Congress - Unit 5 Flashcards
Baker v Carr
1 person 1 vote
Malapportionment is unconstitutional
Where do most Bills die?
in commitee
Budgets are passed by _____.
Congress
Budgets usually do what?
Grow
What is a Cloture?
a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.
What is the commerce clause?
The clause in the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.
Describe a standing committee.
- Permanent, divided by policy area and where most work gets done
Examples: Ways and Means, Judiciary, Budget
Describe a joint committee.
- Members of both chambers sit
- Focus public attention on an issue, gather information for congress
Describe a conference committee.
- Members of both chambers sit
- When there are differences between House and Senate versions of a bill
Describe a Select committee.
- Temporary and normally for investigations
What did the Great Compromise do?
agreed for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.
What is a gridlock?
A slow down or halt in Congress’s ability to legislate and overcome divisions
Each state has 2 representatives which means ____ votes.
2 votes
Each state is represented by ____ in The House of Representatives
Population
What is reapportionment?
States get a different number of representatives
Incumbency is more extreme for the House or the Senate?
The House of Representatives.
What does the speaker of the house do? (most powerful member)
Controls house agenda and commitee assignments
What are the 3 powers of congress?
- Law Making
- Budgeting (sets federal budget)
- Oversight (Ability of congress to ensure laws are being followed)
_____ has the power to declare war. The _____ ratifies treaties. _____ is the commander-in-chief and negotiates treaties.
- Congress
- Senate
- POTUS
How does congress exercise checks and balances? (4 ways)
- War making
- Judicial Authority
(Creates lower federal courts and sets number of justices) - Executive nominations
(the authority of the senate to ratify treaties, confirm cabinet, and judicial appts.) - Impeachment
(House of Rep. simple majority) (Senate needs 2/3 vote)
What is a single member district?
Winner take all or a plurality vote. (who ever gets the most votes wins)
Who redraws boundaries of the electoral districts?
State legislatures
What did shaw v reno conclude about district drawing?
States can use race as a consideration but not as a main reason to draw a district a certain way.
Who is the Senate Majority leader and what to they do?
The Senate Majority leader is the most important person in the Senate besides the speaker. The senate majority leader shapes the legislative agenda.
Who is the committee chair?
A committee chair is the head of the committee, They set the agenda, is a member of the majority party, terms limited
