Unit V: Branches of Govt.: Legislative Flashcards
(97 cards)
0
Q
Legislative branch aka….
A
Congress
1
Q
What article is the legislative branch in in the constitution?
A
Article I
2
Q
How is congress organized?
A
Bicameral legislature
3
Q
Define bicameral
A
2 houses
4
Q
Name 2 houses of congress
A
House of reps & senate
5
Q
How many reps for each state for senate?
A
2 from each state
6
Q
How is # of reps in house of reps determined?
A
Based on state’s pop.
7
Q
List 3 qualifications for house of reps
A
- 25 yrs old
- US citizen for 7 yrs
- Resident of state you represent
8
Q
How long is term for rep in the house?
A
2 yrs
9
Q
Is there term limits for house reps?
A
No
10
Q
Why no term limits for House of Reps
A
- Share power
- Nation needs great leaders
- People could vote out bad leaders
11
Q
Define incumbent
A
person who holds office
12
Q
Define office
A
the political position
13
Q
When is the term “incumbent” generally used?
A
During election/campaign time
14
Q
What is the reelection rate for incumbents?
A
70%
15
Q
Why do incumbents have such a high chance of reelection?
A
- easier for incumbent to fundraise
- people don’t really like change, especially when everything is going well
16
Q
How many reps are there in the house?
A
435
17
Q
What is a state’s # of reps based on?
A
Population
18
Q
When do the # of reps per state change?
A
Every 10 yrs w/ the census
19
Q
Each state is divided into what
A
Districts
20
Q
If PA has 18 reps, how many districts does it have?7
A
18 districts
21
Q
How many reps per district?
A
1 rep
22
Q
How many reps do you vote for?
A
Just one - the rep of your district
23
Q
Who is our rep for the House?
A
Mike Kelly (R)
24
What district are we?
3rd district
25
Define gerrymandering
Drawing districts to favor one political party over another
26
What's deal with gerrymandering and Supreme Court?
Supreme Court has declared it to be unconstitutional, but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't get away with it
27
Define constituents
people who live in a district
28
Who is the House controlled by?
Republicans
29
Who is the speaker of the house?
Rep. John Boehner
30
Is the speaker of the House one of the 235 reps?
Yes
31
Who is the Majority leader of the House?
Kevin McCarthy
32
Who is the Minority Leader of the House?
Nancy Pelosi
33
List qualifications for senate
1. 30 yrs old
2. US citizen for 9 yrs
3. Resident of state you represent
34
How long is a senate term?
6 yrs
35
Is there term limits for the senate?
No
36
Why no term limits for the senate?
1. Share power
2. Nation needs great leaders
3. People could vote out bad leaders
37
Are all 100 seats of the senate open at once for elections?
No
38
When are elections held for the senate?
Every 2 yrs - same time as House of Reps
39
How many senate seats are open every election?
About 1/3
40
How many senators make up the senate?
100
41
Who votes for senators?
Everyone in that state - regardless of districts
42
Who is the senior senator for PA?
Bob Casey Jr.
43
Who is the junior senator for PA?
Pat Toomey
44
Who is president of the senate?
Joe Biden
45
Who is the Majority Leader of the Senate?
Mitch McConnell
46
Is the majority leader of the senate democrat or republican?
Republican, therefore republican controls both House & Senate
47
Who is the Minority Leader of the Senate?
Harry Reid
48
Define censure
Formal disapproval
49
Define expulsion
Forced to leave office
50
How does one get expelled from congress?
2/3 vote of that house
51
Describe background on 27th Amendment
Congress controls all the money in govt - they control their own pay
52
What is the 27th Amendment?
If Congress gives themselves a pay raise, it does not go into effect until the next session of Congress (until after the next election)
53
Why is the 27th Amendment in place? (& why it works so well)
Bc if they give themselves a huge raise then the people won't really like that & therefore they probably won't get re-elected
54
Is it becoming easier or more difficult for congress to function effectively?
It is becoming increasingly difficult
55
Why is it becoming increasingly difficult for congress to function effectively?
1. Size of Congress is increasing
2. Complexity of issues
3. Political partisanship
56
Explain what is meant by the complexity of issues
e.g. To use nuclear power or to not use? They didn't have decisions like this 100 yrs ago
57
Explain political partisanship
Conservative vs. Liberal
- not willing to work together much / much less compromise
- more extreme
58
What is the significance with the increasing difficulty to function effectively in congress?
