¿Cómo funciona el Congreso de EU? - Las Noticias

Congress Structure and Function

Overview of the U.S. Congress

• The United States Congress consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

• The House has 435 representatives, allocated based on state populations, serving two-year terms with no term limits.

• Elections for the entire House occur every two years through direct voting.

Senate Composition and Terms

• The Senate comprises 100 members, with each state represented by two senators regardless of population.

• Senators serve six-year terms and can be re-elected indefinitely; one-third of the Senate is renewed every two years through elections.

Legislative Functions

• The primary mission of Congress is to legislate (introduce, discuss, and approve laws) and oversee the executive branch as part of a system of checks and balances.

• Each chamber has distinct powers:

• The House can elect a president in case of an electoral tie, initiate impeachment processes, and propose revenue-related bills.

• The Senate ratifies presidential appointments and international treaties, conducting trials for impeached officials from the House.

Legislative Process Example: NAFTA Renegotiation

Presidential Proposals

• When President Trump proposed renegotiating NAFTA due to perceived unfairness towards the U.S., it required legislative approval for implementation changes to existing laws.

Negotiation Timeline

• Following Trump's election victory in August 2017, negotiations began with Mexico and Canada to replace NAFTA after eight rounds over 15 months, culminating in a new treaty signed on November 30, 2018.

Congressional Actions

• On January 29, 2019, Robert Lighthizer notified Congress about necessary changes for implementing the new treaty within U.S. law; this was followed by an impact report from the International Trade Commission sent to both chambers and Trump on March 15, 2019.

Stalemate in Legislation

• Despite initial progress, discussions stalled in the House due to Democratic demands for substantial modifications regarding labor rights, environmental standards, and pharmaceutical regulations before moving forward with voting on the agreement's implementation bill.

Final Approval Process

Legislative Outcome

• As time ran out before year-end deadlines on December 19, 2019, the agreement was approved by the House with a significant majority (385 votes in favor). Subsequently, it passed in the Senate on January 16, 2020 (89 votes).