Powers and functions of Congress and Parliament

Question 1

Legislative powers

Answer 1

• In the USA, the two houses of Congress enjoy equal power, in Parliament it is the House of Commons that dominates.
• Whereas in Congress both houses must agree on the final version of a bill before it is passed to the president for signing, in Parliament the House of Lords can propose amendments to legislation but in the end the Commons will usually get its way
• If needed, the Commons can use its power under the Parliament Act of 1949 to override the objections of the Lords

Question 2

Why is Congress considered a real legislature while Parliament is not?

Answer 2

• Legislation is passed by Congress, but it is merely passed through Parliament. Bills in Parliament are what the government wants, ‘their shopping list’. However in Congress, the president can only afford wish lists, as it asks whether Congress would even consider his ideas
• This happens due to the structural differences between the two legislatures

Question 3

Oversight

Answer 3

• The differences between Congress and Parliament in their oversight of the executive is due to structural differences
• The Senate has oversight of all judicial and numerous executive appointments within the federal government. The Senate’s power to ratify treaties and the House’s power to impeach any public official within the federal government. This gives Congress an arm of oversight unknown to government.

Question 4

Comparing each of the two houses

Answer 4

• Both Congress and Parliament are bicameral. However, Congress is composed of two mostly equal chambers, Parliament is dominated by the House of Commons
• Both chambers of Congress are directly elected by the people, however while the Commons is directly elected, the Lords isn’t.
• In Parliament the executive branch is included, in Congress the executive branch is excluded
• Each American person has three representatives in Congress, each British person has only one representative in Parliament

Question 5

Senate and the Lords - Removing and scrutinising people

Answer 5

• The Senate can hold impeachment trials and remove federal officials from office as well as supreme court justices.
• While the Lords does not have this power, they can scrutinise and investigate famous people and bring media attention to them e.g Phillip Green, Mike Ashley.

Question 6

Parliament acts 1911 and 1949 - Commons overriding Lords example

Answer 6

• The European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 getting royal assent despite being rejected by the Lords six times.
• However, this ‘suspensive veto’ power is rarely used