Congress Flashcards
what is the Becameeral legislature/
it means having 2 chambers - the senate and the House of Representatives
what is the layout of the Senate
Senate (100 members, 6 year terms, 2 from each state)
What is the Layout of the House of representatives
Senate (100 members, 6 year terms, 2 from each state)
What is the Election cycle in the US?
- Elections every 2 years.
- The whole House is up for re- election. The Senate has 3 tiers, so only 1/3 of Senators are up every 2 years.
- There are no term limits.
What are the powers of Congress?
- Powers given to Congress by the Constitution:
- Legislate. They can also overturn a presidential veto with a 2/3’s majority in each chamber.
- Representation. There must be congressional elections.
- Amend the Constitution. Shared role with the states. There must be a 2/3’s majority in each chamber.
- Declare war.
What are the exclusive powers of the House?
- Impeach the President.
- Elect the President if no candidate gets over 50% of Electoral College Votes.
- Begin consideration of all money bills.
What are the exclusive powers of the Senate?
- Elect the President if no candidate gets over 50% of Electoral College Votes.
- Begin consideration of all money bills.
- Try an impeachment case.
- Elect the vice president, if no
candidate has 50%of ECV. - Ratify treaties.
- Confirm executive appointments.
Factors effecting voting behaviour in Congress?
- Public opinion/constituency
- Party/party leaders
- Caucuses (different from caucus elections) * Interest groups and professional lobbyists
a meeting at which local members of a political party register their preference among candidates running for office or select delegates to attend a convention.
what are the steps of how a Bill becomes a Law?
- The First Reading
- The Committee stage
- The Second Reading
- The Third Reading and conference Committee
- Presidential action
What is the first reading stage?
Symbolic Placement on Clerk of the House’s Desk
No Reading Aloud
No Vote
No Debate
Purely Formality
What is the Committee stage?
Most important stage
Extensive bill review
Witnesses and documents may be called
Sub-committees for complex bills
“Marked up” before advancing
Bill marked up if expected to pas
What is the Second reading stage?
House Rules Committee schedules bill debate on House floor.
* Filibusters cannot be used in the House as limits are imposed on debates.
* Generally a bill is almost always passed by the House because the Committee will only submit it to the House if they’re sure it will be passed.
Third Reading and conference committee
Final debate with amendments
Vote and passage to the other chamber
Conference Committee for differing versions (often avoided)
Final stage presidential action
President’s options for a bill:
Sign it into law.
Veto it (can be overridden by 2/3 vote in both chambers, rare).
Use ‘line item’ veto (approve parts, veto parts, e.g., budget).
Leave it (no position or veto risk).
Sneaky move: Bills at end of Congress, if vetoed, wait for new Congress.
3 examples of presidential vetos under Obama
- February 24, 2015: Vetoed S. 1, Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act. Override attempt failed in Senate, 62–36 (66 needed).
- February 24, 2015: Vetoed S. 1, Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act. Override attempt failed in Senate, 62–36 (66 needed).
What are the 4 features of the legislation process
Bill Initiation: President or Congress leaders propose bills.
Compromise: Bill can start in either chamber, negotiated in committees, Conference Committee if needed.
Weak Party Control: Politicians are independent, not UK-style party control.
Obstacles: Divided government, policy committees, funding issues, 2/3 majority to override veto
What are the Strengths of the legislative process?
- checks and balances create pluralist system, power is shared
- detailed consideration of. bills creates good policy
- states’ rights and interest are protected by the senate being able to filibuster or amend a bill
What are some weaknesses of the legislative process?
- inefficiency - low output
- high levels of partisanship
- quality of legislation affected by too much compromise
failed bills
- DREAM Act - to protect certain immigrants and give them the right to wrk and education
- gun regulation
succesful legislation
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009
Factors limiting the impact of congress
- the president
- partisanship
- congress is alternately divided
- The Supreme Court
What powers of oversight does congress have over the executive branch?
- vote on presidential proposals
- determine funding on presidential projects
- overturn presidential veto
- declare war
- ratification of presidential appointments
– impeachment. of President and VP
What is committee oversight
Committees are crucial for oversight.
They focus on policies, oversee departments, and hold hearings for executives.
The House Oversight and Reform Committee supervises the executive branch.
Temporary committees, like the 2014 House Select Committee on Benghazi, conduct investigations.
The previous Republican-dominated Congress faced criticism for inadequate oversight of President Trump.
What are congress’ limits on the Supreme Court?
Congress can amend the Constitution to reverse a court ruling, but this is infrequent.
The Senate holds hearings and votes on presidential Supreme Court nominees.
Supreme Court justices can be impeached by Congress, but it’s rare. Example: Samuel Chase in 1804.
Congress can decide the total number of Supreme Court justices, but this power is seldom exercised. (Roosevelt administration briefly considered it.)
