Sarah, Jennifer, Marie

Sarah, Jennifer, Marie

Article I

Section 1The Congress
The legislative powers listed in this section of the Constitution shall be granted to the Congress of the United States, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Section 2The House of Representatives
Clause 1: Representatives shall be elected by the direct popular election to serve for a term of two years; each representative will have one vote. Every two years representatives will be up for re-election.
Clause 2: Representatives must be at least twenty-five years of age, seven years a citizen of the United States, and a citizen of the state in which they represent for a period of at least one year.
Clause 3: The number of representatives will be distributed proportionately to the population of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Each state shall be granted at least one representative. The number of seats shall equal 477. A seat without a vote will be given to American territories.
Clause 4: In case of a vacancy, the governor of the state shall appoint a representative that will fill the vacancy until a special election is held.
Clause 5: The House has the sole power of impeachment.
Clause 6: The Speaker of the House shall be elected by the entire body; Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and other officers shall be elected by vote of their respective parties.
Section 3The Senate
Clause 1: Two senators from each state and the District of Columbiashall be chosen by direct popular election to serve for a term of six years; each senator shall have one vote.
Clause 2: Every two years, one-third of the senators shall be up for reelection. No state will have both senators up for reelection at the same time.
Clause 3: Senators must be at least thirty years of age, nine years a citizen of the United States, and a citizen of the state in which they represent for at least one year.
Clause 4: In case of a vacancy, the governor shall appoint a senator to fill the vacancy until a special election can be held.
Clause 5: The Vice President of the United States shall preside over the Senate, but shall have no vote except in the case of a tie.
Clause 6: The majority party of the Senate shall choose a president pro tempore to preside if the Vice President is absent or is fulfilling the role of President of the United States. Other officers shall be elected by the majority vote of the Senate.
Clause 7: The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. During these trials, they shall act as a court and be under oath or affirmation; when the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present.
Clause 8: In impeachment cases, consequences will at the most be removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States. However, if convicted, the party shall be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgement and punishment, according to law.

Section 4The Elections and Meetings of Congress
Clause 1: Federal elections will be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. State legislatures will decide on the places and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives; however, Congress may make or alter such regulations by law.
Clause 2: Congress shall assemble on January 3rd of each year and proceed until their business is completed.
Section 5The Proceedings of Congress
Clause 1: Each house shall judge its own members on qualifications and returns, and a majority is necessary in each house in order to do business. A smaller number may adjourn from day to day and has the power to enforce attendance of absent members.
Clause 2: Each house determines the rules for proceedings and disciplines for disorderly conduct. A two-thirds vote is required to expel a member.
Clause 3: Each house will publish written records of their proceedings and the specific votes of all members when a 1/5 vote requests it, except in the cases where security could be compromised. All documents that are withheld for security reasons must be released to the public within a twenty-year period of the legislation.
Clause 4: Both houses at large must meet in Washington, D.C.; neither house shall adjourn for more than three days without the permission of the other house. Individual members and/or committees are permitted to meet outside of Washington, D.C. for legislative purposes.
Section 6The Rights of Members
Clause 1: Members of Congress shall decide on salaries of their respective house by a two-thirds majority vote. The Treasury of the United States will compensate members, and changes to salaries will not take effect until the next congressional term.
Clause 2: Members shall be exempt from arrest except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace when traveling to or from the Congress or when involved in the business of the Congress.
Clause 3: Members of Congress cannot hold any other office of government during their term.

Section 7Bills and Resolutions
Clause 1: All bills that raise revenue must originate in the house; however, the Senate can still propose or agree to change these bills.
Clause 2: Once the House and the Senate pass bills, the President must sign the bill into a law in order for it to take effect. If the President refuses to sign it, it is sent back to the house it originated in along with the explanation for the veto. The house can then reconsider and/or change the bill and pass it again by a two-thirds vote in both houses which will override the President’s veto. If the President keeps the bill without signing or vetoing for ten business days in which the Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. If Congress is out of session at the end of ten days, the bill dies.
Clause 3: All public bills, private bills, and joint resolutions shall be submitted to the President for review. All other resolutions and orders do not require presidential approval.
Section 8The Powers of Congress
Congress Shall Have the Power To:
Clause 1: Lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, including but not limited to income and business tax.
Clause 2: Regulate international and domestic commerce.
Clause 3: Borrow monies on behalf of the United States.
Clause 4: Coin monies and regulate the value, incorporate banks, and maintain a Federal Reserve System.
Clause 5: Make laws to punish those guilty of counterfeiting monies of the United States.
Clause 6: Establish laws concerning bankruptcies.
Clause 7: Authorize a uniform policy of naturalization wherein foreigners become entitled to the privileges of a native-born citizen.
Clause 8: Maintain a postal system.
Clause 9: Maintain an interstate system of highways and roads.
Clause 10: Sanction an arrangement of patents and copyrights to protect innovative ideas.
Clause 11: Oversee the establishment and continuance of inferior federal courts.
Clause 12: Outline and punish felonies and piracies committed in our waters and against our ships.
Clause 13: Declare war and make rules concerning the conduct of war.
Clause 14: Maintain and support armed forces and devise rules and regulations regarding the forces.
Clause 15:Enact crucial services and safety measures in the case of a terrorist attack.
Clause 16: Supervise the National Guard of each state and have the authority to exercise control over them in times of national distress.

Clause 17: Control lands and territories under its ownership as it would its own states.
Clause 18: Create laws they deem to be necessary and appropriate for the governing of the United States and for the common good of the people.
Section 9Prohibitions on Congress
Clause 1: Congress cannot place any direct taxes, except in the case of income, on the people of the United States.
Clause 2: Congress cannot tax exported article from any state.
Clause 3: Congress shall not give preferential treatment to any states’ ports, nor shall it have the power to dictate the course of states’ vessels.
Clause 4: Congress shall not appropriate money for claims unless a law has been established for that specific claim. Congress is required to record and publish its expenditures and receipts on a regular basis to the public.
Clause 5: The United States cannot issue titles of nobility or bribes; however, Congress can approve or disapprove of titles and monetary gifts given by other countries.
Section 10Prohibitions on the States
Clause 1: States cannot tax imports or exports except in the case of complying with their inspection laws. Congress has the power to supervise these proceedings and the money from the taxes must go to the National Treasury.
Clause 2: States do not have the power to lay port taxes of any kind, keep warships in times of peace, or make treaties with other states or with other nations.
Clause 3: States cannot perform any specific powers granted to Congress and they shall have no power over foreign relations; however, any powers not granted to Congress in the Constitution are given to the states and the people.