AP GOV UNIT 4.1

Question 1

Bicameral - structure/function

Answer 1

This refers to a legislative body that is divided into two chambers. In the US we have the Senate and House of Representatives.

This system’s function is seen in limiting the power of legislature to make sure there are various perspectives in our government. Some benefits are that it prevents the abuse of power, ensures different perspectives, represents many different groups of demographics of the population.

Question 2

Apportionment/Reapportionment

Answer 2

The process of distributing seats usually on population size. Based on results of the 10 year census. This influences how districts are drawn, influencing both state and local elections.

Redistributing the number of representatives based on population by the latest census. Ensuring representation in Congress reflects the current population.

Question 3

Bill/law - making function

Answer 3

The very long process allows for the bill to be shut down at each step in its road. It starts with a member of Congress introducing a bill, then goes through to the committee where it is relevant for review, debate, and possible amendments. Then it goes to the full chamber for debate and amendments. The bill must pass in both the House and Senate. If the House and Senate bill differs, it goes through to a conference committee to find a middle ground. Then the president can sign the bill into law, veto, or allow it to become law without signing.

Question 4

Requirements for each house

Answer 4

House:
25 years old
7 years a citizen
speaker of the house is the highest position
Has a rules committee
2 year terms
charges impeachment (Majority)
435 members by populations
ways and means committee
taxing and spending starts here
Lower House
For the people

Senate: At least 30
9 years in the state
6 year terms
100 senators
2 per state
Upper House
“Less Formal”

Question 5

Powers of Congress

Answer 5

Enumerated powers: Allows Congress to act quickly in case of national emergencies.
Taxation, Borrowing, Commerce, Naturalization, Military, Investigation, establishing post offices
(Necessary and Proper Clause)
Gives Congress the power to pass laws that are necessary and proper to carry out their enumerated powers

Implied Powers: Powers granted by the elastic clause.
Establishing an air force, , creating gun control laws, declare war

Budget: They have the power to create and approve the federal budget, including collecting taxes, borrowing money, and approving spending.

Question 6

Advice and Consent

Answer 6

This is the constitutional process of the SENATE to provide advise and consent to presidential appointments and treaties. This is based from Article II of the Constitution, where the president can appoint cabinet members, federal judges, and ambassadors with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Question 6

House and Senate Differences

Answer 6

Senators represent their entire states, however members of the House of Representatives represent individual districts. This means the senator needs to govern over more people than the Rep. The amount of representatives are based on population, while each state has two Senators no matter what.

Question 7

Impeachment - roles

Answer 7

The House of Representatives charges an official of the federal government by a majority vote of the article of impeachment.

The Senate sits as a “High Court” of the impeachment process to consider evidence, hear witnesses, and vote to acquit or convict the impeached official. 2/3 vote.

Question 8

Incumbency advantages: Name recognition, Credit claiming, Casework, Franking privileges

Answer 8

Name recognition is crucial to an incumbent because voters are more likely to support candidates they are familiar with because they have probably established themselves in the community.

Casework is when a member of Congress or their staff helps a constituent with a federal issues such as navigating gov. bureaucracies, connecting them with resources, or advocating on their behalf. This allows the lawmaker to become more familiar with their constituency and gain support for re-election.

Credit Claiming is the practice where a member of Congress publicly takes credit for actions/policies that benefit their constituents even if they had a small role in implementing them in order to appear effective and gain support.

Franking privileges: Members of Congress having free mailing services. This is used to convey information to people who vote for you (constituents), enhancing their connection with them.

Question 9

Demographics of Congress

Answer 9

Race & Ethnicity:
Republicans -
92% White

Democrat-
56% White
21% Black
12% Hispanic

128 of 440 members of the House are women

25 of 100 members of the Senate are women

Question 10

Congressional District

Answer 10

These are specific geographic areas that elect representatives to the House. Each state is divided into a number of districts based on its population. The drawing of these districts impact political representation and party control.

Question 11

Redistricting

Answer 11

This is the process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral districts that reflect changes in a state’s population and ensures fair representation. This occurs most typically every 10 years but state legislators may do it sooner. This process can determine the political power dynamic by favoring one demographic.party over another when it comes to elections.

Question 12

Gerrymandering (packing/cracking)

Answer 12

Gerrymandering is the process of manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts to favor on demographic/party over another.

Packing/Cracking is putting as many of one type of voters in one electoral districts to diminish their overall power in surrounding districts.

Question 13

Shaw v. Reno

Answer 13

Done on Paper

Question 14

Baker v. Carr

Answer 14

Done on Paper

Question 15

Majority Party/Minority Party/Leaders

Answer 15

This is the political party that holds more than half the seats in Congress. 2024 it is Republicans

The Minority Party is the political party that holds less than half the seats in Congress. 2024 it is Democrats.

Political leaders are individuals who hold positions of authority and influence within the US government.

