Chapter 7

Question 0

What happens if a bill does not pass before the end of a term (2 years)?

Answer 0

Reintroduction.

Question 1

What happens to most bills in committee?

Answer 1

Death.

Question 2

Two types of bills:

Answer 2

Private & public.

Question 3

Private bills:

Answer 3

Deal w/an individual person or place.

Question 4

Public bills:

Answer 4

Deal w/general matters that apply to an entire nation.

Question 5

Types of resolutions:

Answer 5

Simple, joint, & concurrent.

Question 6

Simple resolution:

Answer 6

Deals w/matters affecting 1 house of Congress & is passed by that house alone. EX: a rule or procedure.

Question 7

Joint resolution:

Answer 7

Passed by both houses & signed by the president (has the force of law).

Question 8

Concurrent resolution:

Answer 8

Requires action from both houses—it is not a law & it does not require the president’s signature. EX: date to adjourn.

Question 9

Rider:

Answer 9

Provision on a subject other than the one covered in the bill.

Question 10

How many bills become laws?

Answer 10

x<10%

Question 11

Reasons why so few bills become laws:

Answer 11

1. They are long & complicated.
2. Process is long & requires many steps.
3. Sometimes lawmakers know the bill will not pass, but they want to go on the record or attract attention.

Question 12

Pigeon holding:

Answer 12

When committee members ignore the bill, which will kill it.

Question 13

How a Birr become a raw:

Answer 13

Sorry—too rong. You must memorize.

Too rong to write.

Question 14

Taxes:

Answer 14

Money that people and businesses pay to support the gov’t.

Question 15

Where must all revenue bills begin?

Answer 15

The House of Representatives.

Question 16

House Ways and Means Committee:

Answer 16

Works on tax laws.

Question 17

Senate Committee on Finance:

Answer 17

Works on tax laws in the Senate.

Question 18

Appropriation:

Answer 18

Approval of gov’t spending.

Question 19

2 steps used to appropriate money (House and Senate appropriation committee):

Answer 19

Authorization bill and Appropriation bill

Question 20

Authorization bill:

Answer 20

Sets up a federal program and specifies how much money may be appropriated for that program.

Question 21

Appropriation bill:

Answer 21

Provides the money.

Question 22

Entitlement:

Answer 22

Money that the gov’t is legally committed to spend.

Question 23

What percent of money is uncontrollable?

Answer 23

70%

Question 24

6 influences on lawmakers:

Answer 24

1. Personality
2. Staff
3. Voters
4. Political parties
5. President
6. Special interest groups

Question 25

Lobbyist:

Answer 25

Representatives of interest groups.

Question 26

PACs

Answer 26

Political action committees (influence due to money contributed).

Question 27

Casework:

Answer 27

Helping constituents with problems

Question 28

Who handles casework?

Answer 28

Caseworker.

Question 29

Casework:

Answer 29

A. Helps lawmakers get reelected.
B. Helps oversee executive branch (hear about the problems constituents are having w/an agency).
C. Provides a way for the average citizen to cope w/the huge national gov’t.

Question 30

3 ways lawmakers help their district or state:

Answer 30

1. Through pork-barrel legislation & logrolling
2. Win grants & contracts
3. Keep federal projects

Question 31

Pork-barrel:

Answer 31

Laws passed by Congress that appropriate money for local federal projects.

Question 32

Logrollin’:

Answer 32

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other’s bills.