Chapter 6 - Congress Flashcards
House of Representatives
Rep by Pop Each state gets at least 1 Run for re-election every two years 435 seats Gerrymandering makes most of them safe
Senate
100 senators, 2 per state
Territories are totally dependent on feds (like CND)
Each state has one jr and one sr (whoever has been there longer)
Senate term is 6 years.
1 third of senate is electing every two years
Supposed to be less partisan, more prestigious
Senate Leadership
President of the Senate = VP (pretty much just does tie-breakers)
President Pro Tempore (Orrin Hatch 4th-in-line to Pres) Usually delegates ceremonial role to a new senator.
Senate Majority Leader - most powerful in senate - elected by senators of their party
Majority Whip - second most powerful
Senate is supposed to be decentralized but you can kick people off committees and stuff
Minority Leader (Chuck Schumer)
Minority Whip
House of Representatives Leadership
Speaker of the House (3rd-in-line) sets agenda, decides what can be voted on
Majority Leader
Major Whip
Minority Leader
Assistant Minority Leader (created when Pelosi wouldn’t step down after she was speaker)
Minority Whip
Executive Actions
Only serves to fill the void until congress passes something regarding it, but the president can veto stuff, creating voids. Vetoes can be overruled by two thirds majority from both houses.
Bill Proposals
Can start in either house, not the president.
Infused House
Where the executive is in the legislative branch. Like in Canada. Not in the US.
Steps of Legislative Process
- It’s introduced
- Reviewed by committee
- If passed by committee, voted on in house.
- If passed by either house, starts over in the other house.
- If that house passes it, it goes to congressional conference committee (CCC)
- The CCC reconciles differences between the two house bills.
- Reconciled bill goes up for vote in both houses.
- If passed it goes to the president either for approval or veto.
Committees
Groups of peeps from either one house or the other. Usually people with vested interest or expertise.
Standing Committee
Committee that deals with bills. Every time congress sits in the same basic committees are re-created, albeit with some different people.
Lots of debate on which committee should get bill.
Bills and Committees
Bills can get assigned to multiple committees (but for some reason that means it’ll probably die. Because it has a greater chance of being shot down??)
If a bill gets passed by subcommittees, committee, and the house, it passes.
Ways and Means Committee
Finance
Subcommittees
They have hearings. If they don’t kill it, it goes back to committee.
Congressional Conference Committee
Formed of both senators and representatives to reconcile differences in bill from both houses.
Immediately goes to both houses for a vote. If passed, congress officially passes it.
Passing Criteria
Not a majority. Just more yes votes than no votes.