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AP GOV > Chapter 12: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH > Flashcards

Chapter 12: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Flashcards

1
Q

How many get elected every how many years ?

A

House- entire house elected every two years

Senate- 1/3 elected every two years

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2
Q

How long do they serve?

A

House- 2 terms

Senate-6 terms

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3
Q

Minimum age and citizenship and where they must live?

A

House- 25 yrs 7 yr a citizen and must live in the state where district is located

Senate- 30 yrs 9 yr a citizen and must live in the state elected to represent

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4
Q

When do the two houses meet?

A

They meet for terms of two years every beginning on January 3rd off of odd numbered years

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5
Q

How are the terms divided?

A

Each term is dived into two 1 year sessions

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6
Q

Who chooses leadership in the congress?

And current congress

A

Each house of congress chooses its own leadership and rules

115

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7
Q

When getting elected to the house what does the constitution guarantee?

A

It guarantees at least one representative for each state

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8
Q

When getting elected to the house how are members elected?

A

Members are elected from districts within each state * more people you have in your state the more districts you have

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9
Q

What is apportionment?

A

Distribution among the starts based on the population of each of the states

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10
Q

Reapportionment

A

The redistribution of congressional seats after the census determines changes in population distribution

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11
Q

What is congressional districting?

A

The drawing by state legislatures of congressional districts for those states with more than 1 representative * as #’s grow your voice gets quieter

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12
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Draw congressional districts to favor a political party over another
* do whatever you can to get your party favored

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13
Q

What are two ways to gerrymander?

A

You either draw districts to separate oppositions *people work to the favor how their population is set up or some become minorities
or they put all the opposition into specific districts *pack and give some to get other ones

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14
Q

Gerrymandering rules

A

The districts have to be close to the same size and they have to be contiguous

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15
Q

Problems of gerrymandering

A

Created huge lawsuits - court cases
Made it clear
People get frustrated because some districts are longer [different mixture of people]

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16
Q

When getting elected to the senate what does the constitution guarantee?

A

The constitution guarantees that “no state without its consent shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the senate (article 5)

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17
Q

How were member chosen before the 17th amendment in 1913

A

Members were chosen by state legislatures

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18
Q

What is the incumbency advantage?

A

The tendency of those already in office to win reelection

And it is stronger for members in the house than in the senate

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19
Q

What are some incumbency advantages?

A 
Name recognition 
Credit claiming 
Constituent casework
Visibility to constituent 
Media exposure 
Fundraising abilities
Campaign experience 
Voting record
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20
Q

What is name recognize and credit claiming?

A

Name recognition advantage is when voters are more likely recognize the incumbent than the challenger and credit claiming is when the incumbent may have brought government projects and money into the state or district

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21
Q

What is constituents casework advantage?

A

The incumbent may have helped voters back home solve problems involving the bureaucracy or the government

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22
Q

What is visibility to constituent?

A

Office perks allow communication through media sources and franking ( policy that enables members of congress to send material through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature(frank) for postage

*cant have campaigning materials in letter

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23
Q

What is their media exposure advantage and fundraising abilities ?

A

Incumbents more likely to gain free publicity during a campaign through the media fundraising abilities is a HUGE PART they are able generate more campaign funds than challengers.

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24
Q

Campaign experience and voting record

A

Incumbents have been through campaigns and elections and know who to work the system
Voters can evaluate an incumbents performance based on their voting records
* people might vote if your consistent and like the way you stand on issues
Some people are flipfloppers and flip around

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25
Q

What has the Supreme court ruled about term limits?

A

Neither the states nor congress may impose term limits w/o a constitutional amendment

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26
Q

Where does the leadership go in congress?

A

Majority party in each house controls the leadership positions in congress

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27
Q

HOR

What is the Speaker of the house’s role?

A 
\+Presiding officer behind vp 
\+And the most powerful member 
\+He assigns bills to committees~which bills go to which committees 
\+appoints members to committees 
*gets lots of press
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28
Q

Role of majority leader in HOR?

