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Congress Flashcards

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1
Q

What does the constitution say about the legislature?

A

All legislative powers should be vested in a congress, congress has the power to overturn a presidential veto.

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2
Q

What does the constitution say about representation?

A

Need for congressional elections - Article 1.

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3
Q

What does the constitution say about constitutional amendments?

A

Congress shares this role with individual states, amendments to the constitution requires a 2/3 vote in each chamber of congress.

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4
Q

What does the constitution say about declaring war?

A

Congress has the power to initiate military action, complicated by the fact that constitutionally, the president can claim this power.

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5
Q

What is the structure of congress?

A

Bicameral, equal representation in senate, proportional in house.

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6
Q

What is the membership of the house?

A

Lower house, 435 members, represent a district, two year terms, at least 25 years old, resident of state.

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7
Q

What is the membership of the senate?

A

Upper house, 100 members, represent entire state, six year terms, at least 30, resident of state they represent.

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8
Q

What was the seventeenth amendment?

A

Meant both houses were elected, not just the house.

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9
Q

What are the senate statistics?

A

Republican - 49. Democrat - 47. Independent - 4. Majority - 51.

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10
Q

What are the House Statistics?

A

Republican - 218. Democrat - 213. Vacant - 4. Majority - 218.

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11
Q

Who is the president of the Senate?

A

Kamala Harris.

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12
Q

Who is the majority leader?

A

Chuck Schumer.

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13
Q

Who is the speaker of the house?

A

Mike Johnson.

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14
Q

Who is the minority leader?

A

Hakeem Jeffries.

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15
Q

What is a congressional District?

A

A geographic subdivision of a state represented by a member of the house.

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16
Q

What is the historical representation of gender in congress?

A

393 women have served in congress - 3.2%.

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17
Q

What is the historical representation of race in congress?

A

Number of non white members has grown in every congress - 63 in 01-03. 133 - 23-25.

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18
Q

What is the historical representation of religion in congress?

A

1979-1980 - 91% of members were Christian, 88% now.

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19
Q

What % of congress have no religion, compared to the population?

A

0.2, 23% of population.

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20
Q

What % of congress are women, compared to the population?

A

27%, 51% of the population.

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21
Q

What has happened to the number of non white women in congress?

A

It has grown in every congress.

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22
Q

What % of population is black, compared to congress?

A

13% of population, 13% of house.

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23
Q

What % of the population is Latino, compared to congress?

A

18.7%, 12.87% of the house.

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24
Q

What are the legislative powers of congress?

A

Ratifying treaties, overseeing executive branch, confirming appointments, impeaching public officials, declaring war, confirming an appointed VP.

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25
Q

What are the joint powers of both houses of congress?

A

Law making, overseeing executive branch, overriding president’s veto, initiating constitutional amendments, impeaching public officials, confirming a vice president, declaring war.

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26
Q

What are the powers of the senate only?

A

Confirming appointments, cabinet members, supreme court appointments, ratifying treaties.

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27
Q

What are the powers of the house?

A

Beginning of consideration of money bills, shutdown government if congress doesn’t approve budget.

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28
Q

What is ratifying a treaty?

A

Creating legislation, both houses approve a bill, after a bill is through both houses, president signs, or vetoes.

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29
Q

How does congress oversee the executive branch?

A

Decides whether to amend or abandon a bill, congress can override a veto, if they have a 2/3 majority.

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30
Q

How does congress confirm appointments?

A

Senate confirmation is required for presidential appointments, presidential appointments to the executive branch.

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31
Q

How does congress impeach public officials?

A

Only house can impeach a public official, simple majority is needed, senate can only try impeachments.

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32
Q

How does congress declare war?

A

Both houses must vote for a declaration of war, power to declare war hasn’t been used since 1941.

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33
Q

How does congress confirm an appointed VP?

A

Power hasn’t needed to be used since 1824.

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34
Q

Why is the senate more prestigious than the house?

A

Senators represent states, senators serve 6 year terms, senators are one of 100, senators are more likely to chair a committee, senate is seen as a recruiting pool for presidential candidates.

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35
Q

Why is the senate not as prestigious as the house?

A

Both houses have amendment power in the passing of legislation, congress must approve the initiation of constitutional amendments, house has conduct oversight of the executive branch.

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36
Q

What are the six stages of congress’ legislative process?

A

Introduction, committee stage, timetabling, floor debate, vote on passage of bill, conference committee, presidential action.

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37
Q

How can stage 5 be avoided?

A

If the bill doesn’t relieve amendments from the house or senate.

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38
Q

How is a bill introduced in the house?

A

A copy of the bill is placed on the clerk’s desk.