Question 16

Caucuses

Answer 16

These serve as voting coalitions, groups of people with similar ideas or interests.
Representatives who come together to pursue shared goals.
Democratic caucus
Hispanic Caucus

Question 17

Committee of the Whole

Answer 17

The committee of the whole is a committee of the house where all the Representatives serve and meet in the House chamber. The purpose of it is to relax the rules of the Senate and debate on legislation.

Question 18

Floor Leaders: Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader

Answer 18

The Speaker of the House is responsible for administering the oath of office to member of the House. they designate members to serve as speaker pro-tempore, counting and declaring all votes, and appointing members to committees. Succeed the president after the vice president. (Mike Johnson)

The Senate Majority Leader is the VP of the US. They serve as the chief representative of their party in the Senate and thought of as the most powerful member of the chamber. (Kamala Harris but now it will be JD Vance)

Question 19

Majority Whip/Minority Whip

Answer 19

These whips are mostly responsible for counting heads and rounding up party members for votes. They may stand in for their party leader in case of the leaders absence.

Question 20

President of Senate/ President Pro-Tempore

Answer 20

The president of the Senate is the Vice President of the United States. They preside over the Senate. They are also the majority party’s leader in the Senate. (JD Vance)

The president pro-temp in the absence of the VP may administer all oaths required by the Constitution, sign legislation, and be basically a substitute for the Senate President(Chuck E. Grassley)

Question 21

Standing Committees

Answer 21

These are permanent bodies with specific responsibilities and jurisdictions defined by the Senate rules.

Question 22

Joint Committee, Conference committee, select/special committee

Answer 22

Joint committees are legislative committees that are made up of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They focus on specific issues of policy, this creates a level of expertise from both houses.

A conference committee is a TEMPORARY joint committee formed by both Houses to reconcile differences in legislation passed by the two chambers. They are crucial for solving issues that both chambers want to fix, making the legislative process actually function.

Question 23

Appropriations Committee, Judiciary, Budget, Finance, and Foreign Relations Committee

Answer 23

The Appropriations Committee writes the legislation that gives federal funds to all the various gov. agencies, departments, and organizations.

The judiciary committee is the key Senate committee that is responsible for recommending presidential judicial appointments to the Senate for the full approval.

The Budget committee is responsible for developing a resolution for the budget to act as a blueprint congressional spending, revenue, and debt-limiting legislation.

The finance committee is responsible for monitoring matters that relate to taxation, revenue, and foreign relations.

The Foreign Relations Committee is the only committee in the Senate with the ability to act on and report treaties submitted by the President for Senate consideration.

Question 24

Ways and Means Committee

Answer 24

The Ways and Means Committee is a gov. body that has the responsibility of making recommendations for governmental budgets, revenue-raising measures, and tariffs.

Question 25

Rules Committee

Answer 25

In the House of Representatives that established rules for the debates on legislation, how and when it will be considered. They control the flow of legislation and manage the time and procedure for discussion.

Question 26

Discharge Petition

Answer 26

It is when a member of the house can file a motion to have a bill discharged. This is a last resort to get a floor vote that may be stopped in the committee to the floor for consideration.

Question 27

Seniority/Committees/Committee Chairs/Ranking Members

Answer 27

It is a congressional practice where the member of Congress in a committee normally holds leadership positions and significant influence over legislative decisions. This is a group of members from either the House of Reps or Senate that focuses on specific areas of policy, legislation, or oversight. Committee chairs are selected by the majority party. Their position is very important for managing the agenda, leading meeting, and making sure their work aligns with the goals of Congress. Ranking Members are the most senior member of the minority party on a congressional committee. The leader of the minority party within a committee

Question 28

Committee membership

Answer 28

Committee members are supposed to make relevant and focused comments as well as hold responsibility for decisions and actions taken by the committee.

Question 29

Bill Markup in Committee/hearings

Answer 29

After hearings, the bill is considered into a "mark-up" session. Amendments can now be offered to the bill, and members vote to accept or reject these changes.

Question 30

Bill: Floor Debate

Answer 30

Legislators may engage in debate over the bill. They discuss why the bill should or should not become law.

Question 31

hold/pigeonhole/table

Answer 31

Holds are a tactic by senators to delay and try to block a nomination for a federal position. This impacts the pace at which the appointments are confirmed. practically stopping legislation. A pigeonhole is when a committee puts it to the side and "forgets" about it.

