    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 1999]
    [Pages 25-32]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CONGRESS

    One Hundred and Sixth Congress, First Session

    The Senate

    The Capitol, Washington, DC 20510

    Phone, 202-224-3121. Internet, http://www.senate.gov/.
    President of the Senate (Vice President of the    Al Gore
            United States)
    President pro tempore                             Strom Thurmond
    Majority Leader                                   Trent Lott
    Minority Leader                                   Thomas A. Daschle
        Secretary of the Senate                       Gary Sisco
        Sergeant at Arms                              James W. Ziglar
        Secretary for the Majority                    Elizabeth B.
                                                              Letchworth
        Secretary for the Minority                    Martin P. Paone
        Chaplain                                      Lloyd J. Ogilvie

    The House of Representatives

    The Capitol, Washington, DC 20515

    Phone, 202-225-3121. Internet, http://www.house.gov/.
    The Speaker                                       J. Dennis Hastert
        Clerk                                         Jeff Trandahl
        Sergeant at Arms                              Wilson L. Livingood
        Chief Administrative Officer                  James M. Eagen III
        Chaplain                                      Rev. James David Ford

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Congress of the United States was created by Article I, section 1,
    of the Constitution, adopted by the Constitutional Convention on
    September 17, 1787, providing that ``All legislative Powers herein
    granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall
    consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.''

        The first Congress under the Constitution met on March 4, 1789, in
    the Federal Hall in New York City. The membership then consisted of 20
    \1\ Senators and 59 Representatives.
        \1\New York ratified the Constitution on July 26, 1788, but did not
    elect its Senators until July 15 and 16, 1789. North Carolina did not
    ratify the Constitution until November 21, 1789; Rhode Island ratified
    it on May 29, 1790.

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        The Senate is composed of 100 Members, 2 from each State, who are
    elected to serve for a term of 6 years. Senators were originally chosen
    by the State legislatures. This procedure was changed by the 17th
    amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1913, which made the election
    of Senators a function of the people. There are three classes of
    Senators, and a new class is elected every 2 years.
        The House of Representatives comprises 435 Representatives. The
    number representing each State is determined by population, but every
    State is entitled to at least one Representative. Members are elected by
    the people for 2-year terms, all terms running for the same period.
        Both the Senators and the Representatives must be residents of the
    State from which they are chosen. In addition, a Senator must be at
    least 30 years of age and must have been a citizen of the United States
    for at least 9 years; a Representative must be at least 25 years of age
    and must have been a citizen for at least 7 years.
        A Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico (elected for a 4-year term)
    and Delegates from American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, and
    the Virgin Islands complete the composition of the Congress of the
    United States. Delegates are elected for a term of 2 years. The Resident
    Commissioner and Delegates may take part in the floor discussions but
    have no vote in the full House or in the Committee of the Whole House on
    the State of the Union. They do, however, vote in the committees to
    which they are assigned.

    Officers  The Vice President of the United States is the Presiding
    Officer of the Senate; in his absence the duties are taken over by a
    President pro tempore, elected by that body, or someone designated by
    him. The Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives, the Speaker,
    is elected by the House; he may designate any Member of the House to act
    in his absence.
        The positions of Senate majority and minority leader have been in
    existence only since the early years of the 20th century. Leaders are
    elected at the beginning of each new Congress by a majority vote of the
    Senators in their political party. In cooperation with their party
    organizations, leaders are responsible for the design and achievement of
    a legislative program. This involves managing the flow of legislation,
    expediting noncontroversial measures, and keeping Members informed
    regarding proposed action on pending business. Each leader serves as an
    ex officio member of his party's policymaking and organizational bodies
    and is aided by an assistant floor leader (whip) and a party secretary.
        The House leadership is structured essentially the same as the
    Senate, with the Members in the political parties responsible for the
    election of their respective leader and whips.
        The Secretary of the Senate, elected by vote of the Senate, performs
    the duties of the Presiding Officer of the Senate in the absence of the
    Vice President and pending the election of a President pro tempore. The
    Secretary is the custodian of the seal of the Senate, draws requisitions
    on the Secretary of the Treasury for moneys appropriated for the
    compensation of Senators, officers, and employees, and for the
    contingent expenses of the Senate, and is empowered to administer oaths
    to any officer of the Senate and to any witness produced before it. The
    Secretary's executive duties include certification of extracts from the
    Journal of the Senate; the attestation of bills and joint, concurrent,
    and Senate resolutions; in impeachment trials, issuance, under the
    authority of the Presiding Officer, of all orders, mandates, writs, and
    precepts authorized by the Senate; and certification to the President of
    the United States of the advice and consent of the Senate to
    ratification of treaties and the names of persons confirmed or rejected
    upon the nomination of the President.
        The Sergeant at Arms of the Senate is elected by and serves as the
    Executive Officer of that body. He directs and supervises the various
    departments and facilities under his jurisdiction. He is

