Congress and Congressional Elections Flashcards

1
Q

constitutional provision that requires a bill to be sent to the President before it can become a law

A

Presentment Clause

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2
Q

constitutional provision that empowers Congress to regulate business between states (interstate commerce)

A

Commerce Clause

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3
Q

lower legislative chamber composed of 435 voting members who serve terms of two years (no term limits)

A

House of Representatives

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4
Q

upper legislative chamber composed of 100 voting members who serve terms of six years (no term limits)

A

Senate

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5
Q

a tactic used by individual senators to prevent/delay the legislative process by (historically) continuously holding the floor and speaking for extended periods; at least 60 Senate votes are required to invoke cloture to end the debate

A

Filibuster

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6
Q

procedure by which a single chamber (or both chambers) of Congress could repeal laws or regulations without presidential involvement; the Supreme Court struck it down in INS v. Chadha (1983)

A

Legislative veto

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7
Q

permanent committees established by each legislative chamber that consider bills and engage in government oversight

A

Standing committees

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8
Q

either temporary or permanent committees that are established to perform special functions beyond the authority or capacity of standing committees

A

Select (special) committees

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9
Q

four permanent committees that include members from both chambers; these committees are specific to congressional functions and issues of joint interest (Economic, Library, Printing, Taxation)

A

Joint committees

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10
Q

a temporary committee established to reconcile any differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill; it is composed of senior members of the standing committees that originally considered the bill

A

Conference committee

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11
Q

the legislative agency that is responsible for providing analysis of budgets

A

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

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12
Q

the legislative agency, led by the Comptroller General, that conducts audits and oversight of the federal government

A

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

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13
Q

the legislative agency that conducts nonpartisan public policy research and provides information to Congress; known as Congress’ “policy think tank”

A

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

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14
Q

Supreme Court case that determined Congress has broad investigatory power for legislative purposes

A

McGrain v. Daugherty (1927)

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15
Q

the manipulation of electoral district boundaries and voter apportionment for political advantage (e.g. cracking and packing); named after Elbridge Gerry (Governor of Massachusetts)

A

Gerrymandering

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16
Q

political scientist who wrote Congress: The Electoral Connection (1974); he notably asserted that members of Congress are “single minded seekers of reelection”

A

David R. Mathew

17
Q

campaign issues that generate different or contested opinions among voters (e.g. taxes, government spending, abortion, gun rights/restrictions, capital punishment, recreational drug legalization)

A

Position issues

18
Q

campaign issues that generate broad consensus among voters (e.g. economic growth, jobs, low inflation, social security, good education)

A

Valence issues

19
Q

elections that determine a political party’s candidate

A

Primary elections

20
Q

primary election that is open to both registered party members and non-party members

A

Open primary

21
Q

primary election that is restricted to only registered members of a political party

A

Closed primary

22
Q

competitions between political party candidates (and possibly independent candidates) that determine who will hold public office

A

General election

23
Q

the individual already holding political office

A

Incumbent

24
Q

legislative spending on local projects for the purpose of increasing district support for an incumbent

A

Pork barrel politics

25
Q

landmark Supreme Court case that removed restrictions on independent spending during elections based on 1st Amendment free speech rights

A

Citizens United vs. FEC (2010)

26
Q

a political committee that gathers money from its members and uses the funds for campaigns

A

Political Action Committee (PAC)