A

+2nd in command
+serves as major assistant to speaker
+ helps plans the party’s legislative program
+directs floor debates

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29
Q

Role of minority’s leader in HOR?

A

+Spokesperson for minority party

+Organizes the opposition to the majority party

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30
Q

The WHIPS role in HOR?

A

+ pressures member to vote with the party
+helps floor leaders by directing party members
+informs members of impending votes
+keeps track of vote counts

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31
Q

Vice President role -SEN

A

NOT A REAL MEMBER BUT CONSTITUTIONALLY PRESIDING OFFICER

Many not participate in debates
Vote is only there to break a tie

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32
Q

PRESIDENT PRO TEMP-ORE ROLE- SEN

A

Senior member of majority party

Mostly ceremonial position

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33
Q

Majority party role for SEN

A

Most influential member of THE SENATE

spokesperson for the majority party of the entire senate

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34
Q

Minority role in SEN

A

Spokesperson for minority party

Organizes the opposition to the majority party

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35
Q

WHIPS Role- SEN

A

Pressures member to vote
Keeps track of vote counts
Direct party members
Inform members of impending votes

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36
Q

What are committees

A

*Most of the work of congress is accomplished through committees
+regularly hold hearings to investigate problems and oversee the executive branch
+they control congressional agenda and guide legislation

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37
Q

Why are committees good?

A

They permit congress to divide the work amongst members and allows for the study of legislation by specialists nod speeds up the legislation process* people usually want to be on the committee that makes most sense
🔻New York-industry🏭🏗🏨🏤🏦🏥🏬🏣🏢🏫🏪🏩⛪️🏛💒🕋🕍🕌⛩🕋⛪️🏩🏤🏣🕌🏣🏪🕋🏤⛩🏚🏫🏣🏫⛩
🔻Texas- agriculture 🎄☘🌴🎋🌳🌿🌵🌱🌲🍀🍃🍃🍃🍃🌴🍀🌵☘☘🌺🌷🌴🌾🌲🌸🌸🌹🌍🌎💐🍄🌻🌴🎍🌰

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38
Q

How many members of congress in house and senate?

A

House-435

Senate-100

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39
Q

Where does the leadership go to in congress?

A

Leadership goes to committee chair person s who are members of the majority party

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40
Q

What is the role of the committee chair people?

A

They set agendas assign members to subcommittees and decide wether the committee will hold public hearings and which witnesses to call

They manage floor debate of a bill when it’s presented to the full House or Senate

Traditionally chosen based on seniority but reforms allow for selection based on merit

41
Q

What does the percentage of each committees membership reflect?

A

It reflects the overall percentage of republicans and democrats in each house and members try to serve where they can best affect policy for their state or district or influence national public policy

ex. Tons of military bases want to be on armed forces committee
* get some press and some members don’t get the committee they want

42
Q

What are the types of committees?

A

Standing committees
select committees
Joint committees
Conference committees

43
Q

What are standing committees?

A 
Standing committees are permanent committees that deal with specific policy matters 
Ex agriculture ☘
Energy 🌞
Veterans affair 👨
*most effective in policy 
SENATE
44
Q

What are select committees ?

A

Temporary committees appointed to a specific purpose
Most are formed to investigate a particular issue
Ex. Watergate 💧
*beyond the capacity or Authority of a standing committee
HOUSE

45
Q

What are joint committees?

A

They are made up of both congresses

It may be a select committee like(Iran-contra) or perform routine duties (library of Congress)

46
Q

What is a conference committee ? And why was it created?

A

A temporary committee of members from both congress

It was created to resolve the difference in HOUSE and SENATE versions of a bill(legislations)

47
Q

What are caucuses in congress?

A

Informal groups formed by members of congress who share a common purpose or set of goals ( congressional black caucus , Women’s caucus)

48
Q

What is a legislation?

A

Law which has been enacted by a legislature or other governing body or the process of making it
Law enacted by an assembly

49
Q

What are joint committees? And what do they do?

A

Committees are made up of members of both houses of congress it can be a select committee or perform routine duties

50
Q

What is a conference committee?

