Chapter 6 - Congress

Question 1

House of Representatives

Answer 1

Rep by Pop
Each state gets at least 1
Run for re-election every two years 
435 seats 
Gerrymandering makes most of them safe

Question 2

Senate

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Senate Leadership

Answer 3

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

Question 4

House of Representatives Leadership

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Executive Actions

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

Bill Proposals

Answer 6

Can start in either house, not the president.

Question 7

Infused House

Answer 7

Where the executive is in the legislative branch. Like in Canada. Not in the US.

Question 8

Steps of Legislative Process

Answer 8

1. It’s introduced
2. Reviewed by committee
3. If passed by committee, voted on in house.
4. If passed by either house, starts over in the other house.
5. If that house passes it, it goes to congressional conference committee (CCC)
6. The CCC reconciles differences between the two house bills.
7. Reconciled bill goes up for vote in both houses.
8. If passed it goes to the president either for approval or veto.

Question 9

Committees

Answer 9

Groups of peeps from either one house or the other. Usually people with vested interest or expertise.

Question 10

Standing Committee

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Bills and Committees

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

Ways and Means Committee

Answer 12

Finance

Question 13

Subcommittees

Answer 13

They have hearings. If they don’t kill it, it goes back to committee.

Question 14

Congressional Conference Committee

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Passing Criteria

Answer 15

Not a majority. Just more yes votes than no votes.

Question 16

Filibustering

Answer 16

Talking forever because then people technically can’t vote.

Now you just say you’re filibustering and you skip the talking and the senate needs 60 votes.

Question 17

Senate Rules

Answer 17

Up to each senate. Changes for partisan reasons all the time.

Question 18

Four Types of Committees

Answer 18

1. Joint
2. Select (ad hoc)
3. Conference
4. Standing

Question 19

Joint Committee

Answer 19

Made up of members from both houses
They ‘dont do much’
There are 5

Question 20

Select Committee

Answer 20

Temporary/Ad hoc to investigate something that just happened
Generally prefer just to use existing committee

Question 21

Caucus

Answer 21

Informal group of people who share interests (corn caucus, democratic black caucus, pro-life)
Have expertise in area
Sometimes from one house, sometimes both
Some are formal enough to have staff, propose policy, produce publications

Question 22

Congressional Duties

Answer 22

Legislation
Oversight (Executive)
Investigations (more than just executive)

Question 23

Congressional Oversight Duty

Answer 23

Particularly over executive branch
Often leads to investigations
A house and senate committee exists for trump-Russia
Sometimes they’re legit, sometimes partisan, sometimes blurry.