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of the eastern seaboard, it is a short trip home. For those on the west coast it is six hours flight time, with Hawaii being even more. With three or four days, they turn around and come back to Washington.

During the visits home, the members will hold office hours, meet with state and local officials, attend dinners and do some fundraising. With campaigns being so expensive, fundraising has became a year round neccesity. Many members have formed their own Political Action Committees-PAC-to do fundraising for not only themselves, but to donate to others with similar political philosophy.

According to the Constitution, each house of Congress has set duties that the other does not. The Senate must confirm all appointments by the President, such as a nomination to any level of the fedceral courts. The Senate is also charged with ratification of any treaty signed by the president. In 1920, the Senate refused to ratify the portion of the treaty that officially ended World War One and the US did not become a member of the League of Nations, in spite of the fact that President Woodrow Wilson had proposed and championed the League.

On the other hand, a revenue generating bill must always be proposed by the House of Representatives. Article One of the Constitution deals with the Congress and its duties.

While it may seem at times that the Congress is a 'do-nothing' Congress, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

Learn more about this author, Tom Ontis.
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