Question 32

Oversight

Answer 32

Oversight by Congress of executive action through committee hearings, reports, nominations, and use of appropriations. Significance power of the purse scrutinize actions of agencies

Question 33

Filibuster/Cloture

Answer 33

A filibuster is a legislative tactic used in the Senate to delay/block a vote on a bill or nomination by making their speech SUPER LONG. This may be used by a minority group of senators to influence outcomes. A cloture is a legislative procedure used in the Senate to end a filibuster. It requires at least 60 senators to vote in favor of it. Allows 30 more hours of debate before a final vote must occur. A must for legislative efficiency

Question 34

Veto/Pocket Veto

Answer 34

A veto is the power of the president to reject a decision or proposal by Congress. This allows the president to prevent the enaction of law they disagree with. Example of checks and balances. A pocket veto is a special type of veto exercised by the President when they take no action on a bill for ten days AFTER Congress has left. This action kills the bills without formally vetoing it. And Congress cannot override this veto if it is not in session. President does not need to take a public stance on controversial legislation.

Question 35

Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (1974)

Answer 35

This was enacted in response to increasing concerns about the executive branch's unchecked us of impoundment. It significantly shifted power to Congress regarding the federal budget by creating a structured process for overseeing it, as well as the creation of the Congressional Budget Office(CBO). Limited the President's power to refuse to spend money allocated by Congress without approval.

Question 36

Reconciliation

Answer 36

This is the process of resolving differences between conflicting groups. This is used to expedite the passage of budget-related legislation, allowing certain bills to bypass the typical filibuster rules in the Senate

Question 37

Programmatic requests

Answer 37

Requests to support a program and ask for specific funding. This directs a federal agency to implement a PROGRAM in a specific way.

Question 38

Pork Barrel spending

Answer 38

This refers to the practice where lawmakers allocate government funds for their local projects to benefit their constituents and secure support. People say it is wasteful spending. Enhances a politician's image as someone who "Brings home the bacon"

Question 39

War Powers Act

Answer 39

This aims to limit the President's ability to engage U.S. forces in military conflict without congressional approval. If Congress does not approve within 60 days, the President must withdraw troops.

Question 40

Senatorial Courtesy

Answer 40

This is a tactic agreement among senators to not vote for any presidential nominee who is opposed by the senators nominee's home state. This gives voice to state senators and only applies if the president and the senator are from the same party

Question 40

Congressional Review/Oversight

Answer 40

This refers to the Power of Congress to monitor, review, and supervise federal agencies, programs, and policies to ensure they are implemented effectively and in agreement with the law. Serves as a check on presidential power.

Question 41

Trustee, Delegate, Politico

Answer 41

A trustee is an elected official that acts in the best interest of their constituents, using their OWN judgement to make decisions. A delegate is a representative who acts strictly according to the wishes of their constituents, regardless of their own judgement. A politico is a representative acts as a delegate and trustee in a hybrid type of way, depending on the issue

Question 42

Divided Government/ Unified Government

Answer 42

A divided government is when a political party holds the presidency while the other party holds one or both houses of Congress. This may lead to gridlock. Increasingly common. Unified government is a situation where the same political party controls both the executive branch, and the legislative branch. This allows for a much easier path to the party's agenda.

Question 43

Gridlock

Answer 43

This is a situation where the legislative process is stalled due to the inability of lawmaker to reach an agreement on policy decisions. This results in a standstill that prevents new laws or reforms. Deep partisan divide Typical during periods of divided government. Public expresses dissatisfaction, lower approval ratings of Congress. Some people argue that it can be good to prevent poorly thought-out legislation from being passed.

Question 44

Logrolling

Answer 44

This refers to the practice where politicians agree to support each other's legislation. Trading votes on different bills so that they can get their preferred legislation passed. Critics say it leads to less scrutiny of individual bills and result in special interests rather than "For the People"

Question 45

Earmarks

Answer 45

These are provisions in legislation that direct funds to specific projects or programs. Lawmakers may allocate federal money to local projects to benefit their constituents. Earmarks are expenditures for specific projects that have significance, while pork spending refers to gov expenditures that are considered wasteful.

Question 46

Congressional Support Agencies

Answer 46

The three primary support agencies are the - Congressional Research Service(CRS): nonpartisan research and info on a wide range of issues to members of Congress. Congressional Budget Office: Analyzes the budgetary impacts of proposed legislation, including the presidential budget. Government Accountability Office: Acts as a watchdog agency, examines government spending and operations to ensure accountability.

Question 47

Budget Process/Power of the Purse/Mandatory/Discretionary Spending

Answer 47

The budget process is the president formulating the budget and the Office of Management and Budget works with the president to create the proposal. Then Congress holds hearing to question the budget plan, if they develop their own, it is called a budget resolution. Congress may adjust spending and revenue levels with a simple majority vote. (Budget Reconciliation Process) Power of the Purse is the constitutional authority of Congress to control government spending and taxation. A key check on the executive branch by deciding where funds are allocated and how much are spent. Mandatory Spending is expenditures that are required by law, such as social security, medicare, and medicaid. Discretionary Spending is the portion of the federal budget that is decided by annual appropriations bills including funds for programs like education, defense, and transportation.

Question 48

Deficit

Answer 48

This is a financial situation where the government expenditures exceed its revenues (gain of money) in a fiscal year. Increased national debt. YAY!!