US Congress

Question 1

According to Gallup polling,
what percentage of respondents approve of the way Congress was handling its job 2023?

Congress IS the broken branch

Answer 1

under 20%

Question 2

a) How many Townhalls does the average representative hold per two year Congress?
b) who is this research according to?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- re - election

Answer 2

a) Nine
b) Columbia University

Question 3

a) How many town halls does the average senator hold per two year Congress?
b) Who is this research according to?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- re - election

Answer 3

a) Seven
b) Columbia University

Question 4

What example shows senators sometimes voting against party lines
If a Congress person or Senator represents a marginal seats with a lot of voters who support the other party?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- voting against party lines if marginal seat

Answer 4

• Democrat Senator Joe Manchin has often voted with the Republicans
• he represents West Virginia
• which supported Trump in both 2016 and 2020
• he was successfully elected in 2018

Question 5

What was democrat senator Joe Manchin the key vote in voting to confirm?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- voting against party lines if marginal seat

Answer 5

• Republican Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018
• when all other Democrats voted against

Question 6

a) What did democrat Senator Joe Manchin failed to support in 2021?
b) what did this lead to it failing?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- voting against party lines if marginal seat

Answer 6

a) Biden’s build back better bill
led to its failing to pass by the Senate
b) to pass in the Senate

Question 7

What would Biden’s 2021 build back better bill have increased?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- voting against party lines if marginal seat

Answer 7

Social spending

Question 8

What example is there of Congress people and senators sitting on committees which are relevant to the economy of their district/state and passing pork barrel legislation?

Congress IS NOT the broken branch - representation
- rep interest of their constituency - legislation

Answer 8

• The house agricultural committee
• currently chaired by Glenn Thompson
• a republican who represents Pennsylvania’s 15th congressional District
• where farming is highly important to their economy
• with over 5800 farms in 2017

Question 9

Describe the composition of the 118th Congress in relation to non-white versus white

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 9

• A quarter of the members are non-white
• compared to 41% of the US population

Question 10

Describe the composition of the 118th Congress in relation to gender

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 10

• 28 of all the members are women
• compared to 51% of the US population

Question 11

Describe the composition of Congress in relation to college education

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 11

• 94% have a college degree
• compared to just 38% of the population

Question 12

What example shows that the composition of Congress hinder its ability to pass radical legislation that challenges the status quo?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 12

Following the racist murder of George Floyd, the black lives matter movement pushed for the George Floyd Justice in policing act

Question 13

What is the killing of George Floyd push for?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 13

George Floyd Justice in policing act

Question 14

What did the George Floyd Justice in policing act seek police reform through?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 14

Addressing issues like chokeholds no-knock warrants and qualified immunity for officers

Question 15

a) Where did the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed to be passed?
b) Relate this to the composition of congress

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 15

The Senate
There were 8 black senators

Question 16

How many incumbent black senators are there?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* composition

Answer 16

Five

Question 17

In the financial year 2023 how much money is estimated was spent on earmarks?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* pork barrel legislation + earmarks

Answer 17

$26 billion

Question 18

Which Senator in particular passed a lot of earmarks in the financial year of 2023

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
* pork barrel legislation + earmarks

Answer 18

• Senator Richard Shelby
• a republican representing Alabama

Question 19

Describe senator Richard Shelby’s earmarks in the financial year of 2023

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
- pork barrel legislation + earmarks

Answer 19

• Passed 18 earmarks
• costing over $666 million in total

Question 20

What example shows campaign finance making lawmaker susceptible to being influenced by the interest and demands of lobbyist and interest groups rather than representing their state/district?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
- campaign finance

Answer 20

Over the past two decades the national rifle Association (NRA) has been successful in preventing any federal legislation that limits gun rights despite numerous school shootings

Question 21

How much money does the National Rifle Association roughly make each year?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation

campaign finance

Answer 21

$250 million

Question 22

What did the NRA lobbing contribute to in 2012?

Congress IS the broken branch - representation
- campaign finance

Answer 22

• The ‘Manchin Bill’ falling 6 foot short
• after the Sandy Hook school shooting

Question 23

How many bills are introduced in each Congress?

Congress IS the broken branch - law making

Answer 23

Over 10,000

Question 24

Which example in 2019 shows how divided government leads to legislative in action and inefficiency?

Congress IS the broken branch - law making
- under divided govt

Answer 24

• the bipartisan background checks act and enhanced background checks act
• these proposals were stalled in the Republican controlled Senate which chose not to take up the bills for debate or voting

Question 25

describe the proposed by bipartisan background checks act and enhanced background checks act ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making * under divided govt

Answer 25

* two key proposed bills * aimed at tightening gun control by expanding background checks and setting new ownership restrictions

Question 26

given an example of legislation with major majority support in the Senate that have been blocked under unified government due to the filibuster ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making - filibuster

Answer 26

in 2021 the House of Representatives passed the For The People Act

Question 27

what did the 2021 for the people act aim to do? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making * filibuster

Answer 27

* Overhaul election laws, * enhance voting rights * and reform campaign finance

Question 28

describe the 2021 filibuster in relation to the for other people act ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making - filibuster

Answer 28

* It was blocked in the Senate * as voting was strictly along party lines * with the 50 Democrats voting for * and the 50 Republicans voting against

Question 29

why wasn't the for the people act passed? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making * filibuster

Answer 29

The cloture motion requires 60 votes to end the filibuster So the vice president couldn't break the tie so there wouldn't be enough votes to pass the law

Question 30

other than the for the people act what other example is there of the filibuster hindering the passage of legislation? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making - filibuster

