When we think of those that run our country, we often say the government. The truth is that the government is made up of so much. There are branches of the government, and they all have different jobs to keep everything running. One of those branches is the Legislative Branch. What they do and who makes them up is something that we should all know about. Knowing who is in charge and what they can do is helpful for all. Before we cast our vote, we need to understand what these individuals will be in charge of and how it will change our lives.
Who
The Legislative branch is a combination of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The population per state decides the House of Representatives. Some states will have more representatives than others. Currently, 435 representatives make up the House of Representatives. When voting for those individuals during our state’s elections, it is essential to take care. The other half of the Legislative branch is the Senate, also chosen by each state. Unlike the House of Representatives, each state can only have two Senators. The population does not determine it. There are always only one hundred Senators.
What
The legislative branch is essential. They are over a lot of things that can affect us daily. They are able the draft laws they think will benefit the country. This is an important thing that everyone should be paying attention to. Whoever you elect will have this power. When the heads of different agencies are presented, they have to confirm or reject those nominations. They will enormously influence who runs different areas of our country. Another power they have that we wouldn’t want in the hands of just anyone is the power to declare war. Written out, it can seem like it is a little. In action, it is a big part of what makes our country. We need these individuals to represent us and what we need.
When
When someone is elected to be in the House of Representatives or the Senate, it is not forever like we know. All those elections have a time limit they must abide too. The House of Representatives has a two-year term. While each term is two years, an individual can be elected six times. Meaning if reelected, they could serve for twelve years. Those elected in the Senate serve a six-year term and can be elected twice, also equally twelve years. This shows that we may need to be more careful who we vote into the Senate as we will not have a chance to reelect, unlike their counterpart, we can change every two years. There are three requirements to become an option. They need to be twenty-five and a U.S. citizen for seven years, and a resident of the state they want to be elected in.
Learn more about how our government works.