power to both houses to overturn the

presidential veto with a two-thirds majority in both houses. So if a

bill was hugely popular and got the two-thirds in both houses after

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...ibly important that they maintain this relationship.

A lot of the time it is a simple trade of legislation, or the addition

of something that both sides can agree on. Or it can be a simple

persuasion, a president can try and go against the will of the

opposition majority party in congress by persuading a lot of it's

members to vote for his bill, and get it passed. Most presidents don't

have this sort of power, and even if they do, congressman expect

something in return, often for him not to veto their legislation, and

either sign it or leave it on their desk.

In conclusion, the power and significance of congress is variable

under circumstances, but it is typically great in domestic issues, and

fairly weak in foreign ones. It's significance is always great in the

law making process, however variable it is elsewhere.