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U.S. Congress Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the structure of the U.S. Congress?

A

It consists of two houses: the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).

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2
Q

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

A

435 members.

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3
Q

What are the requirements to be a member of the House of Representatives?

A

Must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years, and a resident of the district they represent.

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4
Q

How long do House members serve, and how are they elected?

A

They serve two-year terms and represent a congressional district.

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5
Q

How many members are in the Senate?

A

100 members.

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6
Q

What are the requirements to be a member of the Senate?

A

Must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years, and a resident of the state they represent.

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7
Q

How long do Senators serve, and how are they elected?

A

Senators serve six-year terms and represent the entire state.

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8
Q

What are some joint powers of both the House and Senate?

A

Law-making, oversight of the executive branch, overriding presidential veto, and initiating constitutional amendments.

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9
Q

What are some powers exclusive to the Senate?

A

Confirming appointments, ratifying treaties, trying impeached officials, and confirming an appointed VP.

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10
Q

What are some powers exclusive to the House of Representatives?

A

Beginning consideration of all money bills (power of the purse), electing the president if no candidate receives over 50% of the electoral votes, and impeachment.

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11
Q

What is the function of Standing Committees in Congress?

A

Permanent committees focusing on specific policy areas that conduct investigations and review bills (e.g., Judiciary, Finance).

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12
Q

What is the role of the House Rules Committee?

A

A standing committee that creates the rules and schedule for debates around legislation.

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13
Q

What is the role of Conference Committees?

A

Temporary committees that resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill.

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14
Q

How are committee chairs selected?

A

Committee chairs are from the majority party, either elected (Republicans) or the most senior member (Democrats).

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15
Q

What is ‘Gerrymandering’?

A

The manipulation of congressional district boundaries to benefit a particular political party.

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16
Q

What are some factors influencing voting in Congress?

A

Constituents’ concerns, political party alignment, presidential pressure, and lobbying by pressure groups.

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17
Q

What is the ‘Incumbency Problem’?

A

The tendency for incumbents (those already in office) to win re-election, often due to advantages like donations, office power, and gerrymandering.

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18
Q

How does ‘Partisanship’ affect voting in Congress?

A

Increasing partisanship leads to more votes being cast along party lines, reducing individual representatives’ responsiveness to their constituents.

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19
Q

What is the process of how a bill becomes law in Congress?

A

Bill introduction, committee stage, timetabling, floor debate and passage, conference committee (if needed), and presidential action (sign, veto, or pocket veto).

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20
Q

What is a ‘Filibuster’ in the Senate?

A

A tactic used by Senators to delay or block a bill by speaking for an extended period.

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21
Q

What is ‘Cloture’ in the Senate?

A

A procedure to end a filibuster by a vote of 60 Senators.

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22
Q

What is the ‘Power of the Purse’ in Congress?

A

Congress’s authority to control government spending, including refusal to fund military actions or government programs.

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23
Q

What is the significance of the ‘Impeachment Process’ in Congress?

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A

The House can impeach public officials, and the Senate tries impeached officials, with a two-thirds majority required for conviction.

24
Q

How does Congress exert ‘Oversight’ over the executive?

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A

By voting on proposed laws, investigating executive actions, confirming appointments, ratifying treaties, and using the power of the purse.

