18.3.2 - Congress and Representation

Question 1

US Congress representation

Answer 1

chapter 18.3.2

Question 2

What are the 5 different forms of representation in Congress?

Answer 2

• Constituency representation
• Party representation
• Functional representation
• Congressional caucuses
• Lobbyists

Question 3

1. Constituency Representation:
   How did Diane Black represent her constituency in 2018?

Answer 3

As part of the Brady Amendments to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2018, copyrighted songs were once again defined as capital assets, at the request of Diane Black, whose district covered parts of Nashville, famous for songwriting and country music

Question 4

Why did Eric Cantor lose the Republican primary in Virginia in 2014?

Answer 4

He was not seen as conservative enough by his district

Question 5

Why did Congressman Tom Petri receive criticism from the newspaper ‘Sheboygan’ in 2014?

Answer 5

It was found out that he only spends 1/3 of his time away from Congress in Wisconsin

Question 6

2. Party Representation:
   What is expected from a member of Congress?

Answer 6

Some level of party loyalty

Question 7

What has there been a considerable growth in in recent decades?

Answer 7

Party-line voting and partisan politics

Question 8

How many members of the 115th Congress were neither Democrat nor Republican?

Answer 8

2

Question 9

How many independents are in the Senate as of 2023 and who do they vote with?

Answer 9

3 independents, all caucus with the Democrats

Question 10

3. Function Representation:
   What did Bill Clinton say about his cabinet in 1992?

Answer 10

He proclaimed that he would put together a cabinet ‘that looked like America’

Question 11

What is the average age of members of the House and Senate in the 117th Congress (Current)?

Answer 11

House - 58 years
Senate - 64 years

Question 12

What % of members of the 117th Congress have a college education?

Answer 12

96%

Question 13

How many women serve in the 117th Congress?

Answer 13

150 women - 126 in House, 24 in Senate

Question 14

How many women served in the 115th Congress?

Answer 14

108 women - 85 in House, 23 in Senate

Question 15

What % of voting members were Hispanics in the 115th Congress?

Answer 15

8%

Question 16

What % of the US population was Hispanic in 2016?

Answer 16

17%

Question 17

How many Hispanic and Latino members serve in the 117th Congress?

Answer 17

52

Question 18

What is ‘descriptive representation’?

Answer 18

A political belief that those elected should not only represent those within their constituency but also with whom they share descriptive characteristics

Question 19

What is ‘functional representation’?

Answer 19

A political belief that those elected should represent economic or social groups within the wider community

Question 20

What have some congressional districts been drawn to create?

Answer 20

‘majority-minority’ districts

Question 21

How many majority-minority districts were there in the House of Representatives in 2015?

Answer 21

122

Question 22

What is the district with the largest African-American majority?

Answer 22

Tennessee 9th District - 63%

Question 23

What is the district with the largest Hispanic/Latino majority?

Answer 23

California 40th District - 87.2%

Question 24

What was the Supreme Court ruling in the ‘Cooper v Harris’ (2017) case?

Answer 24

The ruling challenged that use of race alone in redistricting was racist

Question 25

4. Congressional caucuses
   What caucus works across party lines to achieve legislation that advances the rights of women?

Answer 25

The Congressional Women’s Caucus

Question 26

What does the Congressional Steel Caucus fight for?

Answer 26

The health of the domestic steel industry

Question 27

What did the Chair of the Steel Caucus say after Trump introduced a 25% tariff on foreign steel?

Answer 27

‘I am pleased that the president has heard my call, and the call of our steelworkers’

Question 28

What did Representative Rangel say about the Congressional Black Caucus during when the successor to speaker John Boehner was being chosen?

Answer 28

‘the power of the Congressional Black Caucus is truly unspeakable. Whatever the Tea Party is doing with votes, the Congressional Black Caucus could make that look like a kindergarten class’

Question 29

What is the Blue Dog coalition?

Answer 29

The Blue Dog Coalition is the most conservative grouping of Democrats, advocating for fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense and bipartisan consensus rather than conflict with Republicans

Question 30

5. Lobbyists
   Who spent the most on lobbying in 2021?

Answer 30

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Question 31

How much did the US Chamber of Commerce spend on lobbying in 2021?

Answer 31

$66 million

Question 32

How many businesses and organisations does the US Chamber of Commerce represent?

Answer 32

Over 3 million

Question 33

How much did the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of American spend on lobbying in 2021?

Answer 33

$30 million

Question 34

How much did the American Medical Association spend on lobbying in 2021?

Answer 34

$19.5 million dollars

Question 35

From 2009 to 2019, how much did pharmaceutical companies donate to Congress?

Answer 35

$2.5 billion

Question 36

What % of House members and Senators received pharmaceutical campaign contributions?

Answer 36

House members - 90%
Senators - 97%

Question 37

How much was lobbyist spending annually in 2018?

Answer 37

Over $3 billion

Question 38

How much did the National Association of Realtors spend on lobbying in 2022?

Answer 38

$56 million