Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 10: Political Party Control
The Speaker in the House of Representatives can exert strong control that emphasizes his or her party's agenda. For example, by appointing party members to chair committees, rather than members with seniority.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 11: House Speaker Partisanship
The Speaker of the House of Representatives has not always pushed a political party agenda. This began when Henry Clay became Speaker in 1812.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 12: Senate Leadership
Explains the role of the Vice-President of the United States as leader and President of the Senate, and how leadership in the Senate differs from that in the House of Representatives.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 13: Tie Breaking Vice Presidents
Prior to the 17th Amendment, which passed in 1917, Senators were appointed by state legislatures. After the 12th Amendment in 1804, the Vice-Presidents were detached from the Senate and only served to break a tie vote.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 14: House Whips
Explains the role a whip plays in the House of Representatives, which is to monitor members for their adherence to the party agenda.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 15: Resolutions
Resolutions in Congress can be simple or joint. They can be proposals for laws, for constitutional amendments, or for other matters.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 16: How a Bill Becomes a Law
The lengthy process a bill must go through before it becomes a law is explained.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 17: Bills in Committee
Bills are assigned to one or more committees when they first enter the House of Representatives or the Senate. They are examined, amended, then go to a hearing, which is often public, for further scrutiny.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 18: Mark Up Sessions
Mark-up sessions are committee meetings that happen at a later stage in the process a bill goes through before a final vote in the Senate or the House.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 19: Conference Committees
A conference committee is comprised of members from both chambers of Congress. It tries to resolve differences between the House and the Senate over the content of a bill. It issues a conference report to both chambers for a vote.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 20: Vetoes and Overrides
Even when a bill is passed by Congress, it still must be signed by the President, who may decide to veto it. If this happens, Congress can also override that veto through a new vote in both chambers.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 21: Majority Support
At every stage in the process of becoming a law, a bill is scrutinized and must have majority support for it in order to be moved along.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 22: The Protection of Rights
Congress has played a major role in the protection of Americans' rights that includes writing the Bill of Rights, amendments to it, and landmark legislation.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 23: Landmark Legislation
Landmark legislation is created by Congress when there is a need for it, such as to address inequality or to protect workers' rights.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 24: How Legislation Is Initiated
Describes the reasons that a member of Congress initiates a new piece of legislation, things that need to be considered in proposing it, and resources available to them for a thorough analysis.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics:how Congress Functions:pt.25:executive as Source of Legislation
Each president presents their agenda to Congress in an annual State of the Union address. Proposals are then delivered to Congress, which usually passes them.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 26: Civic Engagement
Consitutents have many ways of influencing politicians and letting them know what their priorities are, for example, through petitions, blogs, and letters.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: Referendum and Recall
In today's episode, we examine how referendum and recall works in the states.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 29:investigative Power of Congress
Congress conducts investigations into many issues. Recently it has initiated more special investigative commissions, and this role has become as important as its lawmaking role.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 30: Impeachment Power of Congress
Congress uses its investigative powers when determining whether someone should be impeached. The process is explained here.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: How Congress Functions: Pt. 31: Using the Impeachment Power
The power to impeach a high-ranking government official or the president is not often invoked. The process begins in the House of Representatives, and after a vote to proceed, the Senate conducts the trial.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics:how Congress Functions: Pt.32:impeachment and Maladministration
Maladministration is a term that was discussed in 1787 as a reason for initiating impeachment proceedings against a president. It is still contemplated today.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: Role of President Pt. 1: Introduction
Explains the importance of the President's role as a world figure and as a symbol of America, and as a leader at home.
Center For Civic Education
60 Second Civics: Role of President Pt. 3: The President as Chief Executive
The President is required to ensure that the laws outlined in the Constitution are executed, to fulfill the presidential mandate, and to defend and protect the Constitution. These are known as executive powers and they adapt as national...