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    also the Law Enforcement and Protocol Officer. As Law Enforcement
    Officer, he has statutory power to make arrests; to locate absentee
    Senators for a quorum; to enforce Senate rules and regulations as they
    pertain to the Senate Chamber, the Senate wing of the Capitol, and the
    Senate Office Buildings. He serves as a member of the Capitol Police
    Board and as its chairman each odd year; and, subject to the Presiding
    Officer, maintains order in the Senate Chamber. As Protocol Officer, he
    is responsible for many aspects of ceremonial functions, including the
    inauguration of the President of the United States; arranging funerals
    of Senators who die in office; escorting the President when he addresses
    a Joint Session of Congress or attends any function in the Senate; and
    escorting heads of state when they visit the Senate.
        The elected officers of the House of Representatives include the
    Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the
    Chaplain.
        The Clerk is custodian of the seal of the House and administers the
    primary legislative activities of the House. These duties include:
    accepting the credentials of the Members-elect and calling the Members
    to order at the commencement of the first session of each Congress;
    keeping the Journal; taking all votes and certifying the passage of
    bills; and processing all legislation. Through various departments, the
    Clerk is also responsible for floor and committee reporting services;
    legislative information and reference services; the administration of
    House reports pursuant to House rules and certain legislation including
    the Ethics in Government Act and the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995;
    the distribution of House documents; and administration of the House
    Page Program. The Clerk is also charged with supervision of the offices
    vacated by Members due to death, resignation, or expulsion.
        The Sergeant at Arms maintains the order of the House under the
    direction of the Speaker and is the keeper of the Mace. As a member of
    the U.S. Capitol Police Board, the Sergeant at Arms is the chief law
    enforcement officer for the House and serves as Board Chairman each even
    year. The ceremonial and protocol duties parallel those of the Senate
    Sergeant at Arms and include arranging the inauguration of the President
    of the United States, Joint Sessions of Congress, visits to the House of
    heads of state, and funerals of Members of Congress.
        The Sergeant at Arms enforces the rules relating to the privileges
    of the Hall of the House, including admission to the galleries.
        The Chief Administrative Officer is charged with the administration
    of other House support services, including: payroll, benefits, postal
    operations and internal mail distribution, computer and telephone
    service, office furnishings, office equipment, office supplies, and the
    administration of the House televised floor proceedings.
    Committees  The work of preparing and considering legislation is done
    largely by committees of both Houses of Congress. There are 16 standing
    committees in the Senate and 19 in the House of Representatives. The
    standing committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives are
    shown in the list below. In addition, there are select committees in
    each House (one in the House of Representatives), and various
    congressional commissions and joint committees composed of Members of
    both Houses. Each House may also appoint special investigating
    committees.
        The membership of the standing committees of each House is chosen by
    a vote of the entire body; members of other committees are appointed
    under the provisions of the measure establishing them.
        Each bill and resolution is usually referred to the appropriate
    committee, which may report a bill out in its original form, favorably
    or unfavorably, recommend amendments, report original measures, or allow
    the proposed legislation to die in committee without action.

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                       Standing Committees of the Congress
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
            House Committee         Room \1\    Senate Committee    Room \2\
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Agriculture...................      1301  Agriculture,           SR-328A
                                               Nutrition, and
                                               Forestry.
    Appropriations................      H218  Appropriations.....      S-128
    Banking and Financial Services      2129  Armed Services.....     SR-228
    Budget........................       309  Banking, Housing,       SD-534
                                               and Urban Affairs.
    Commerce......................      2125  Budget.............     SD-621
    Education and the Workforce...      2181  Commerce, Science,      SD-508
                                               and Transportation.
    Government Reform.............      2157  Energy and Natural      SD-304
                                               Resources.
    House Administration..........      1309  Environment and         SD-410
                                               Public Works.
      Franking Commission:
        Majority..................       140
        Minority..................      1338
    International Relations.......      2170  Finance............     SD-219
    Judiciary.....................      2138  Foreign Relations..     SD-450
      Publications................       B29
    Armed Services................      2120  Governmental            SD-340
                                               Affairs.
    Resources.....................      1324  Judiciary..........     SD-224
    Rules.........................      H312  Health, Education,      SD-428
                                               Labor and Pensions.
      Minority....................       234
    Science.......................      2320  Rules and               SR-305
                                               Administration.
    Small Business................      2361  Small Business.....    SR-428A
    Standards of Official Conduct.       HT2  Veterans' Affairs..     SR-412
      Office of Advice and               HT2
       Education.
    Transportation and                  2165
     Infrastructure.
    Veterans' Affairs.............       335
    Ways and Means................      1102
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Room numbers with three digits are in the Cannon House Office
      Building, four digits beginning with 1 are in the Longworth House
      Office Building, and four digits beginning with 2 are in the Rayburn
      House Office Building. Room numbers preceded by H or HT are in the
      House wing of the Capitol Building.
    \2\ Room numbers preceded by S are in the Senate wing of the Capitol
      Building; those preceded by SD are in the Dirksen Office Building; and
      those preceded by SR are in the Russell Office Building.

