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AP Government and Politics 2023 > Congress > Flashcards

Congress Flashcards

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1
Q

Congress Structure

A

bicameral, writes laws, oversees bureaucracy

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2
Q

House of Representatives

A

435 members proportional to state population. Elections occur in the congressional district every two years (incumbent reelection rate very high)

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3
Q

Senate

A

100 members with 2 from each state. Elections occur for 1/3 of the Senate every 2 years but Senator term lengths are 6 years.

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4
Q

Congressional Districts

A

Every 10 years, the census is taken which determines the number of districts a state will have. Congressional redistricting is done by the state legislature to ensure each district in the state has an equal population

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5
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Since most state’s state legislatures (which are usually dominated by one party) determine districts, they may purposefully redistrict in a way that favors their party winning reelection

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6
Q

Baker v. Carr

A

Tennessee hadn’t redrawn its districts and Baker sued since his county’s population had grown but hadn’t seen growth in representation. Supreme Court rules that the federal government can force states to redistrict every 10 years. Established the “one person one vote rule in which represents equal representation in voting

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7
Q

Shaw v. Reno

A

North Carolina redistricted so that African Americans had a better chance of being elected (racial gerrymandering) Court rules that through the equal protection clause this was Unconstitutional since race was the ONLY determining factor.

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8
Q

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A

took measures to ensure equal representation. removed barriers to black enfranchisement in the South, banning poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures that effectively prevented African Americans from voting.

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9
Q

Delegated Powers in Congress

A

Shared powers between both houses

  • taxing
  • borrowing money
  • regulating commerce
  • raising army
  • making rules and creating federal courts
  • establishing naturalization laws
  • establishing post offices
  • providing for a militia
  • making laws that are necessary and proper
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10
Q

Congress controls budgetary spending through 2 clauses

A

Appropriations clause and Taxing and Spending Clause

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11
Q

Power of the Purse

A

Congress’s power to influence the president or bureaucrats bu withholding or putting conditions on funding. A limit to executive Power

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12
Q

House Unique Powers

A

Introduces/Initiates tax and spending bills through the House Ways and Means Committee

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13
Q

House Ways and Means Committee

A

oversees taxing and spending legislation

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14
Q

Senate Unique Powers

A

Confirmation of presidential nominations to courts and ambassadors AND ratifies treaties

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15
Q

Other Congressional Responsibilities (not including legislation)

A
  • Oversight: oversees the federal agencies
  • Public Education: through raising awareness about issues when debating on the floor
  • Representing Constituents
  • Constitutional Amendments
  • Electoral Duties: If no presidential candidate wins Electoral College vote, House can elect president and Senate can elect vice president
  • Impeachment: House votes on impeachment, Senate conducts trial, senate votes for/against person
  • Confirmation Duties
  • Ratification
  • Investigation: done through committees
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16
Q

Models of Representation

A

Trustee: Elected official will TRUST r their own judgement when making decisions.

Delegate: Elected officials view themselves only as a mirror of their constituents and will go with the constituents beliefs.

Politico: This is a combination of the first two.

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17
Q

Legislative Process

A

meant to be slow so that laws aren’t made hastily

  1. Bill is proposed by a sponsor (member of congress) but can be written by anyone
  2. Referred to appropriate committee
  3. Debated/Changed in committee
  4. Vote to report bill
  5. Main Floor Activity
  6. Vote (Must pass both houses)
  7. Conference Committee (compromise on final bill)
  8. Returned to both houses for final vote
  9. President accept/veto (can be overrided)
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18
Q

House Rules Committee

A

responsible for determining how long bill will be debated (since House has limited debate time), whether or not amendments can be added, can kill a bill, can bring bills up for immediate vote

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19
Q

Filibuster

A

Since Senate has unlimited debate time, a filibuster can be used to delay a vote on a bill. To end a filibuster, a cloture vote of 60/100 members are needed

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20
Q

Riders

A

amendments to legislation. House doesn’t allow riders while Senate does

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21
Q

Pork Barrel Legislation

A

riders added to bring federal money to a home state

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22
Q

Pocket Veto

A

if a bill is brought to the president 10 days or less before the end of a congressional session, and the president does nothing, the bill will be killed

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23
Q

Veto

A

rejection of bill. can be override through a 2/3 supermajority in both houses

24
Q

Line-Item Veto

A

Vetoing only parts of bills. VERY UNCONSTITUTIONAL and no no

25
Q

Legislative Veto

A

congress vetoing president. (what in the world this is so UNCONSTITUTIONAL)

