Structure Flashcards
(25 cards)
What are the 2 chambers ? (bicameral)
- House of representatives
2. senate
Summery of the house of representatives ?
- Directly elected
- Representation of the state is proportional to the population
- 435 representatives (each to a congressional district)
- Number of representatives is reapportioned every ten years
Summery of senate
- Directly elected since 1914 (17th amendment)
- Representation is equal for all states
- 100 members (2 per state)
Election cycle for the house of representatives
- Whole house elected every 2 years
- coincides every 2 years with the presidential elections
- Results often lead to divided government and frequent changes of control
Who is the house speaker and who is the minority leader ?
- Nancy Pelosi (D)
2. Kevin McCarthy (Rep)
Election cycle of senate
- Senators serve 6 year terms
- 1/3 are re-elected every 2 years
- In the event of a ties, the VP has the casting vote (Kamala Harris)
Senate majority and minority leader ?
- Chuck Schumer (D)
2. Mitch McConnell (R)
Concurrent powers of congress ? (6)
- Creating legislation
- Oversight of the executive branch
- Overriding presidential veto
- Initiating constitutional amendments
- Declaring war *
- Confirming an appointed VP
Powers only held by the House of Representatives (3)
- Beginning consideration of money bills
- Bringing charges of impeachment
- Choosing president if the electoral college is deadlocked
Powers only held by senate (4)
- ratifying treaties
- confirming appointments
- Trying cases of impeachment
- Choosing VP if the electoral college is deadlocked
What is oversight ?
- Implied in article 1 section 8
- Congressional review and investigation in the to activities of the executive branch of government
Example of the executive asking congress to pass legislation
- Obama asked for healthcare reforms (became the affordable care act 2010)
- Trump asked for a range of tax cuts (Tax cuts and jobs act 2017)
Example of oversight of the executive branch
- Following allegations of Russian influence in the 2016 elections
- Both houses began investigations (house intelligent committee and the senate judiciary committee)
- neither found evidence of a collusion
Examples of congress overriding presidential vetoes
- a 2/3 majority is needed in each house
1. 4/12 of Bush’s vetoes were overridden
2. 1/12 of Obama’s vetoes were overridden
3. 1/10 of Trump’s vetoes were overridden
declaring war
- Both houses must concur
- This has only happened 5 times with the most recent being 1941
- Recently been asked to sanction military action that the president’s decided on or side-lined by presidential war making
Confirming an appointed VP
- This has only occurred twice so it is a very rarely used power
- 1973 and 1974
Bringing charges of impeachment
- Used 21 times
- 1998 : Clinton twice on account of perjury and obstruction of justice
- 2010 : Federal judge Porteous on charges of corruption and perjury
- 2019 and 2021 : Trump on account of abuse of power and incident of insurrection
Choosing the president if the EC is deadlocked
- Only used twice when no candidate wins an absolute majority of electoral college votes
1. 1800 : Jefferson
2. 1824 : Quincy Adams
Ratifying treaties
- Senate has to ratify treaties by a 2/3 majority that are negotiated by the President
- Eg 2010 : START treaty negotiated by Obama and Russian Counterpart
- President’s have found ways of circumnavigating congress by signing executive agreements if they think the treaty won’t be passed
- 2015 Obama’s comprehensive plan of action with Iran
- BUT Trump then withdrew from this
Confirming appointments
- Senate : Simple majority
- Trump’s appointment of Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed by 52 votes to 48
- 2018 Replacement of the secretary of state with Pompoe (57-42)
Choosing the VP if the EC is deadlocked
- Only happened twice
- 1800 and 1824
Trying cases of impeachment
- 2/3 majority is required
- 2010 : Judge Porteous
- 1999 : Clinton was acquitted twice by senate
2021 Trump impeachment trial
- House voted to impeach him with 10 Republicans joining 222 Democrats
- In senate fell 10 short of the 2/3 majority required for conviction
- 7 Republicans voted against Trump making it the most bipartisan vote in an impeachment trial
How is senate seen as being senior ?
- 5/8 of the last VPs were senators including Kamala Harris
- Also seen as a launching pad for presidential campaigns eg Biden, Obama and Nixon
- Enjoy a number of exclusive powers eg confirmation of appointments, ratification of treaties and trying impeachment cases