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39
Q

How is a bill introduced in the senate?

A

Title of the bill is read out on the senate floor.

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40
Q

What are the types of congressional committees?

A

Standing committees, House rules committees, conference committees, select committees.

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41
Q

What is the role of standing committees?

A

Legislation, scrutiny of the executive branch, begin confirmation of appointments.

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42
Q

What is the role of the house rules committee?

A

Timetable legislation in the house.

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43
Q

What is the role of conference committees?

A

Reconciling differences in legislation.

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44
Q

What is the role of select committees?

A

Special investigative committees.

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45
Q

What are standing committees?

A

Permanent legislative panels, who have legislative jurisdiction, considers bills and issues recommending measures for consideration. Monitor agencies and programmes.

46
Q

What are the examples of senate standing committees?

A

Defense, Homeland security, cyber security, energy.

47
Q

What are the examples of House standing committees?

A

Budget, workforce protection, health, housing.

48
Q

What are the examples of sub committees?

A

Energy independence, SC to investigate January 6th.

49
Q

What are the functions of standing committees?

A

Conducting the committee stage of bills, conducting investigations, confirming presidential appointments.

50
Q

How do standing committees conduct the committee stage of bills?

A

After the second reading, speaker or majority leader decides where the bill goes, committee members add in amendments.

51
Q

How do standing committees conduct investigations?

A

Hold topical investigations, find out if there is something which benefits the USA, George Galloway was called for evidence over Iraq.

52
Q

How do standing committees confirm presidential appointments?

A

Happens in advance of senate vote, search through evidence, committee votes, goes to senate floor.

53
Q

What are the different examples of committees?

A

House rules committee, conference committees, select committees.

54
Q

What is the house rules committee responsible for?

A

Prioritising bills, coming out of committee stage, onto the house floor.

55
Q

What do open rules allow for?

A

Unlimited amendments, provided they’re relevant.

56
Q

What do modified rules allow for?

A

Limit the total amount of amendments.

57
Q

What do closed rules allow for?

A

Forbid any amendments.

58
Q

What are conference committees?

A

A panel composed of house and senate members, trying to reconcile differences in legislation. Temporary for senators to debate.

59
Q

What is the role of committee chairs?

A

Decide which bills are heard, decide the direction of a committee, come from the majority party in the house, elected via secret houses.

60
Q

How does timetabling work in the senate?

A

Bills are agreed through unanimous consent agreements, senate leadership agree on which bills make it to the floor.

61
Q

How does timetabling work in the house?

A

Bills are given to house rules committee, decided on whether bill makes it to the floor.

62
Q

What is the filibuster system?

A

Used to delay or block a vote on a measure by preventing debate from ending.

63
Q

What is an example of a filibuster?

A

Ted Cruz - 21 hours to block the affordable care act.

64
Q

What is a closure procedure?

A

Allows a 213 majority to end a filibuster.

65
Q

What happened to the filibuster in 2013?

A

The democrats introduced reforms to enable the executive branch positions to be allowed with a simple majority.

66
Q

What did Republicans do to the filibuster in 2017?

A

Stopped the use of the filibuster to secure the nomination of Neil Gorsuch.

67
Q

Why has the use of conference committees declined?

A

Due to the rise of partisanship in the senate, and polarisation.

68
Q

What are the options of presidential action?

A

Sign a bill into law, leave on desk.

69
Q

What does signing a bill into law mean?

A

Bill is enacted, implemented after the president does this.

70
Q

What does leaving a bill on the desk mean?

A

After 10 days, the bill becomes law.

71
Q

What is a regular veto?

A

The president says no to a bill which passes through congress.

72
Q

How many times has the regular veto been used, and overridden?

A

Used 1508 times, overridden 111 times.

73
Q

How many times did Trump use the veto?

A

10, overridden once.

74
Q

What did Obama veto in 2015?

A

The keystone pipeline approval act, which would have overridden the administration’s authority.

75
Q

What did Trump threaten to veto in 2018?

A

A $1.3 Trillion spending bill.

76
Q

What is a pocket veto?

A

President indirectly vetoes a bill, due to no opportunity for vetoing.

77
Q

Which legislation did George Bush pocket veto?

A

National defense authorisation act - 2007.

78
Q

Which factors make congress ineffective?

A

Many bills are introduced, which get lost, complicated, a supermajority is needed, both houses having equal power makes it harder to pass legislation.

79
Q

What are the reasons congress is somewhat effective?

A

A supermajority is needed, congress does pass a lot of legislation, likely to be passed during united government, congress can reject government by the executive.

80
Q

What are implied powers?

