Steve Greenwell, age 12, of Henderson, Nev., for his question:
WHAT IS A BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE?
A legislature is that branch of government empowered to make, change or repeal its laws and to levy and regulate taxes. Nearly all modern governments have bicameral legislatures. A bicameral legislature is a two house organization.
The so called lower house in a bicameral legislature is generally elected on a basis of direct representation. The upper house is commonly elected on either indirect representation or direct representation limited to certain territorial or hereditary categories.
The various legislatures throughout the world are known by different names: Congress, Parliament, Knesset, Soviet, Diet and Assembly.
In the United States, Congress has a lower house called the House of Representatives. It has 435 members, made up of a varying number of members from each state that are elected according to population. The upper house is the 100 member Senate. Two members are elected from each state.
Most legislatures are limited in their powers by the constitution or organic law of the government of which they are a part. The enactments of the U.S. Congress, from example, can be vetoed by the President. The Congress must approve by a two thirds majority any bill it wishes to pass despite a presidential veto.
The British Parliament, on the other hand, chooses its own prime minister and cabinet who are ultimately responsible to it for all their administrative actions. Being legislative as well as executive or administrative leaders, these officials have considerable power to initiate and influence legislation desired by their administrative departments.
The tendency in most modern governments has been toward increasing assumption of legislative powers by administrative officials, with a consequent weakening of the legislatures.
Many political scientists ascribe this to growing public impatience with the uncertainties of party politics within legislatures.
The Senate in the U.S. Congress has two members representing each state. This is a provision of the Constitution not subject to amendment.
The 435 members of the House of Representatives are elected by the different states on the basis of their population at the most recent U.S. census. California has the largest number of representatives: 45. Several states, such as Delaware and Vermont, have only one.
Members of the House of Representatives serve two year terms and senators six year terms. Every two years ail 435 members of the House are elected and one third of the members of the Senate.
In the U.S. bicameral legislature, the Senate and House are organized by the major party in each chamber, which chooses the presiding officer, the majority leader and the chairpersons of each committee.
Throughout much of America's history, the party controlling the White House did not control the two houses of Congress. This situation, known as split government, can lead to reduced output of legislation.