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Congress (LIBRARY OF an institution)

LIBRARY OF, an institution in Washington, D. C., established in 1800. It was destroyed in 1814 at the time of the burning of the Capitol by the British. It was again burned in 1851. It was housed in the Capitol until 1897, when it was removed to a building erected for it at a cost of near 500,000. This building is the largest and most magnificent library building in the world. The library has grown constantly and in 1919 contained 2,710,556 books, 163,484 maps and charts, 848,292 volumes and pieces of music, and 409,029 prints. A copy of each book printed in the United States under the copyright CONGREVE laws is deposited in the Library of Congress. The library is supported by an nual appropriations made by Congress.

From 1899 Herbert Putnam has been librarian.

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, the legislative branch of the Federal Government, deriving its powers from the Constitution. It consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives.

The powers of Congress are enumerated in Article 1, section 8, of the Constitution, and all powers not granted to Congress, or prohibited to the States, are reserved to the States or to the people; but the power of Congress is absolute within the scope of its authority. The Senate is composed of two members from each State, regardless of size or population; the members of the House are apportioned on the basis of population. Thus, while in the House the influence of the people is felt directly, according to their numbers, the Senate provides the means of defending the smaller States from the possible encroachments of the larger; and to assure the safety of the smaller States, the Constitution, Article 5, provides that "no State without its consent shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate." Bills that have passed both Houses are sent to the President, who may either sign or veto them, or do neither, in which case the bill becomes a law after 10 days unless Congress has previously adjourned. The veto of the President is the only check upon the power of Congress to legislate within the scope of its authority. Legislation exceeding the constitutional power of Congress will be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, if that body is appealed to by either party to any controversy arising in an attempt to enforce such laws. Each House is, by the Constitution, "the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members."

In 1910 the 48 States were represented by 96 Senators and the ratio of Repre sentatives was fixed at 1 to every 212,407 population. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution provided for a direct vote for Senators by the people.