Chapter 5 Flashcards

1
Q

Qualifications and Term of Office of a member of the House

A
  • 25 yrs old
  • citizen for 7 yrs
  • two year terms
  • begin terms on even years
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

reapportionment

A

population of each state determines the new number of reps to which each state is entitled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Baker v. Carr

A

federal courts could decide conflicts over drawing district boundaries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Reynolds v. Sims

A

the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment required that seats in both houses of the Alabama State legislature be apportioned on a population basis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Wesberry v. Sanders

A

the Constitution clearly intended that a vote in one congressional district was to be worth the same as a vote in another district

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

gerrymandering

A

the political party controlling the state government draws a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in elections

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Qualifications and Term of Office of a member of the Senate

A
  • 30 yrs old
  • citizen for 9 yrs
  • 2 per state
  • 6 year terms
  • 1/3 of senators run for reelections every 2 years
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

27th Amendment

A

prohibits a sitting Congress from giving itself a pay raise

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

franking privilege

A

Congress pays for members’ work related expenses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Purposes of Leaders in the House (6)

A
  • organizing and unifying party members
  • scheduling the work of the House
  • making certain that lawmakers are present for key floor votes
  • distributing and collecting info
  • keeping the House in touch with the president
  • influencing lawmakers to support the policies of their political party
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Speaker of the House (3)

A
  • can decide which members go first
  • appoints the members of some committees
  • schedules bills for action
  • refers bills to the proper House committee
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Majority Leader in the House (3)

A
  • help plan the party’s legislative program
  • steer important bills through the House
  • make sure the chairpersons of many committees finish work on bills important to the party
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Union Calendar

A

money issues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Private Calendar

A

individual people and places

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Consent Calendar

A

gives unanimous consent to debate out of regular order

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Discharge Calendar

A

petitions to discharge a bill from committee

17
Q

quorum

A

minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action

18
Q

atmosphere of the Senate

A

all senators have maximum freedom to express their ideas, more flexible and laid back then the House

19
Q

The Vice President (3)

A
  • leader of the Senate
  • tie breaker
  • influence Senate through personal contact with senators
20
Q

Majority Leader in the Senate (3)

A
  • steer the party’s bills through the Senate
  • responsible for making certain the majority party members attend important Senate sessions
  • organizing their support on key bills
21
Q

Calendar of General Orders

A

lists all bills the Senate will consider

22
Q

Executive Calendar

A

treaties and nominations

23
Q

filibuster

A

stall the legislative process and prevent a vote

24
Q

cloture

A

allows each senator to speak only 1 hour on a bill under debate

25
Purposes of Committees (3)
- allows members of Congress to divide their work among many smaller groups - committees choose the few bills that are to receive further consideration - by holding public hearings and investigations, committees help the public learn about key problems and issues facing the nation
26
Standing Committees (2)
- continue from one house of Congress to the next | - majority leader controls standing committee --> selects a chair person for each from among its party members
27
Subcommittees
specializes in a subcategory of its standing committee's responsibility
28
Select Committees
study one specific issue and report their findings to the Senate or the House
29
Joint Committees
coordinate the work of the two houses of Congress
30
Conference Committees
resolve differences between the two versions of the bill
31
Assignment to the right committees can help strengthen member's career by.... (3)
- membership on some committees can increase a lawmaker's changes for reelection - lawmaker will be able go influence national policy making - a member to exert influence over other lawmakers because they deal with matters important to everyone in Congress
32
Role of Committee Chairperson (3)
- decide when their committees will meet, which bills they will consider, and for how long - hire committee staff members and control the committee budget - manage floor debates that take place on the bills that come from their committees
33
Role of Congressional Staff
- help lawmakers handle the growing workload of Congress - communicate with voters - help run committee hearings and floor sessions - draft new bills - attend committee meetings
34
Administrative Assistants (4)
- runs the lawmaker's office - supervises the lawmaker's schedule - gives advice on political matters - deals with influencing people from the lawmaker's congressional district or state
35
Legislative Assistants (3)
- lawmaker is well informed about the many bills with which she or he must deal - does research, draft bills, studies bills currently in Congress, and writes speeches and articles for the lawmakers - assist lawmaker in committee meetings and to attend committee meetings when the lawmaker can't be present