Strict rules...
- Senate is less formal - fewer members (therefore less rules)
- Ex. Can talk as long as you want in the Senate but the House has time limits
59
What is the goal of all congressmen?
TO GAIN POWER
60
Who fills the position of the president of the senate?
the Vice President
61
What's the deal with the president of the senate?
It's written in the constitution that the Vice President presides over the senate but he rarely does except in cases of a tie where he would be the deciding vote
62
Describe the President Pro Tempore
Honorary / little power
63
Describe the Majority Leader
- schedule the bills / assign to committies
* controls order that bills are taken care of
- 1st to be recognized for debate
64
Describe the minority leader
works with the majority leader
65
Describe the Party Whip
- keeps trap of how members vote
- round up members to vote
- get members opinions
66
Describe the Speaker of the House
- most power
| - schedule / plan / assign
67
Where is most of the work in congress done?
Committees
68
What are committees needed in order to do?
needed in order to handle the # & complexity of issues
69
What is the single most important part of congress?
Committees - bills must go through committees!! This is where they usually become dead
70
What are the 3 types of committees?
1. Standing committees
2. Select committees
3. Joint committees
71
What is a standing committee?
Permanent committee which specializes in particular topic
72
What is the most important type of committee?
Standing committee
73
Are some standing committees more important than others?
Yes
| Ex. Foreign relations more important than agriculture
74
Who are the members of standing committees?
- majority party could occupy all but usually take majority of seats & chairperson
- rest of seats go to minority part
75
Is there a limit to how many people can serve on each (standing) committee?
Yes
76
How are standing committees filled?
1. Seniority
| 2. Political power
77
What are select committees?
groups appointed for a limited purpose and a limited time
78
What are joint committees? (& example)
groups with both Representatives & Senators
ex. Conference Committee -- help House & Senate agree on the details of a proposed law
79
Describe the overall significance of committees
1. Leadership carries more power in the House than the Senate
2. Party Vote
3. Role of Staffs
80
Describe how leadership carries more power in the House than in the Senate
size & rules
| Ex. Restriction on debate
81
Describe the significance of the party vote
When majority of the Party vote the same on an issue
-the higher the %, the stronger the vote
Representatives --> most responsive to their constituents
-therefore less party votes
82
Describe the significance of the role of staffs
-has grown as issues have become more complex
Ex. 1935 --> 2 aides; today: House of Reps = 17, Senate = 40
83
Define appropriations
how the govt. spends money
84
List the congressional powers
1. collect taxes
2. borrow money
3. regulate commerce (trade)
4. regulate immigration/naturalization
5. coin money & set its value
6. create postal system
7. issue patents
8. create lower federal courts
9. declare war
10. create army/navy = armed forces
(also have power to draft troops)
11. ratify treaties
12. approve nominations/appointments of govt. officials
13. create laws
14. propose amendments to Constitution
15. controls appropriations
16. House of Reps elects President if electoral college fails
17. impeach federal officials
85
Describe the impeachment process
2 Part Process
1. House --> impeachment
2. Senate --> out on trial / verdict
86
Define impeachment
accuse govt. official of wrongdoing
87
Describe the significance of congressional powers
1. Expressed / delegated powers
- written out in Constitution
2. implied powers
- Congress can increase their power but using the "necessary & proper" clause
- allows Congress to make specific laws to carry out their vague powers
* Vague powers = expressed powers
88
By whom must a bill be introduced?
A senator or representative
89
How is a bill introduced in the senate?
formal announcement
90
How is a bill introduced in the house?
Drop in "hopper" (box)
91
How do presidents introduce a bill?
will usually ask a senator or rep to sponsor a bill w/ him
92
Does pending legislation carry over from 1 congress to the next?
No
93
Why are bills introduced?
1. to help the country
| 2. to make politicians look good (so they can go back to district & say "look what I did")
94
What is the most important step in the introduction process?
The work of committees
95
Does every bill to to a committee?
Yes every single one
96
How are committees assigned to bills?
- by appropriate topic in correspondence w the bill
- for political reasons (gets sent to a committee w/ a particular leader who will either crush or help the bill)
- assigned to multiple committees bc of complexity of bill
