AP Gov March Test Flashcards
Senate Filibuster
a minority member of the Senate may threaten a filibuster, preventing a bill from coming to a floor vote. Unless 60 members vote to invoke cloture, the bill is dead
house rules committee
the rules committee can give a bill a closed rule, meaning that there can be no debate or amendments to the bill. This will either ensure its passage or result in its untimely death
conference committee
formed to reconcile differences between a bill that has been passed in both houses. The compromise language must be approved by a vote in both houses, at which time the bill goes to the president for his signature or veto
casework
help that members of Congress provide to their constituents. Constituents may need help with a federal agency. EX: they may need to rush a passport or need help with their social security checks. Their Congress members are able to cut through the red tape.
how does casework affect members’ attention to legislation?
time spent on casework takes away from a member’s time spent on passing legislation, but casework is a way constituents are represented and it can bring important issues to a member’s attention
6 techniques interest groups use to influence elections
- endorsements
- candidate ratings (NRA gives members of Congress a grade based on their gun friendliness)
- contribute money
- provide volunteers
- run issue ads
- contribute to PACs and/or superPACs
How do divided government, weak party discipline, and growth in the number of interest groups and PACs make it difficult for the federal government to enact public policy?
- divided government: president/Congress s controlled by different parties and the Chambers of Congress controlled by different parties.
- Weak party discipline:
• Crossover voting
• Diminished party ties
• Difficulty prediction party support
• Leadership has a more difficult time getting votes
• Individual members of Congress can defect without serious consequences - Growth in number of interest groups and PACs:
• Competing interests
• Interest groups can oppose policy initiatives.
• Interest groups are “veto groups”
How can party leadership in Congress influence the legislative process? Please name and explain 3 ways.
- Party leadership can influence the legislative process because party leaders can make the rest of their party vote the way they want and influence other parties to vote the way they want through logrolling which is the practice of exchanging favors- Logrolling can influence the legislative process because people can be exchanging favors for votes to get people to vote on their side.
- Party representation on committees- people on committees who represent a specific political party- This can play a role because people will vote along the lines of their political party.
- ability to assign a bill to a committee; chair of the committee can kill it or pass it
What is a power held ONLY by the House? Why does it have that power?
One power unique to the House of Rep is introducing tax bills. The reason the framers gave the house that power is because The house is closer to the people. since there is more reps in each state.
What is a power held ONLY by the Senate? Why does it have that power?
trial of impeachment; because the senate is more isolated from public opinion
What are 2 ways the president can check the power of Congress?
veto laws passed by congress, and appoint judges to supreme count and other courts
What 2 enumerated powers does Congress have in making foreign policy?
declaring war, regulating commerce with other nations, and ratifying treaties.
What’s the difference between a PAC and a SuperPAC?
SuperPACs differ from PACs in that a superPAC can’t be associated with a particular political candidate therefore they have unlimited spending/donations
What are 2 ways the president can check the power of Congress?
veto laws passed by congress, make foreign treaties, and appoint federal judges.
2 differences between House and Senate rules that may make it likely that legislation may pass in one chamber but not in the other. How can each difference lead to the passage of a bill in one chamber but not in the other?
The senate allows unlimited debate, also called filibuster, which can prevent a bill from coming to a vote unless cloture is invoked. In the House, the Speaker has the ability to table a bill, postponing it from coming to a vote. Unless cloture is invoked, the Senate bill is dead. Unless the Speaker schedules the bill to come to a floor vote, it is dead.