    Congressional Record  Proceedings of Congress are published in the
    Congressional Record, which is issued each day when Congress is in
    session. Publication of the Record began March 4, 1873; it was the first
    record of debate officially reported, printed, and published directly by
    the Federal Government. The Daily Digest of the Congressional Record,
    printed in the back of each issue of the Record, summarizes the
    proceedings of that day in each House, and each of their committees and
    subcommittees, respectively. The Digest also presents the legislative
    program for each day and, at the end of the week, gives the program for
    the following week. Its publication was begun March 17, 1947.
    Sessions  Section 4 of Article I of the Constitution makes it mandatory
    that ``The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year. . . .''
    Under this provision, also, the date for convening Congress was
    designated originally as the first Monday in December, ``unless they
    shall by Law appoint a different Day.'' Eighteen acts were passed, up to
    1820, providing for the meeting of Congress on other days of the year.
    From 1820 to 1934, however, Congress met regularly on the first Monday
    in December. In 1934 the Twentieth Amendment changed the convening of
    Congress to January 3, unless Congress ``shall by law appoint a
    different day.'' In addition, the President, according to Article II,
    section 3, of the Constitution ``may, on extraordinary Occasions,
    convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement
    between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn
    them to such Time as he shall think proper. . . .''
    Powers of Congress  Article I, section 8, of the Constitution defines
    the powers of Congress. Included are the powers to assess and collect
    taxes--called the chief power; to regulate commerce, both interstate and
    foreign; to coin money; to establish post offices and post roads; to
    establish courts inferior to the Supreme Court; to declare war; and to
    raise and maintain an army and navy. Congress is further empowered ``To
    provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union,
    suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;'' and ``To make all Laws
    which shall be

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    necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers,
    and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of
    the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.''
    Amendments to the Constitution  Another power vested in the Congress is
    the right to propose amendments to the Constitution, whenever two-thirds
    of both Houses shall deem it necessary. Should two-thirds of the State
    legislatures demand changes in the Constitution, it is the duty of
    Congress to call a constitutional convention. Proposed amendments shall
    be valid as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures
    or by conventions of three-fourths of the States, as one or the other
    mode of ratification may be proposed by Congress.
    Special Powers of the Senate  Under the Constitution, the Senate is
    granted certain powers not accorded to the House of Representatives. The
    Senate approves or disapproves certain Presidential appointments by
    majority vote, and treaties must be concurred in by a two-thirds vote.
    Special Powers of the House of Representatives  The House of
    Representatives is granted the power of originating all bills for the
    raising of revenue.
        Both Houses of Congress act in impeachment proceedings, which,
    according to the Constitution, may be instituted against the President,
    Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States. The House
    of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment, and the Senate has
    the sole power to try impeachments.
    Prohibitions Upon Congress  Section 9 of Article I of the Constitution
    also imposes prohibitions upon Congress. ``The Privilege of the Writ of
    Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion
    or Invasion the public Safety may require it.'' A bill of attainder or
    an ex post facto law cannot be passed. No export duty can be imposed.
    Ports of one State cannot be given preference over those of another
    State. ``No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence
    of Appropriations made by Law. . . .'' No title of nobility may be
    granted.
    Rights of Members  According to section 6 of Article I, Members of
    Congress are granted certain privileges. In no case, except in treason,
    felony, and breach of the peace, can Members be arrested while attending
    sessions of Congress ``and in going to and returning from the same. . .
    .'' Furthermore, the Members cannot be questioned in any other place for
    remarks made in Congress. Each House may expel a Member of its body by a
    two-thirds vote.
    Enactment of Laws  All bills and joint resolutions must pass both the
    House of Representatives and the Senate and must be signed by the
    President, except those proposing a constitutional amendment, in order
    to become law, or be passed over the President's veto by a two-thirds
    vote of both Houses of Congress. Section 7 of Article I states: ``If any
    Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays
    excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a
    Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their
    Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.''
        When a bill or joint resolution is introduced in the House, the
    usual procedure for its enactment into law is as follows:
        --assignment to House committee having jurisdiction;
        --if favorably considered, it is reported to the House either in its
    original form or with recommended amendments;
        --if the bill or resolution is passed by the House, it is messaged
    to the Senate and referred to the committee having jurisdiction;
        --in the Senate committee the bill, if favorably considered, may be
    reported in the form as received from the House, or with recommended
    amendments;
        --the approved bill or resolution is reported to the Senate, and if
    passed by that body, is returned to the House;
        --if one body does not accept the amendments to a bill by the other
    body, a conference committee comprised of

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    Members of both bodies is usually appointed to effect a compromise;
        --when the bill or joint resolution is finally approved by both
    Houses, it is signed by the Speaker (or Speaker pro tempore) and the
    Vice President (or President pro tempore or acting President pro
    tempore) and is presented to the President; and
        --once the President's signature is affixed, the measure becomes a
    law. If the President vetoes the bill, it cannot become a law unless it
    is re-passed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses.
    Publications  The Congressional Directory, the Senate Manual, and the
    House Rules and Manual may be obtained from the Superintendent of
    Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.