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Congress Flashcards

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1
Q

New Jersey plan

A

Representation is equal from states in one chamber

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2
Q

Virginia Plan

A

representation base on population of state

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3
Q

Connecticut compromise

A

bi-cameral legislature

2 houses

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4
Q

how many seats are there in the HOR

A

435

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5
Q

House majority powers

A

house majority controls the agenda and decides what bills go to the floor

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6
Q

senate buisness

A

unanimous consent on timetable

unlimited debate

senators are more powerfull

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7
Q

congressional committees

A

standing committees- permanent studios with legislative oversight and scrutiny power

select committees- temporary committee investigate specific issues

join committee- a committee drawn from both houses

Conference committee- temporary committees failed to reconise differences in versions of bills

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8
Q

congressional member organisation

A

International groups with a shared legislative goal

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9
Q

caucus’s

A

regional groups

‘western caucus’

demographic caucus

‘black caucus’

issues group

‘disability caucus’

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10
Q

concurrent powers def

A

powers belonging to both houses

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11
Q

concurrent powers example

A

make laws

power of the purse

oversight

overturn VETO

propose constitional amendment

declare war

confirm UP

set rules

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12
Q

ways congress is different to parliament

A

-congress takes lead with legislaition and sets the agenda

  • power is more dispersed
  • members are more independent
  • house and senate could be at political odds
  • does have only some areas where it can make laws
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13
Q

VETO statistics

A

of all of trumps 10 vetos in 2016-20 only one was overturned and 0 of 12 of Biden were

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13
Q

Exclusive powers def

A

powers which only one house has

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14
Q

Exclusive powers of house of representatives

A

initiate revenue bill

bringing charge of impeachment

elect president in a split election

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15
Q

senates exclusive powers

A

ratify treaties

advise and confirm presidential appointments

conduct impeachment

elect vice president in hung election

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16
Q

Impeachment

A

formally charge a government official with misconduct

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17
Q

contingent election

A

an election to select president when a candidate wins no majority

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18
Q

How has party unification led to 2 clearly distinct parties

A

over time the democrats have become socially and economically more liberal

the republicans have become more conservative

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19
Q

how has polarisation also been seen in the electorate

A

sharp decline in split ticket voting

party has become stronger than candidate

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20
Q

what has the impact of polarisation been

A

more challenges to pass legislation

budget negotiations have become more contentious leading to govt shutdown

clearer ideological divisions diminish many centrist voices

oversight has become more partisan

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21
Q

populisum

A

promise to stand up for the people affected by inequality and exploitation

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22
Q

What is the impact of populism

A

-populists are more legislation problematic

  • reluctant to be unpartisan
  • sideline moderate voters
  • desire to undermine elite
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23
Q

