Congress 2.2 Structures, powers, and functions of congress

Question 1

how is congress organized

Answer 1

leadership roles, committees, and procedures

Question 2

Majority party

Answer 2

most members in one house; is in a strong position to set the agenda through its leaders and committee chairpersons

Question 3

House of reps leadership: Speaker of the house

Answer 3

-constitution mentions speaker of the house
-House members choose/vote on who the speaker will be
-Speaker of the house will always be a member of the majority party
-Speaker has the power to recognize who can speak and who can’t
-Speaker makes committee assignments

Question 4

House of reps leadership: Majority and Minority leaders of the house

Answer 4

-Guide their own party members in policy making issues
-direct debates
-Majority and Minority leaders want to make sure that their members are working together to achieve policy outcomes favorable to their party and leaders make sure that is happening.

Question 5

House of reps leadership: Majority and Minority whips

Answer 5

-Responsible for party disciplines
-Make sure party members are walking in line with party goals
-Make sure House representatives vote

Question 6

Senate leadership: President of the senate

Answer 6

-Constitution mentions
-Vice President of the US is the president of the Senate
—VP: a non-voting member of the senate
-votes to break a tie

Question 7

Senate leadership: President Pro Tempore

Answer 7

(Pro Tem)
-Senate members will choose problem
-Member of the majority party (leads the senate when the vice president is not present)

Question 8

Senate leadership: Majority and Minority leaders

Answer 8

-The majority leader sets the legislative agenda by determining which bills reach the floor for debate and which do not.
-Majority leader controls the calendar assignments of bills.
——-Calendar determines what bills and resolutions are awaiting debate and voting.

Question 9

Committees: definition

Answer 9

-Smaller groups of legislators who debate and draft precise legislation

Question 10

Committees: Types: Standing committee

Answer 10

-Remains from session to session
-Deals with issues that are always present
-Example: Appropriations committee (senate) -debates and makes decisions on where federal money is going to be spent
-Example 2: Ways and Means committee (House)- responsible for taxation bills.

Question 11

Committees: Types: Joint committee

Answer 11

-Groups that involves members from both houses House and Senate
-Joint committee on library
-joint committee on printing: deals with the publishing arm of the federal government

Question 12

Committees: Types: confrerence committee

Answer 12

-Formed if both houses can’t agree on a bill
-hammer out differences to come to a bill both houses can agree on

Question 13

Committees: Types: Select

Answer 13

-A temporary committee that is formed for a specific purpose

Question 14

House rules committee

Answer 14

-Gatekeeper for all legislation
If the house rules committee does not let a bill through for debate it essentially dies
-Decides when votes take place and assigns bills to various committees for debate and revision

Question 15

Discharge petition

Answer 15

-if a bill gets stuck in committee the House can get a majority vote which brings that bill out of committee and to the floor for a vote

Question 16

How Senate gets work done

Answer 16

-rules for debate are a lot more relaxed beacause of its small size
-unlimited debate

Question 17

Fillibuster

Answer 17

attempt to stall or kill a bill by talking for a long time/threatening filibuster
-senate

Question 18

Cloture rule

Answer 18

senate can get a filibuster to end by a 3/5 voter for senators (60). Can then bring bill to a vote

Question 19

Unanimous Consent

Answer 19

Call for an agreement of all senators to restrict certain privileges for the sake of getting work done faster
-Example: If all senators agree that there will be not filibuster than the senate can proceed without fear of filibuster.

Question 20

Mandatory spending

Answer 20

Money that they (congress) has to distribute by law
-Medicare
-Medicaid

Question 21

Discretionary spending

Answer 21

Everything left over from mandatory spending

Question 22

Deficit spending

Answer 22

spending more money than congress has