Ch 4

Question 1

STUDY TIP:
bicameral Congress made to represent different constituencies. Know differences between:
- membership
- powers
- rules
of HoR and Senate

Answer 1

HoR:
- reflects constituent wishes
- 1 district = 1 rep
- more rules, formality, ldrship pwr
Senate:
- reflects federal wishes
- entire state
- less rules, formality, more indvdl power

Question 2

STUDY TIP:
Differences btwn selection process + term lengths of HoR and Senate are highly important — may appear on exam

Answer 2

HoR:
- shorter term (2 years)
- at least 25 (younger)
Senate
- longer term (6 years)
- at least 30 (older)

Question 3

STUDY TIP:
Know the constitutional powers of congress

Answer 3

lawmaking
- economic
- national
- foreign
budgeting
- sets fed budget
- oversees agency budgets
oversight of bureaucracy + other officials
- make sure everyone is acting legally
- can conduct hearings + investigatns

Question 4

STUDY TIP:
Know how Congress can check executive, judicial, bureaucracy
Know Constitutional + informal powers Congress can use to influence branches

Answer 4

-

Question 5

STUDY TIP:
Incumbency advantage is important
- Why does it exist?
- Why is advantage better for HoR than for senators

Question 6

How many reps make up the HoR?

Answer 6

435

Question 7

How many years does HoR serve?

Answer 7

2 years

Question 8

HoR: District or Entire State

Answer 8

District

Question 9

How old does HoR have to be

Answer 9

25 y.o.

Question 10

Senate: District or Entire State

Answer 10

Entire State

Question 11

Both Senate and HoR have to live in the states they represent

Answer 11

true!!!!

Question 12

How many years does Senate serve?

Answer 12

6 years (1/3 of house changes every 2 years. staggered)

Question 13

How is HoR apportioned?

Answer 13

census

Question 14

What does the census track? (2 things)

Answer 14

• how many people are in the U.S.
• where those people live

Question 15

Enumerated Congress powers (5)

Answer 15

• Passing federal budget
• raising revenue (taxes) (HoR)
• coining money
• declaring war
• raise + maintain armed forces

Question 16

Speaker of the House
What is it responsible for?

Answer 16

• decides who talks or not in debates
• counts votes
• appoints people to committee

Question 17

Speaker of the Senate

Answer 17

• VP
• really only breaks ties

Question 18

Standing Committee
+ house and senate example

Answer 18

always remains
Senate: Approporiations (federal funds)
House: Ways and Means (taxation)

Question 19

Joint committee

Answer 19

Members from both house + senate
- Joint of Library
- Joint of Printing
Usually persist, but can also be short term

Question 20

Select committee

Answer 20

Committee only banded together for a specific purpose (temporary)

Question 21

Conference committee

Answer 21

hamemrs out differences between bills

Question 22

House rules committee

Answer 22

• Gatekeeps all legislation!!!
• decides when voting
• assigns bills to committees

Question 23

House - committee of the whole

Answer 23

bill amendments are debated quicker

Question 24

House - discharge petition

Answer 24

maj vote - bill brought out of committe for a vote

Question 25

Senate - Filibuster

Answer 25

Stalling bill

Question 26

Senate - cloture rule

Answer 26

3/5 senate agrees to SHUT UP FILIBUSTERS!

Question 27

Senate - unanimous consent

Answer 27

can restrict some privileges to get work done faster

Question 28

Bill

Answer 28

1. sponsored 2. changes (provisions) - pork barrel spending (funds for a specific district) 3. Floor for vote - logrolling (vote trading)

Question 29

Mandatory Spending

Answer 29

required by law Medicare + Medicaid

Question 30

Discretionary Spending

Answer 30

left over - fed employees -

Question 31

Deficit spending

Answer 31

us spends too much.. oopsie doodle either borrow/raise taxes

Question 32

partisanship vs bipartisanship

Answer 32

1. leaning towards 1 party 2. collaborate parties

Question 33

delegate vs trustee vs politico

Answer 33

1. appeals to people 2. votes based on judgement 3. does both when necessary

Question 34

gridlock

Answer 34

legis process goes into standstill bc of disagreement

Question 35

polarization

Answer 35

parties go to extreme ideologies

Question 36

divided govt

Answer 36

pres and congress are from 2 different parties - can lead to gridlock

Question 37

OMB which brqanch is it part of? who does it help?

Answer 37

Office of Management and Budget - part of Exec branch - helps pres make budget