Congress Flashcards
(48 cards)
Constituents
The citizens from a state or district that an elected official represents.
Major House Differences (the people’s house)
- Apportioned on basis of population
- Fixed (since 1911) at 435 members
- 2 yr terms
- Members must be at least 25 years of age, 7 yrs a citizen, & reside in the state from which chosen.
- Power to impeach federal officeholders.
- Initiate bills raising revenue
- Choose president in case of electoral vote tie (Article II)
Major Senate Differences (the safeguard the rights of the states and minorities against mass opinion)
- Equal representation (2) from each state
- 100 members
- 6 yr terms (1/3 elected every two years)
- Members must be at least 30 yrs of age, 9 yrs a citizen, and reside in the state from which chosen
- Power to try federal officeholders who have been impeached
- Approve treaties, cabinet-level appointments, and appointments to the Supreme Court
- Choose vice president in case of a tie (Article II)
Enumerate Powers by Function-
Financial & Economic Powers
Power to levy and collect taxes and duties (expanded by the Sixteenth Amendment in 1913 to include taxing income)
Powers to borrow money
Power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among states
Power to coin money
Power to fix standards of weights and measures
Power to punish counterfeiters
Power to grant patents and copyrights
Power to establish uniform laws on bankruptcy
Power to establish post office and post roads
Enumerated Powers by Function-
Defense-Related Powers
- Power to declare war
- Power to raise and support armies
- Powers create and maintain the navy
- Power to regulate the armed forces
- Power to organized the militia (today’s National Guard) and to call the militia into national service to defend against rebellion
Enumerate Powers by Function-
Checks&Balances
- Power to impeach federal officials
- Power to establish lower federal courts along with specifying (with some exceptions in the case of the Supreme Court) the kinds of cases each can hear
- Power to override the Presidential veto
Enumerate Powers by Function-
Legislative Power
- Power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out foregoing powers
- Power to govern the District of Columbia
seniority system
A system that rewards those with longer service with positions of leadership
Congressional Budget Office
Nonpartisan agency created by Congress to assist in the budget process
incumbent
Current occupant of an office
Safe district
Electoral district in which the candidate from the dominant party usually wins by 55% or more.
Franking Privilege
Free postage for members of Congress to communicate with constituents.
Casework
Practice of finding solutions to constituent problems, usually involving government agencies.
Redistricting
The practice of drawing congressional district boundaries to accord with population changes.
Reapportionment
The periodic reallocation of 435 House seats among the states as population shifts from one region to another.
Gerrymander
Practice of drawing congressional boundaries to the advantage of one party.
Minority-majority district
District in which minority members are clustered together, producing a majority of minority voters in the district.
Delegate role
Theory of representation stressing the lawmaker’s role as a tribune, who reflects the people’s views on issues of the day.
Trustee
Theory of representation stressing the lawmaker’s own judgement in legislative decision making.
Politico
Approach to representation in which the lawmaker alternates between trustee and delegate roles as he or she deems appropriate.
Congressional Caucuses
Party or special-interest groups formed like-minded members of Congress to confer on issues of mutual concern.
Subcommittees of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs
- Subcommittee on African Affairs
- Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
- Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women’s Issues
- Subcommittee on European Affairs
- Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection
Committees in the House
House Standing Committees
Agriculture, Appropriations, Armed Services, Budget, Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Ethics, Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, House Administration, Judiciary, Natural Resources, Oversight and Government Reform, Rules, Science, Space, and Technology, Small business, Transportation and Infrastructure, Veteran’s Affairs, Ways and Means
Senate Standing Committes
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Appropriations, Armed Services, Banking Housing, and Urban Affairs, Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works, Finance, Foreign Relations,
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, Rules and Administration, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Veteran’s Affairs