Answer 30

the DREAM act

Question 31

describe the filibuster that occurred in relation to proposed immigration reform under the Obama administration (the DREAM Act) ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making - filibuster

Answer 31

* passed by the House of Representatives * failed to be passed by the Senate in December 2010 * with the vote to end the filler Buster falling short 55-41

Question 32

summarise what the DREAM act was ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - law making - filibuster

Answer 32

An important piece of immigration legislation that aim to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children

Question 33

What examples shows congress being able to pass important pieces of bipartisan legislation despite significant partisanship in US politics? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making - bipartisanship despite partisanship

Answer 33

- The coronavirus aid relief an economic security (CARES) act - National Security Act 2024

Question 34

Describe the CARES Act ands its passage ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making - bipartisanship despite partisanship

Answer 34

* $2.2 trillion economic stimulus law and response to COVID-19 * was passed under the government in March 2020

Question 35

What was the National Security Act 2024 ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making - bipartisanship despite partisanship

Answer 35

a $95B foreign aid package to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

Question 36

Describe the passage of the National Security Act 2024 ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making - bipartisanship despite partisanship

Answer 36

* Despite opposition from Trump, * House Speaker Mike Johnson eventually decided to back the legislation, * recognising the importance of fulfilling the US’ international military obligations, * even if this meant cooperating with the Democrats.

Question 37

What kind of vote passed the National Security Act 2024? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making * bipartisanship despite partisanship

Answer 37

It passed the Senate with a vote of 79-18 and the House with significant bipartisan support also.

Question 38

What examples shows that key pieces of legislation have been passed with voting completely along party lines. (2 under Bidens Presidency) and have been able to overcome the fillibuster - due to Budget Reconciliation ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making - under unified govt

Answer 38

* The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in 2017 * The American Rescue Plan 2021 * Inflation Reduction Act 2021

Question 39

Counter the fact that budget reconciliation has allowed certain acts to overcome the filibuster ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - law making - under unified govt

Answer 39

It can't be used for non-financial pieces of legislation

Question 40

What example is there of a committee performing detailed scrutiny? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - Committees

Answer 40

The Senate intelligence committees investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election

Question 41

Describe the Senate intelligence committees investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US president presidential election ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - Committees

Answer 41

* The investigation lasted 3 years, * with the committees interviewing over 200 witnesses * producing a report which was 1,313 pages long. * The report didn’t find a criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Question 42

Which committee has a particular focus on overseeing the actions of the executive? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - Committees

Answer 42

The House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform

Question 43

Describe the House of Representatives committee on oversight and reforms oversight onto the executive ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - Committees

Answer 43

* in September 2023 * the committee held a high profile hearing on whether the US government was covering up the existence of aliens * in particular they question former US intelligence officer and whistleblower David Grusch * who claimed the US government had a number of crashed UFOs and was covering it up

Question 44

Who's the House of Representatives committee on oversight reform currently shared by? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - Committees

Answer 44

AOC

Question 45

Which presidents have been impeached? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - impeachment

Answer 45

* Johnson Clinton Trump - twice in 2019 and 2021 * all impeached by the House of Representatives * but none have been convinced in the Senate

Question 46

Why was Donald Trump impeached in 2019? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - impeachment

Answer 46

Soliciting foreign interference to help re-election in the 2020 election

Question 47

Why was Donald Trump impeached in 2021? ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - impeachment

Answer 47

For inciting insurrection against the US state in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol

Question 48

Describe parties involved in investigating the Watergate scandal ## Footnote Congress ISNT the broken branch - Oversight - particularly effective ubder divided govt

Answer 48

* The House Judiciary Committee in the Democrat controlled House of Representatives * played a key role in investigating the Watergate scandal * and the complicity of Republican President Richard Nixon in 1973, * eventually resulting in his impeachment

Question 49

What examples are there of highly partisan political acts aimed at harming the president at the next election? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - divided govt

Answer 49

Trump, Clinton and Biden Faced attempted impeachment

Question 50

Why was Biden's attempted impeachment particularly problematic? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - divided govt

Answer 50

as the key charge (that Biden profited from his son Hunter Biden’s foreign business ventures whilst Vice President) has no firm proof.

Question 51

What was set up by a Republican House of Representatives in 2014 following an event in 2012? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - divided govt

Answer 51

The United States House Select Committee on Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi,

Question 52

Why can it be argued that the he United States House Select Committee on Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi, was set up? ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - divided govt

Answer 52

* partly to blame and damage the likely Democrat presidential candidate in 2016 Hillary Clinton, * who was Secretary of State at the time of the attack, * but found little evidence.

Question 53

What example is there of unified government preventing Congress being effective as the majority in Congress has little incentive to damage the reputation of a President from their own party, especially if they are in their first term and going to be their presidential candidate in the next Presidential Election. ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - unified govt

Answer 53

In 2017, Devin Nunes of the House Intelligence Committee

Question 54

Explain how Devin Nunes of the House Intelligence Committee (2017) shows unified govt preventing C being effective ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - unified govt

Answer 54

* was criticised for going to the * White House to read sensitive documents * about alleged Russian involvement in the election, * rather than insisting the documents be made available to the whole committee for scrutiny.

Question 55

Complete the sentence: a) The Senate hasn’t rejected a treaty from a president of its own party since ____, b) whilst ____ have been rejected under divided government in this time. ## Footnote Congress IS the broken branch - Oversight - unified govt

Answer 55

a) 1935 b) 4

Question 56

What examples show congress effectively holding the executive to account through oversight and committess? ## Footnote Congress DOES hold the executive to account effectively - Oversight

Answer 56

- The Senate Intelligence Commitees Investigation into russian interference - The house of Representatives Commiteee on Oversight and Reform