Process of a bill through the US system

A

bill introduced to committees

committees review

floor debate and vote

conference committee

president signs

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24
Bill submission into congress
house- placed into 'the hopper' senate- submitted to clerk member who introduced sponsor
25
can the bills be sequential or concurrent
The bills can work through one house and then then next or work through at the same time
26
how many bills were introduced 2021-22 and how many became laws
17,786 361 became law
27
committee review
chair decides which bills to discuss bill could be assigned to a subcommittee committee reviews and amends bill committee votes on wether to recommend bill
28
Suspension of the rules procedure in HOR
when, for less contreversial bills such as the naming of buildings debate limited to 40 minutes no amendments are allowed bills need 2/3 majority
29
3 types of rules for amendments in the HOR
open rules- any member can propose any related amendment structured rules- allow amendments by house rules committee closed rules- no amendments no bill had open rules in 117th congress
30
house rules committee
traffic cop of the house controls timetable and flow of bills onto house
31
Unanimous consent agreement
senators consent to specific terms for debate
32
Rules on amendments in each hosue
house- amendments must be closely related senate- no such requirement
33
what is the alternative of the conference committee
ping pong from one house to another
34
2 main critisums of congress
1- gridlocked 2- polarisation
35
how has congress become gridlocked
-used to pass over 800 bits bit now passes far less - several policy areas remain unaddressed such as healthcare, entitlements and gun control
36
Arguments against gridlock of congress
- bills have become longer such as the inflation reduction act
37
filibuster
60 votes to stop the filibuster this has now become the level of votes needed for a bill to pass
38
anti polarisation
many significant laws are still passed could impose bill by including more and winder support to reach all of country
38
polarisation of both houses
significant opposition against healthcare reform increased partisanship inter party divisions delegation of powers- clean air act
39
have party leaders gained too much power
omnibus bill made by part leaders party leaders prepare and work to ensure it gets passed.
40
omnibus bill
An omnibus bill is a large bill that is generally made up of numerous smaller bills on the same broad topic. For example, an omnibus tax bill may cover various changes in several areas of tax law including income, corporate, and sales taxes.
41
Diminished committees
conference committees- have decreased and now regular order in favour of a leadership driven process is undertaken no conference committees have taken places in 2021-22
42
How do senate majority fill the amendments
because they speak first, under 'structured rules' this leads to a certain amount of amendments being filled and they can submit al of the amendments this does lead to more focused debate as there is limited time. Narrow majority leads to more balanced competing interests
43
power of the purse
The power to determine how much money each department should spend and cost
44
mandatory spending
3.8 trillion. this is 61% in 2023 fiscal year. this then funds automatic spend like medicare and medicaid
45
discretionary spending
dept and agencies which music have funds appropriated by congress each year discretionary programs range from national defence and research
46
How is discretionary spending allocated
the 12 subcommittees of the apporpriations committee (military) draft a bill each year and includes the discretionary spending for that department defence committee puts a bill on defence spending
47
Share of discretionary spending which defence has
46.7%
48
Interest spending
10.7% in 2023 interest govt pays on loans
49
3 types of spending
- interest spending (like 10%) - discretionary spending (like 30% but abour 16% post defence) - mandatory spending (like 60%)
50
passing of a budget
house and senate pass resolutions instructing committees to get to work committees dont draft legislation omnibus reconciliation bill 20hr limit of debate and simple majority needed to pass presidential action
51
evaluation of budget
often includes other legislation within it often only majority party votes to testify for 1997-2023 only 4 times have all appropriations bills been passed
52
how much discussion does the budget really get
annual budget debates often centred around the 15% of non discretionary spending
53
descriptive representation
demographical representing the population
54
substantive representiaon
focusses on how effectively elected representatives advocate for the interest which exist in America
55
female balance in congress
70% of wimmen are democrats
56
118th congress diversity
most racially diverse in history
57
Religious
while 29% of the US population has an unaffiliated religious sate only 0.2% of congress. protestants catholics and jews are over represented
58
affluence of congress
18% of the US households 50% had a net worths of a million dollars
59
career background
50% of senators have a legal background 80% of representatives had previously held elected office 31% house members were founders or executives of a business
60
education
majority have a uni degree may also have a graduate degree
61
gerrymandering
majority party can draw districts which are likely to give them the greatest electoral outcome
61
structural barriers to descriptive representation
logistically challenging to achieve descriptive representation in the senate because it only has 100 members Wyoming has one rep for 600,000 people
62
63
gerrymandering- cracking
spreading opposition support over multiple districts so they are always are in a minatory
64
gerrymandering- packing
putting opposition voters into a particular district to increase wasted votes
65
primary election challenges
unrepresentative primary voters select a candidate in their best interests
66
average cost of campaign for house senate
2.1 for house 11.4 for senate
67
incumbency re-election rates
100% of senators re-elecrted in 2022 80-90% for house
68
benifits to incoming candidates
name financial advantage access to resources
69
forms of substantive representation
- casework - securing federal funding - legislation - public engagement
69
qualifications for congress
25 for house 30 for senate citezen for at leas 7 years and then 9 years for senate must live in the state they wish to represent
70
pork barrel spending
'bringing home the bacon' spending on wasteful goods to satisfy personal political interests
71
how do interest groups try to influence congressional candidates
donations public advising and policy support lobbying ranking candidates at primary election
72
implied powers of congress
ensure laws are implementing as intended ensure funds are spent correctly ensure officials act ethically and forfill duties
73
what do standing committees investigate
wether laws are working as affected waste prevention ethics and civil liberties impeachment investigation
74
how does the senate scrutinise the excecutive
confirm executive appointments
75
partisan imapct on scrutiny of executive
often it is the opposite party which is scrutinisation this could have a reactive media result

US Government and Politics & Comparative (9 decks)

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