25
What is the difference between the legislative process in the U.S. and the UK?
The U.S. system involves a bicameral legislature with no veto, while the UK Parliament has a single House of Commons with more power, and the executive is part of the legislature (fusion of powers).
26
What is the effect of increasing 'Partisanship' on Congress?
It leads to greater party unity but also less cooperation and more partisan conflict, making oversight and legislation less effective.
27
How does the 'Power of the Speaker' affect Congress?
Since the 1994 Republican Revolution, the Speaker's influence has increased, centralizing control over legislative priorities and the House's operations.
28
What role do 'Committees' play in Congress?
Committees review, amend, and report on bills, as well as conduct investigations into executive actions.
29
How does the 'Divided Government' affect Congress's effectiveness?
When different parties control the executive and legislative branches, it leads to gridlock, making it harder to pass legislation.
30
What was the purpose of the American Rescue Plan (2021)?
The American Rescue Plan was a $1.9 trillion initiative aimed at bolstering the U.S. economy and helping the country function during the COVID-19 pandemic.
31
What was the size and purpose of the CARES Act (2021)?
The CARES Act provided $2 trillion in funds to address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
32
What percentage of bills proposed in Congress are passed?
Only 2-4% of the approximately 10,000 bills proposed in Congress are passed.
33
How close was the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Congress?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed with just 4 votes in the Senate and 3 votes in the House.
34
What was the outcome of the 2018 Securing America's Future Act?
The Securing America’s Future Act, which would have cut legal immigration by 40%, was defeated in 2018.
35
How did the Chamber of Commerce influence Biden's infrastructure bill?
The Chamber of Commerce lobbied committees during Biden’s infrastructure bill to secure more funding for the transportation sector.
36
What was significant about the 114th Congress regarding party unity?
The 114th Congress had the highest party unity score of 96.3%, but only 6% of the 12,000 bills proposed were passed.
37
How did Jim Jordan rank in terms of effective legislating?
Jim Jordan ranked 202nd out of 205 Republicans for effective legislating, according to the Center for Effective Legislating.
38
How does AOC engage with her voters?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) frequently uses Instagram live sessions to connect with her voters.
39
What is significant about Tom Malinowski’s voting behavior in Congress?
Tom Malinowski, representing New Jersey, voted in favor of the American Dreamers and Promise Act, supporting citizenship for Dreamers in his district, where many such individuals live.
40
Who was the youngest person elected to Congress in 2022?
Maxwell Frost, who was 25 years old, was elected to Congress in the 2022 midterms.
41
What is the diversity of the 117th Congress?
The 117th Congress was the most diverse, with 13% of the House being African American, 27% women, and a majority of Democrats.
42
What is gerrymandering, and how did it affect Ohio’s 4th district?
Gerrymandering refers to the manipulation of electoral district boundaries for political gain. In Ohio’s 4th district, gerrymandering was used to influence electoral outcomes.
43
What is the re-election rate for incumbents in Congress?
Incumbents in Congress have a re-election rate of above 80%.
44
How successful was the Senate in holding onto seats in 2018?
In 2018, 86% of Senate incumbents retained their seats.
45
What was the National Association of Realtors' campaign in 2021?
The National Association of Realtors launched a campaign to support the Homeownership for Dreamers Act, which they argued would help stimulate the housing market.
46
How much was spent on lobbying in 2021?
In 2021, $3.8 billion was spent on lobbying.
47
What percentage of presidential vetoes are not overturned?
92% of presidential vetoes are not overturned by Congress.
48
How did the party unity score of the 116th Congress compare to the 117th?
The 116th Congress had a 90% party unity score, while the 117th Congress had a 24.9% oversight score (compared to 36.9% for the 116th).
49
Why did President Nixon resign?
President Nixon resigned out of fear of impeachment following the Watergate scandal.
50
What was the purpose of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce investigation into Trump’s COVID-19 response?
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce investigated the Trump administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, requesting information from various federal agencies.
51
What was the outcome of the temporary committee's investigation into Clinton’s involvement in the Benghazi attack?
The temporary committee investigated Hillary Clinton’s involvement in the 2012 Benghazi attack, but it was seen as politically motivated and partisan.
52
How was Trump’s alignment with Russia investigated?
The Congressional Intelligence Committee investigated Trump’s alignment with Russia, but the investigation was not as thoroughly pursued when Republicans controlled Congress.
53
What was the outcome of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s vote on healthcare access in 2021?
The committee voted along party lines to approve a bill expanding healthcare access for low-income individuals, a highly partisan issue.
54
Why did Trump fail to pass the American Healthcare Act in 2017?
Despite having a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress, Trump was unable to pass the American Healthcare Act due to internal party disagreements.
55
What was the result of Trump’s second impeachment trial in 2021?
Trump’s second impeachment trial failed in the Senate with a vote of 57-43, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict.
56
How did the passage of the CARES Act in 2020 differ from other legislation?
The CARES Act passed quickly, with only 40 votes against it, highlighting bipartisan support during the pandemic.

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