Legislative- Congress and the houses Flashcards
(25 cards)
What branch is congress?
The legislative branch
Where is congress situated?
In the capitol building
Located at Rotunda hill in Washington D.C
How may houses are in congress and what are their names?
2
House of representatives
Senate
What is the house of representatives?
The lower chamber (our HOC)
All the 435 members are called representatives
Currently who is the house of representatives?
213- Democrats
218 Republicans
5 delegates who can join in discussions but cant vote (from District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
-The HOR has a commissioner representing Puerto rico
-There are current delegates proposed for Choctaw Nation and Cherokee nation, these are native american country’s that have little to no representation within the govt
How many terms in office can the house of representatives run for?
2 years
What proportion of the chamber of house of representatives can stand in each election?
All representatives
Who is the leader in the house of representatives?
The speaker, current is republican Mike Johnson
The majority leader, current is republican Steve Scalise
The minority leader, current is democrat Hakeem Jeffries
What is the senate?
The upper house (our HoL)
All 100 members are called the senators
Currently who is the house of senate?
47 demotes
49 republicans
4 independants (usually side with democrats giving democrats 51 votes)
How many terms/years can senators run for?
6 years
What proportion of the chamber of house of senate can stand in each election?
1/3 of senates every 2 years
Who is the leader in the house of senate?
The vice president- Kamala Harris democrat
Majority leader- Chuck Schumer democrat
Minority leader- Mitch McConnell republican
In the senate what does it mean to ‘filibuster’?
A senator talks a bill to death, this means they dont eat drink or go to the toilet, bills have a deadline and Senates can talk till the deadline
Examples of filibustering?
Rand Paul, appointment of John Brannen as CIA director at 12 hrs and 52 minutes
Senator Storm Tormund, filibustered a civil rights bill for 24 hrs and 18 mins, filibuster failed and civil rights act got passed anyway
Following from a filibuster what’s a cloture?
This is when 3/5 of senate vote to end filibuster
Party need 60 votes in senate to be filibuster proof- democrats only have 52
What is the Connecticut compromise?
The splitting of 2 houses
The house of representatives and senate
What are the main types of congressional committee?
Standing committee (shadow departments of federal)
Select committee
What concurrent (joint) powers do the house of representatives and senate share?
Equal legislative power
Override presidential veto
Initiate constitutional amendment
Declaration of war
Confirm appointed vice president
What are exclusive powers of the house of representatives?
Initiate money bills (power of the purse)
-Vote on impeachment
-Elect a President should the electoral college deadlock
What are exclusive powers of the senate?
Confirm presidential appointments
-Ratify treaties
-Try the accused in cases of impeachment
-Elect the vice president in the case of Electoral college deadlock
What is the power of the purse?
Congress should have the power to make laws necessary to carry execution the foregoing powers
Meaning for the duty of a law making body, they need to have laws to fulfill duty’s
Senete 2021 demography- incumbency rates?
Very high 90% (means realected
Very low churn
US senate demography- split tiket?
low at 6%
