Congress and Congressional Elections Flashcards
constitutional provision that requires a bill to be sent to the President before it can become a law
Presentment Clause
constitutional provision that empowers Congress to regulate business between states (interstate commerce)
Commerce Clause
lower legislative chamber composed of 435 voting members who serve terms of two years (no term limits)
House of Representatives
upper legislative chamber composed of 100 voting members who serve terms of six years (no term limits)
Senate
a tactic used by individual senators to prevent/delay the legislative process by (historically) continuously holding the floor and speaking for extended periods; at least 60 Senate votes are required to invoke cloture to end the debate
Filibuster
procedure by which a single chamber (or both chambers) of Congress could repeal laws or regulations without presidential involvement; the Supreme Court struck it down in INS v. Chadha (1983)
Legislative veto
permanent committees established by each legislative chamber that consider bills and engage in government oversight
Standing committees
either temporary or permanent committees that are established to perform special functions beyond the authority or capacity of standing committees
Select (special) committees
four permanent committees that include members from both chambers; these committees are specific to congressional functions and issues of joint interest (Economic, Library, Printing, Taxation)
Joint committees
a temporary committee established to reconcile any differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill; it is composed of senior members of the standing committees that originally considered the bill
Conference committee
the legislative agency that is responsible for providing analysis of budgets
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
the legislative agency, led by the Comptroller General, that conducts audits and oversight of the federal government
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
the legislative agency that conducts nonpartisan public policy research and provides information to Congress; known as Congress’ “policy think tank”
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Supreme Court case that determined Congress has broad investigatory power for legislative purposes
McGrain v. Daugherty (1927)
the manipulation of electoral district boundaries and voter apportionment for political advantage (e.g. cracking and packing); named after Elbridge Gerry (Governor of Massachusetts)
Gerrymandering
political scientist who wrote Congress: The Electoral Connection (1974); he notably asserted that members of Congress are “single minded seekers of reelection”
David R. Mathew
campaign issues that generate different or contested opinions among voters (e.g. taxes, government spending, abortion, gun rights/restrictions, capital punishment, recreational drug legalization)
Position issues
campaign issues that generate broad consensus among voters (e.g. economic growth, jobs, low inflation, social security, good education)
Valence issues
elections that determine a political party’s candidate
Primary elections
primary election that is open to both registered party members and non-party members
Open primary
primary election that is restricted to only registered members of a political party
Closed primary
competitions between political party candidates (and possibly independent candidates) that determine who will hold public office
General election
the individual already holding political office
Incumbent
legislative spending on local projects for the purpose of increasing district support for an incumbent
Pork barrel politics
landmark Supreme Court case that removed restrictions on independent spending during elections based on 1st Amendment free speech rights
Citizens United vs. FEC (2010)
a political committee that gathers money from its members and uses the funds for campaigns
Political Action Committee (PAC)