A

A temporary committee of members from both houses of congress
Created to resolve the differences in HOUSE & SENATE versions of a bill(legislations)- act or process of making or enacting laws

51
Q

What are Caucuses in congress?

A

Informal groups formed by members of congress who share a common purpose or set of goals (congressional black caucus,women’s caucus

52
Q

Who does the congressional staff work for?

A

Personal staff work directly for members in DC and back in their home state/district

53
Q

What does the committee staff do for members in congress?

A

Committee staff research problems and analyze information

  • Congress people rely heavily on staffers
  • staffers have a lot of power cuz sometimes they tell who to vote for and what not
54
Q

What do support agencies do for members of dc?

A

They provide services to members (library of congress helps congressmen and sends them research they need ) (government printing offices)

55
Q

What is your job as a congress member?

A 
They have to be 
policy maker
Representative 
And they are either a delegate or a trustee
Constituent servant
Committee member 
Politician and party member
56
Q

What is the policy maker role and what do they do?

A

It is the Chief role and it passes laws and makes public policies through the passage of legislation

  • help pass legislation
  • some ppl think congress passes to many laws
57
Q

What is there job as a representative?

A

Represents your constituents

58
Q

Delegate

A

Members vote based on wishes of constituents

  • how you view yourself as a member in congress
  • thats how most people get votes
59
Q

Trustee

A

Listens to constituents but votes their own opinions

  • how you view yourself as a member in congress
  • you elected me because you don’t know what’s going on so I will make the final decision on what’s best for you
60
Q

Constituent servant role of congress member

A

Helps ppl in there district and states with problems

* help old ladies about their social security check

61
Q

What does the congress member do in committees?

A

They serve on committees in either house or senate to help handle bills and business

*independents usually have to choose whichever party in a caucus they want to go with

  • pressure to support your party
  • everybody in the party has to support the bill to send it off to senate
62
Q

What does the politician and party members do?

A

They work to support their political party platform and get reelected
* they have to have a strategy

63
Q

What are the privileges of members of congress?

A

Allowances - to maintain offices in their home district or state

Travel allowances- fly from dc back to home state
40 paid trips a year -tax payer dollars

Franking privileges-sends free Mail to constituents
*cant campaign or send vote for me
Immunity from arrest-during congress business
*speeding when driving
Immunity from libel or slander suits for speech/debate in congress

64
Q

What are the legislative powers?

A

Expressed powers
Implied powers
Limitations on powers

65
Q

What are the legislative :expressed implied and limited power for congress ?

A

Expressed powers are specifically granted to congress
*found in article 1 section 8 of constitution
Implied powers are necessary and proper
Their limitations on powers by imposing boundaries through article 1 section 9 and the tenth amendment .

66
Q

Article 1 section 8

A
  • The power to lay & collect taxes ,and tariffs(imported goods tax)
  • regulate foreign commerce and inter state commerce
  • coin money
  • post office and roads
  • declare war
  • raise and support armies
  • provide and maintain navy
  • make gov rules
  • make all laws that are necessary and proper
67
Q

Article 1 section 9

A

No ex post facto law
No head tax(charged to each individual in the population)
No tax on exports

68
Q

Tenth amendment

A

State rights

Any not given to federal government are assumed belonging to the state or directly to the people

69
Q

What are the non legislative powers of congress?

A 
Electoral powers
Amendment powers
Impeachment 
Executive power of senate 
Investigative/oversight powers
70
Q

What are the electoral powers?

A

When there is no majority vote in the electoral college for the president

71
Q

What are the amendment powers?

A

Allow proposal of amendments by a 2/3 vote of each house for ratification (accepting)

  • ERA equal rights for women and men amendment
  • not allowed to burn the flag
72
Q

Impeachment powers?

A

Allows the HOUSE to bring charges against any civil officer

Cases are tried in the senate,

73
Q

Executive powers of senate

A

Allows them to share appointment(majority)and treaty making (2/3 ) with the executive branch*either gonna approve you or deny you

*constitution gives the senate the power to approve (by 2/3 vote) treaties made by executive branch

74
Q

Investigative/oversight powers

A

Reviewing of policies and programs of the executive branch

*Checks to see why things aren’t being done

75
Q

How does a bill become a law?