26
Q

Committee

A

small groups within the house/senate that are responsible for different things. the majority party will hold the majority of seats in the committee

27
Q

Types of Committees

A

Standing Committee - permanent, specialized committees (Ways and Means)

Joint Committees - made up of members of both houses

Select Committees - temporary committees for a special purpose such as investigation

Conference Committee - temporary committees of both houses used to reach compromise in legislative process

28
Q

Pigeon Hole

A

When a bill is stuck in a committe

29
Q

Discharge Petition

A

a floor vote to force a bill out of a committee

30
Q

House Leaders

A

Speaker of the House - leader of the House, chosen by the majority party. directs floor debate, and influences committees assignments and what bills go to committee

Majority Leader - keeps party members in line, helps determine party policy and agenda

Minority Leader - same roles as majority leader but for the minority party

Majority/Minority Whips - helps members remain loyal and respectable

31
Q

Senate Leader

A

President of the Senate - delegated to the vice president. rarely there an only comes to break ties

President Pro Tempore - while vice president is not there, the most senior member of the majority member will take the place

Majority Leader - most powerful because they control legislative agenda and a policy initiator

Minority Leader - a little less powerful

32
Q

Logrolling

A

you help me pass this bill, I’ll help you pass yours

33
Q

Northwest Ordinance (1787, 1789)

A

Provided clear guidelines for the settlement of new territories becoming states

34
Q

Pendleton Act (1883)

A

Eliminated the spoils system of patronage (giving position to someone who has helped you) and instead established exam-based merit system (you earn the position)

35
Q

Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)

A

provided congress with the authority to regulate and break up monopolies

36
Q

Hatch Act (1939)

A

a federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan politics while on duty (ex. saying on twitter that you are a government employee and are voting for candidate X)

37
Q

Freedom of Information Act (1966)

A

declassified government documents for public use

38
Q

Air Quality Act (1967) and Clean Air Acts (1960s - 1990s)

A

acts to regulate impact of environment

39
Q

Federal Election Campaign Acts (1971, 1974)

A

Established the Federal Election Commission and required disclosure of what a person running for election spent their election money on

40
Q

War Powers Act (1973)

A

Limited president power to use troops overseas. President must notify Congress within 48 hours and congress must vote to approve within 60 days

41
Q

Budget and Impoundment Control Act (1974)

A

Established congressional budget committees and the Congressional Budget office. gave congress the power to prevent the president from refusing to fund congressional initiative

42
Q

Gramm-Rudman-Holling Bill (1985)

A

set budget reduction target to balance the budged. failed to eliminate loopholes

43
Q

No Child Left Behind Act (2001)

A

requires states to adopt education accountability standards, mandates annual progress testing of students, and makes school pay sanctions if they feel to meet the progress goals

44
Q

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (1995)

A

requires the Congressional Budget Office to analyze the impact of unfunded mandates on the states, and it requires a separate congressional vote on bills that impose unfunded mandates

45
Q

Espionage Act (1917), Sedition Act (1918)

A

Severely curtailed the civil liberties of Americans during wartime and increased the power of the federal government in controlling public activity

46
Q

Immigration Act (1924)

A

This law stringently limited the number of immigrants admitted into the US and set string quotas for entry

47
Q

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967)

A

Banned age discrimination in jobs unless age is related to job performance

48
Q

Civil Rights Act or Fair Housing Act (1968)

A

Title II banned discrimination in public places on the basis of race, color, origin, religion. Title VII prohibited employment discrimination based on gender

49
Q

Title IX Education Act (1972)

A

Prohibited gender discrimination in federally funded education programs

50
Q

Americans with Disabilities (1990)

A

Protected civil liberties of disabled Americans, banned job discrimination, permits non-paid leave of absence without fear of termination

51
Q

National Voter Registration Act (1993)

A

Allowed people to register to vote when applying for driver’s licenses

52
Q

Patriot Act (2001)

A

After 9/11, congress granted broad police authority to federal, state, and local government to interdict, prosecute, and convict suspected terrorists.

53
Q

New Deal Legislation (1933-1939)

A

Legislation that expanded the role of government in society (Social Security, etc)

54
Q

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (1996)

A

signaled change in the role of the federal government in relationship to the states. Increase the role of personal responsibility in welfare recipients.

55
Q

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002)

A

banned soft money contributions to national political parties and limited hard money

AP Government and Politics 2023 (9 decks)

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