A

Congress can subpoena actions by the president. Contempt of court, don’t talk about ongoing court cases. Illegal to lie to congress.

81
Q

How do the powers of congress provide oversight?

A

Impeachment, congress can veto presidential actions, power of the purse, declare war, confirm senate appointments, state ratifications.

82
Q

Why is congressional oversight effective when controlled by the opposite party?

A

President can be favoured by congress if they’re from the same party, avoids scrutiny, different party will try to make presidents’ party look bad, congress tends to be more effective when there is divided government.

83
Q

How has congressional oversight been affected by the party in congress?

A

Merrick Garland - Senate said they couldn’t hold a confirmation hearing in 2016 due to the election. No justice for 10 months, ACB sworn in within weeks of RBG dying.

84
Q

What is congress’ relationship with the Supreme court?

A

Congress can reverse or amend a court ruling, senate ratifies appointments, individual justices can be impeached by congress, congress has the authority to determine the total number of justices.

85
Q

What is congress’ relationship with the executive?

A

President depends on support from congress to pass legislation, cabinet members can reach out to congress to secure support.

86
Q

What is congress’ relationship to the supreme court?

A

SC can rule acts of congress unconstitutional. 1996 - DOMA was struck down. Congress is responsible for confirming justices.

87
Q

Why does representation matter in congress?

A

More care is taken where decisions are being made, to account for different groups, makes politics seem more accessible.

88
Q

What is the importance of representation in congress?

A

Must be residents of the state, must live in the congressional district they represent, house and senate members are usually born and raised in the state they represent, members of the house have to face electors every two years.

89
Q

How do representatives keep in touch with their constituents?

A

Visits in their state, town hall meetings, passing legislation which their constituents want, committee membership, lobbying the executive.

90
Q

Why are town halls not the best place to find out views of constituents?

A

They could be in areas which typically vote for one party over the other, not hearing accurate views and opinions.

91
Q

How do members of congress fulfil their representative function?

A

Voting on legislation, membership of standing committees, lobbying executive departments and agencies, helping constituents with a range of members, working to gain money for districts.

92
Q

Who are the most notable people in congress?

A

Bernie sanders, Kevin McCarthy, MTG, Cory booker, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Manchin.

93
Q

Why has using social media become more important for members of congress?

A

Members can show their support for a bill on social media, on behalf of their constituents.

94
Q

What are the reasons for high incumbency re-election rates?

A

Use of office, safe seats, pork barrel legislation, financial advantage.

95
Q

What is pork barrel legislation?

A

Constituents can see that reps have voted for legislation which helps their area.

96
Q

How do incumbents have financial advantage?

A

Incumbents are more likely to be well known, so can release money more easily, based on their national profile.

97
Q

Why has financial benefit enhanced the ability of congress to fulfil their role?

A

Reps can vote for new projects, members can use their reputation to vote for a bill.

98
Q

How has financial benefit not enhanced the ability of congress to fulfil their role?

A

Undemocratic, reps can choose which of their constituents they represent.

99
Q

Which factors affect voting in congress?

A

Political party, pressure groups, colleagues and staff, the administration, personal beliefs.

100
Q

Which principles may affect the impact of influence and control from party leadership?

A

Separation of powers, federalism, Bicameralism.

101
Q

How does separation of powers affect influence?

A

They only have so much power because of checks and balances.

102
Q

How does federalism affect influence?

A

Hard to co-ordinate a party decision across all 50 states.

103
Q

How does Bicameralism affect influence?

A

Leadership in each chamber might disagree on legislation.

104
Q

What was the senate like in 1982?

A

A lot of overlap between the most conservative democrat and the most liberal republican.

105
Q

What was the senate like in 2015?

A

Zero overlap between the most conservative democrat and the most liberal republican.

106
Q

Why did John McCain vote against scrapping the ACA?

A

He said there was uncertainty around the bill, he didn’t want to repeal Obamacare entirely.

107
Q

What are the main functions of congressional caususes?

A

Education, agenda setting, encouraging support for proposals.

108
Q

How do congressional caucuses provide education?

A

Provide information to members on proposed legislation, offer policy briefings.

109
Q

How can congressional caucuses set the agenda?

A

Caucus members may work together to boost chances of their issue getting onto the legislative agenda.

110
Q

What are the examples of congressional caucuses?

A

Congressional black causes, Dem caucuses, Rep conference, Hispanic Republican caucus, Hispanic Democrat caucus.

111
Q

What is the impact of congressional caucuses on the nature of legislation?

A

House freedom caucus endorsed an amended plan as an alternative to Obamacare, after they previously voted down the republicans’ attempt to do the same thing.

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