A
  • Both in house and senate a bill is introduced numbered and assigned
  • Bill may be assigned to a subcommittee by speaker of house for further study
  • Then it’s returned to committee where it becomes approved or rejected
76
Q

Continuing on how it becomes a law in the house?

A

In the house , the rules committee sets the terms of debate for the bill
then it gets debated
Then a vote is taken on weather it’s passed or not
Then it gets passed to the senate

77
Q

Continuing on how it becomes a law in the senate

A

Senate doesn’t have rules committee

the bill is debated
Then a vote is taken
When passed in senate Then passed to HOUSE

78
Q

What does the conference committee do for the bill after both houses of congress approve it ?

A

Resolved differences between H & S versions of a bill and they can’t have any new material

79
Q

What happens after the the conference committee resolves the bill?

A

The HOE votes on compromised version of bill

The SIN votes on compromised version of bill

80
Q

The rules committee

A

Most powerful of HOE

Determine how bills get passed
How debates goes to the floor
Every bill goes to the rules committee
They don’t deal with new legislation

81
Q

Presidential action when making a bill a law

A

President may sign the bill ,veto(reject) the bill, allow the bill to become law w/o signing or pocket veto the bill
Vetoed bills are returned to congress where they must be overridden

82
Q

Bill

A

Proposed law presented to parliament for discussion

83
Q

Pocket veto

A

Allows presidents to exercise the power to veto by taking no action

84
Q

What Does the Unanimous consent agreement allow and what is it?

A

It is only in the SUN
Allows a bill to move through the senate w/o debate or w/ a time limit on the debate

It is an unanimous(full agreement)consent request setting terms for the consideration of a specified bill or other measure. Usually proposed by majority leader or floor manager of the measure and reflects negotiations among senators interested in the measure

85
Q

What are legislative Tactics?

A

Strategies and devices used by congress and others in an attempt to block legislation or to get legislation passed

86
Q

What are some legislative tactics?

A 
Caucus 
Committee system
Filibuster
Cloture 
Pork barrel legislation 
Log Rolling
Riders
Amendments 
Lobbying 
Conference committees 
Legislative veto
87
Q

Legislative tactic - caucus

A

may form voting blocks (group of voters have a specific common concern they tend to dominate their voting patterns

88
Q

Legislative tactic - committee system

A

Plays a major role in the passage of legislation

Bills can die in committee

89
Q

Legislative tactic-filibuster

A
  • Unlimited debate in an attempt to stall action on a bill

- only possible in the Senate because of their loose restrictions on debate

90
Q

Legislative tactic-cloture requirements

A

Method where senate limits a filibuster

~involves a petition to end debate and requires vote of at least 60 senators

91
Q

Legislative Tactic -porky barrel legislation

A

Attempt to provide funds and projects for a members home state or district

92
Q

Legislative tactic- log rolling

A

An attempt by members to gain the support of other members by promising them support

93
Q

Legislative tactic-riders

A

~Additions to legislation which generally have no connection to that legislation– would not pass on its own merit
~When it has lots of riders it become a Christmas tree bill

94
Q

Christmas tree bill

A

Bill that attracts many unrelated floor amendments

95
Q

Legislative tactic-amendments

A

Additions or changes to legislation that deal specifically to that piece of legislation

96
Q

Legislative tactic-lobbying

A

Trying to influence members of congress to support or reject legislation

97
Q

Legislative tactic-Conference committees

A

May affect the wording and therefore the final intent of the legislation (big impact on legislation)

98
Q

Legislative tactic-legislative veto

A

Rejection of a presidential or executive branch action by a vote of one or both houses of congress
~used mostly between 1932 & 1980 this declared
Was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1983 {immigration and naturalization service vs. chadha}

99
Q

Immigration and naturalization service vs chadha

A

States that congress can’t take any actions having he force of law unless the president agrees

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