Chapter 7: Congress Flashcards
Vice President of the U.S.
- Breaks a tie only
President Pro Tempore
- Official leader
Majority Leader
- Unofficial leader with the most power in the Senate
Majority whip
- Make sure their party is voting according to their own party
Minority Leader
Minority whip
- Make sure their party is voting according to their own party
Senate
Speaker of the House
- Most powerful
Majority Leader
- Moves up
Majority whip
- Make sure their party is voting according to their own party
Minority Leader
Minority whip
- Make sure their party is voting according to their own party
House of Representatives
2 chambers, separation of powers
Bicameralism
A bill is introduced to chambers
- Revenue bills - start in House of Reps
- Other bills - start in Senate
- Then referred to a specific congressional committee
Committee hearings
- Report to whole house (if not, it dies)
- Sent to Rules Committee (House) to schedule floor debates in both chambers
Floor debate
- House debates are limited because of the size
- Senate debates are unlimited (filibuster)
- Cloture 3/5 vote can end the debate
Final reading
- House and Senate must have identical bills before going to President
- If not, it goes to Conference Committee (both houses try to discuss compromise)
President has 4 choices
- Signs and becomes law (Can let it sit for 10 days and eventually becomes a law if congress is still going)
- Vetoes it completely
(⅔ override by congress)
- Pocket veto - indirect veto when congress adjourns and president does not act on it
- Line item veto - veto parts of the bill
How a Bill becomes a law
Bad portions that would lead to unequal representation
Malapportionment
Political manipulation of electoral boundary districts for advantage
Gerrymandering
Act of dividing or allocating proportionally
Reapportionment (Realignment, redistricting)
- Declare war
- To raise and support armies
- To provide and maintain a navy
- To provide for a militia
War Powers
- To lay and collect taxes
- To borrow $$
- To regulate interstate/foreign commerce (clause)
- To coin $$
- Punish counterfeiting
Financial Powers
- To establish rules for naturalization and bankruptcy
- To establish post offices
- To establish and enforce patents
- To define and punish piracy and other crimes against nation (treason)
- Establish courts
Governmental Powers
Legislator’s role as a “representative” is simply to reflect constituents wishes.
- “Delegate”
Delegate Model
Their role is to use their knowledge to do what is best for their constituents, regardless of what the constituents say.
- “Trust”
Trustee Model
The incumbent (current person holding office trying to run again) has advantage over the challenging candidate
- Advantages that would benefit them to win over another person
Incumbency Advantage
Permanent committee that have 2 members from each congress
- Rules Committee
Standing Committee
Temporary, created for a specific purpose or issues when they come up
Select Committee
