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The Way Congress Works

If You Even Know

By Iria Vasquez-PaezPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Congress is the legislative body of the United States government. Our lawmakers make decisions that affect us on a federal level, and federal generally refers to the entire country. Individual state law is different from multi-national law that affects the entire country. Each state in the Union is represented by two law makers from the state. There are two chambers that make up Congress, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Congress has 535 voting members, and 100 Senators. There are six non-voting members representing Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, The Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

The House of Representatives has 435 voting members, and each voting member serves a two-year term while serving their district. Congressional districts are chosen based on the population of that state, because each state has two senators acting as representatives of the law governing that state. There are currently 100 senators in office who are representing the 50 states. A candidate must be 25 to serve the House and 30 to serve the Senate, a US citizen for seven years to serve the House, and a citizen for nine years to serve the Senate.

The role of Congress was first laid out in 1789, which was the very first meeting of this legislative body, more than 200 years ago. Our government only has a two-hundred-year-old tradition that is upheld every time the Senate meets. Since the 19th century, a political party is not a legal requirement for serving Congress, although we divide ourselves into two unnecessary parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. I would like to serve as a Senator. I’m 38 and have been a US citizen since birth. My family eventually naturalized, but seriously, to deal with this issue right now, I’m a US Citizen and I have a birth certificate, so if the birthers start in on me, I can say this, on July 20, 2019: I’m a US citizen, don’t be a dick.

I will also be willing to release my future tax returns as a matter of public record because I have nothing to hide as an entrepreneur. You people in Congress need fresh blood. There is no sending me back, because I’m an American first. I have dual citizenship, but the second I get my Ph.D. from UCLA after everything else is on my Facebook page, as I want a law degree and yadda yadda, I will move to Sacramento to serve as the state representative of Los Angeles. So keep chanting "send me back" why don’t ya? Losers.

But enough about me already, more about Congress since our own people do not always understand how Congress works of all the cheek. Congress creates new bills for the federal branches of our government There are three major categories of legislation. Congress authorizes funds to be spent in three to five years for various federal programs. There is a category of authorization legislation in which aforementioned funds are authorized, as this is the second category of legislation that comes up, with an appropriations bill that must be enacted into law every year. There are 13 appropriations bills which keep federal departments and agencies operating. The third main category of legislation is entitlement legislation, set by law such as Medicare, Medicaid, and college student loan programs. Then, individual members of Congress vote according to their voting record, voicing their support or detraction about the issue. Congress is made up of standing committees and select committees. Standing committees have jurisdiction in subjects such as tax writing, while select committees only remain advisory in their nature. Many average Americans do not know how Congress works. This article is serving to alleviate their ignorance on these matters, as well as my own. It is pointless to chant such chants as “send her back,” I mean wow, do you supporters have anything better to do? Like learn about how your government works?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress

https://www.aacom.org/advocacy/advocacy-resources/how-congress-works#

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About the Creator

Iria Vasquez-Paez

I have a B.A. in creative writing from San Francisco State. Can people please donate? I'm very low-income. I need to start an escape the Ferengi plan.

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