Congress Flashcards
(53 cards)
1
Q
bicameral
A
two house legislature to represent the states in the federal government
2
Q
House of Representatives
A
- the most “representative” of the people
- 435 members
- 2 year terms
3
Q
Senate
A
- more “experienced” group
- 100 members
- 6 year terms
4
Q
power of the purse
A
“raising revenue”
- taxing
- budgeting
- appropriating (spending)
5
Q
name powers of congress
A
- power of the purse
- regulating commerce (foreign and interstate trade)
- foreign & military affairs
- implied
6
Q
foreign & military powers
A
- raise armies
- impose a draft/conscription
- military spending
- declare war
7
Q
implied powers
A
elastic clause – those that are not generated, but are “necessary and proper”
8
Q
name the different powers for the house and the senate
A
house:
- proposes revenue bills
- impeaches a president
- selects a president when no electoral majority is reached
senate:
- “advice and consent” suggesting or rejecting presidential appointments
- approve foreign treaties
- convict a president
9
Q
house leaders
A
- speaker of the house
- majority and minority leaders
- whip
10
Q
senate leaders
A
- president of the senate
- senate majority leader
11
Q
speaker of the house
A
- leader of the majority party of the house
- organizes meetings, committees, and debate speakers
12
Q
house majority & minority leaders
A
- first members recognized in debate
- spokesperson for their party
13
Q
house whip
A
deputy leaders (below majority leaders) who manage party discipline
14
Q
president of the senate
A
- the vice president of the united states
- breaks tie votes
- president pro tempore (steps in if the VP is unavaliable)
15
Q
senate majority leader
A
- chief legislator
- wields more power in the senate that the VP
- sets the calendar
- determines which bills are debated on the floor
16
Q
types of committees
A
- standing committees
- joint committees
- select committees
- conference committees
17
Q
standing committees
A
- permanent committees focused on a particular area
- chairperson: senior member of the majority party
- ranking member: senior member from the minority party
Ex. - House Judiciary (identifies bad behaviors & punishments)
- Ways & Means (determines tax policy)
18
Q
joint committees
A
- unites member from the house and senate for routine management and research
Ex. - library of congress joint committee
19
Q
select committees
A
- temporary committees to perform a particular study or investigation
Ex. - Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
20
Q
conference committee
A
- temporary committees to iron out differences in a bill passed by both houses
- done before receiving the president’s signature
21
Q
unique house rules
A
- follows “robert’s rules of order”
- members can only speak for one hour
- legislators can only offer germane amendments
- only the presiding officer (speaker) can be addressed
- formal language is used
22
Q
unique rules in the senate
A
- anyone who stands to speak must be recognized
- speech must be directed at the presiding officer with no time limits
- can propose nongermane amendments
- have more tools and abilities to stall or speed up a bill during debate (like a hold)
23
Q
germane amendments
A
those directly related to the bill
24
Q
rules committee
A
determines which issues or billls that the house will vote on and how
25
committee of the whole
an informal discussion on a bill before the formal vote
26
filibuster
speaking for so long that the deadline to approve a bill or appointment expires
27
cloture rule (rule 22)
- a 3/5 supermajority vote can stop debate on a bill (ending a filibuster)
28
riders
the addition of nongermane amendments to benefit a member's agenda
29
omnibus bill
- "christmas tree bill"
- a bill where multiple riders have been added, making the bill look completely different that it origin
30
pork-belly spending
- a last minute rider added-on by an influential legislator where federal funds only benefit their district
- "bring home the bacon"
31
assigning to committee
- senate majority leader and house rules committee assign bills to appropriate committees
32
3 stages
hearings
- research and SIG testimony
markup
- amendments
report out
- gets debated and voted on the floor
33
pigeonhole
a committee chair can decide not to move a bill forward for debate
34
voting on bills
- legislators get opinions on their constituents (townhall meetings, opinion polls, mail)
- a simple majority passes the bill
35
logrolling
trading vote to gain support on a bill
36
office of management & budget (OMB)
- the president's budgeting arm
- headed by a director (more like an accountant)
37
sources of revenue
- individual income taxes
- corporate taxes
- social insurance taxes (social security, medicaid, unemployment)
- tariffs and excise taxes (on imported goods and non-essentials)
- other sources (interest on government investments, estate taxes)
38
mandatory spending
- payment required by law for certain programs that have eligibility requirements for people in temporary need
- programs include social security, medicare, medicaid, unemployment
39
how does a deficit occur?
a deficit occurs when the needed amount exceeds the expected revenue
40
discretionary spending
- pays for everything else not required under mandatory spending
- includes defense, human resources, physical resources, and interest on debt
- more federal spending = more taxpayer money
41
influences on congress
- partisanship & polarization
- voting models
- redistricting
42
partisanship
- a lack of political cooperation between opposing parties
43
voting models
- delegate
- trustee
- politico
44
delegate voting model
- reflecting the will of their constituents (the people who voted for them)
45
trustee voting model
- they are entrusted to use their best judgement
46
politico voting model
- blending of a "delegate" and "trustee" process
47
redistricting
- re-drawning congressional districts based on shifts in population
- state legislatures draw congressional districts, usually in an attempt to benefit the majority party
48
gerrymandering
illogical lines drawn to give one party the advantage
- the process for doing this varies by state and can be challenged in the courts
49
swing districts
- districts where a party does not always have the expectation to win
- "marginal seats"
50
gerrymandered districts
- create "safe seats" for a party, which means less competition and fewer moderate options
- this has led to more extreme candidates of that party forcing out imcumbents through primary elections
51
racial gerrymandering
- the intention of drawing legislative districts based on race
52
divided government
- when the president is from one party and the House and/or Senate is dominated by another
impacts:
- it fuels partisan gridlock, especially with judicial nominations
53
lame-duck president
- a president who has not won re-election or is ending their second term
