Chapter 12 Flashcards
Congress Organizes- Open days in the House
Newly Elected-choose a speaker
Dean of the House- been in the House the longest- swears in the speaker
Speaker swears in everyone
Pick every position, committees selected
Majority Party chooses not elected members of Congress- clerk, door keeper, postmaster, Sargent at arms- bouncer, Chaplin- prayer giver
State of the Union Message
Most important speech
Heard world wide
Presiding Officers
The ones that are leading the House and Senate
Speaker of the House
Most influential in Congress Constitution doesn't require the Speaker of the House to be elected in the House Always member of the Majority Party Most ranking member of their party 2 duties- Preside and Maintain Order May debate- speak/talk on a bill May vote- has to vote to break a tie
President of the Senate
Vice President
Not elected member of the Senate
Can never debate> executive branch
Can only vote to break a tie- but he never has to vote
Someone takes his place if he is absent or gone
President Pro Tempore
Temporary President of the Senate Takes the place of the Pres. of the Senate when he is gone Always a member of the Majority Party He can vote Line of Succession- 4th in line
Presidential Succession Act 1497
President Vice President Speaker of the House President Pro Tempore 16 cabinet positions (Secretary of State)
Majority/ Minority Floor Leaders- Strategists
(Coaches)
They plan the strategy for what they’re going to do with the upcoming bill
They organize their parties interests
Start strategizing in a caucus
Majority/ Minority Floor Leaders- Party Whips
(QB)
Assist the strategists
They execute the game plan
Committee Chairman
Always a member of the Majority Party
Can Decide: which bills they’re going to work on, when the committee meets, how often they meet, whether it’s a public or private meeting, witnesses to be called, who is on a subcommittee
Junket
Trips that members of Congress take to investigate a bill, taxes pay for them
Seniority Rule
Unwritten Custom
Most important positions in Congress go to the members that have been there the longest
Committee System- Standing
Permanent
All bills must go to the a appropriate committee
All tax bills must originate in the House Ways and Means
Same ratio of every committee that the House/ Senate has
Committee System- Select
Temporary
Organized to do a specific job
Investigate something that’s happened
Committee System- Joint
Members of both Houses
