The Legislative Branch

Article I, Section 1. 

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.

Article I, Sections 4-9 (excerpts)

Assembly

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, 

and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, 

unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Quorum

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications 

of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; 

but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, 

and under such Penalties as each House may provide.  

Rules

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, 

expel a Member.

Journal

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and

 the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.

Adjournment

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Compensation

The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. 

They shall in all Cases, 

except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, 

be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses

 and in going to and returning from the same; and

 for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place...

  No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, 

be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or 

the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; 

and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.

Bills for Raising Revenue

All Bills for raising Revenue 

shall originate in the 

House 

of Representatives; 

but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments 

as on other Bills.

President’s Approval of Bills

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and 

the Senate, shall, 

before it become a Law, be presented to the President 

of the United States; 

If he approve he shall sign it, 

but if not 

he shall return it, 

with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. 

President’s Disapproved or Unreturned Bill – Rules to Pass by Congress

If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House 

shall agree to pass the Bill, 

it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, 

by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if 

approved by two thirds 

of that House, 

it shall become a Law. 

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.

 Bills, Orders & Resolutions

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; 

and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, 

shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitation prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Voting – 

Yeas & Nays

But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.  

  War 

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation 

of Money to that Use 

shall be for a longer 

Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws 

of the Union, 

suppress Insurrections 

and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, 

and for governing 

such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, 

reserving to the States respectively, 

the Appointment of the 

Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia 

according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive 

Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;

–And

To make all Laws which shall be 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. 

  (Original language) 

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.*

AMENDMENT XIV 

Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868. 

*Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of the 14th amendment.

AMENDMENT XIV Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. 

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; 

nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. 

Voting

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. 

But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age,* and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.