3 branches Flashcards
what part of congress is more formal
house, has more rules due to more people
key parts of house election
directly elected by people from the start, 2 years unlimited terms, winner take all
qualifications of house
25 yo, 7 year citz, resident of state
how many house people are ther
435 members
how are house seats delegated
districts in each state, each state is given one minimum.
how many non voting seats are in house
6
what is a marginal vs safe seat
marginal is more competitive and safe is always one person
election of senate parts
6 year unlimited terms, 17th amendement changes to direct election
qualification of senator
30 yo, 9 year citizen, resident of state
how are seats of senate delegated
2 per state
how powerful is congress
seen to be the most powerful branch of governemnt
when do senators get reelected
every 6 years, staggard for reasons for experience
3 roles of legislation
law making, budgeting, oversight
what is omb
office of managing budjeting
what is cbo
cost benifit analysist for the projected budget, agency of congress
What is Gao
Government accountability office looks after money being apporpriated
What is GAO
Government accountability office, checks to see if money appropiated is being spent wisely
what decides if some program is cut/ person is fired
GAO
What power of congress holds hearing and grants immunity
oversight
What checks on the president does congress have
Power of money, consent of nomination, consent for treaties, impeachment, override veto, oversight, propose amendments
what checks on supreme court does congress have
set number of seates, creates inferior courts
checks on congress
Veto from pres, judicial review
What did aportionment act of 1842 do
reguired all districts to be represented by a single member in house
what did appotionment act of 1911 do
capped it at 435 memebers
what is the order of things to redistrict
census, reapportion, redistrict
Who reapportions 435 seats
beuaro of census
What is mal apportionment
form of jerrymandering where there is a different number of people in each district
what is a majority minority line
most people are minority, gives representation in government
What are the advantages of the incumebncy on getting election
Name recognition, free mail, greater access to media, more experience, staff to help credit for money grants
What are the non legsislative powers of government
Propose amendment, advice and consent (senate only) investigations, impeachment, confirming vice president, choosing president by house, choose vp by senate
what is the day to day of congress determinded by
party leaders and comittee systems
House minority
zero power
senate minority
little power
what does the speaker of the house do
administrative role, second in line for president, committee assignments, enforce rules, represents party on floor
what does the majority whip doe in the house
assisit leadership, push party legislative programs, lets speaker know if it is time to bring bill to floor
minority whip do in the house
keeps party orginized
what are the consitutionally mandated officers in the senate
vice president is pres of senate, pres pro tempore presides when vp is not present and is the senior member of majority party
Majority leader in senate
does what speaker of house does with less power
majority whip in senate
same as house assisit leadership, push party legislative programs, lets speaker know if it is time to bring bill to floor
minority leader senate
has power to fillibuster
Standing committee
works on bills, permannat, subcommittes, 20ish in each chamber
select committe
only in one chamber, investigative purposes only, no lawmaking
confrence committee
makes 2 bills from both chambers one bill
joint comitee
same as select but both chambers
how are committes orginized
chair is usually a long serving member of majority party, make of committe represents the make up of congress, chair is speaker for comittee, ranking member is minority party leader for committee
staff types
personal staff, legislative aid, case worker (works from home), committe staff only for committee
who pays for staff
taxpayer
4 supporting offices of congress
CBO, GAO, Library of congress, priniting office
where do revenue bills start
house
how does a bill become a law through the house
Hopper, HR #, sent to proper committe and sub, passed by comittee, put on calander, rules committe gets it and sets rules, floor to vote
types of calandars for house
union calander (money) House calander (public bills) discharge (petition to get out of committe) private (private) consent (unanioumous vote)
how bill become a law through senate
IF new bill starts in senate then read on floor and given S#, sent to committe and sub, voted on by full, put on calander, floor….
2 types of calandar for senate
executive(treaties and nominations) general orders(Bills)
What is a filibuster and what is a Clothier
Filibuster is when they prohibit the ability to vote on a bill by talking for long ammounts of time on the floor, a Cloture is a vote to end that filibuster, requiring 3/5 of congress to do so
What are the 4 different outcomes that could happen once the bill gets through both houses of senate
- sign it2. veto it3. sits on it and goes back to the standing congress and it becomes a law4. sits on it and it goes back to adjoiurned congress and it is vetoed
what happens if a bill is vetoed
sent back to original house of congress, if both houses get 2/3 vote, it is overturned
what happens if the 2 houses of congress pass 2 different bills
committee of confrence comes together to put it into one.
What is a resolution
Unsual or temporary actions by congress
Three types of Resolution
Simple, Joint, Concurent
What is a simple resolution
One chamber, non lawmaking, deals of some sort
What is a joint resolution
Mostly law making except propose amendment, temporary with both houses
what is concurent resolution
Not law making, agreement between both chambers, forming joint committee
What is a rider
some part of a bill that would not go in on its own, but it is taked onto a bill that will pass
what are the types of rider
non germain and germain, non means not related to the bill at all
what is it called when the bill is full of riders
ominibus bill
what is a mark up
all the changes that the committees do to billls
what is a Quorm
218 voters being neccesary to be there to vote on something
what does house do if there is a quorm but they want to work
Committee of the whole, everyone agrees to do buisness but not vote
what is a hold in the senate
where one person can express their opinion to investigate a promotion and hold the promotion
who is the traffic cop, what they do
the rules committee tells who can come and talk and stop them when time
How does congress take back monetary power over the president
1974 Budget impoundment control act, executive branch has to get congress approval before stopping the funding of certain programs
How does congress get power back in forgien power
the Wars Power Act of 1973, if the president is going to take action in war, he has to notify congress within 48 hr of the attack, He has 60 days to have troops w/o congress approval, after 60 days, congress decides to either take them back (he has 30 days to take back) or let them stay
What module of representing constituents is listening to individuals
Delegate module
What module of representing constituents is doing what they think is best
Trusty module
What module of representing constituents is balancing partisian and voters
Politico modult
What module of representing constituents is listeing to the party
Partisian mod
Power in Const. 1
Execute law
Power in Const. 2 power
commander and chief of army and navy
Power in Const. 3 dep
Executive department heads to answer to him in order to execute laws
Power in Const. 4 par
Power to pardon except impeachement and only federal offenses
Power in Const. 5 tre
power to make treaties that senate approves
Power in Const. 6 nom
nominates heads of departments, judicial heads, and foriegn heads
Power in Const. 7 state
must call state of union to let people know of his agenda
Power in Const. 8 adj
To call special session and adjourn congress
Power in Const. 9 amb
recieves ambassadors forigen power to diplomatic powers
Power in Const. 10 v
power to veto
Power in Const. 11 leg
power to recomend legislation through someone
Power in Const. 12 co
confirming forigen policy powers
Power informal 1 leg
bargin for legislation passing