18.3.2 - Congress and Representation Flashcards
(38 cards)
US Congress representation
chapter 18.3.2
What are the 5 different forms of representation in Congress?
- Constituency representation
- Party representation
- Functional representation
- Congressional caucuses
- Lobbyists
- Constituency Representation:
How did Diane Black represent her constituency in 2018?
As part of the Brady Amendments to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2018, copyrighted songs were once again defined as capital assets, at the request of Diane Black, whose district covered parts of Nashville, famous for songwriting and country music
Why did Eric Cantor lose the Republican primary in Virginia in 2014?
He was not seen as conservative enough by his district
Why did Congressman Tom Petri receive criticism from the newspaper ‘Sheboygan’ in 2014?
It was found out that he only spends 1/3 of his time away from Congress in Wisconsin
- Party Representation:
What is expected from a member of Congress?
Some level of party loyalty
What has there been a considerable growth in in recent decades?
Party-line voting and partisan politics
How many members of the 115th Congress were neither Democrat nor Republican?
2
How many independents are in the Senate as of 2023 and who do they vote with?
3 independents, all caucus with the Democrats
- Function Representation:
What did Bill Clinton say about his cabinet in 1992?
He proclaimed that he would put together a cabinet ‘that looked like America’
What is the average age of members of the House and Senate in the 117th Congress (Current)?
House - 58 years
Senate - 64 years
What % of members of the 117th Congress have a college education?
96%
How many women serve in the 117th Congress?
150 women - 126 in House, 24 in Senate
How many women served in the 115th Congress?
108 women - 85 in House, 23 in Senate
What % of voting members were Hispanics in the 115th Congress?
8%
What % of the US population was Hispanic in 2016?
17%
How many Hispanic and Latino members serve in the 117th Congress?
52
What is ‘descriptive representation’?
A political belief that those elected should not only represent those within their constituency but also with whom they share descriptive characteristics
What is ‘functional representation’?
A political belief that those elected should represent economic or social groups within the wider community
What have some congressional districts been drawn to create?
‘majority-minority’ districts
How many majority-minority districts were there in the House of Representatives in 2015?
122
What is the district with the largest African-American majority?
Tennessee 9th District - 63%
What is the district with the largest Hispanic/Latino majority?
California 40th District - 87.2%
What was the Supreme Court ruling in the ‘Cooper v Harris’ (2017) case?
The ruling challenged that use of race alone in redistricting was racist
