Exam 2

Question 1

Why is Congress the first branch?

Answer 1

Constitution lays out the powers and structures in Article IU

Question 2

Powers of Congress:

Answer 2

1. Regulate commerce
2. Spend money
3. Taxation
4. Lawmaking
5. Declare war
6. Create Courts
7. make all laws “necessary and proper clause”

Question 3

Congress is Bicameral:

Answer 3

Senate is the Upper/House of Representatives is the Lower

Question 4

House of Representatives

Answer 4

2 year term
435 members 
formal, conflictual, delegate model of representation
specialist 
tax policy and economy

Question 5

Senate

Answer 5

6 year terms 
100 members 
relaxed, consensus, trustee model of representation
generalist 
foreign policy

Question 6

Division of Labor

Answer 6

created the committee system

Question 7

party leadership structure

Answer 7

???

Question 8

Speaker of House (defintion)

Answer 8

Presiding office of the House of Representatives; normally the Speaker is the leader of the majority party.

Question 9

Majority Leader (def)

Answer 9

Speaker’s chief lieutenant in the House and the most important officer in the Senate. He or she is responsible for managing the floor.

Question 10

Minority Leader (def)

Answer 10

leader of the minority party who speaks for the party in dealing with the majority

Question 11

Whip (def)

Answer 11

members of Congress who serve as informational channels between the leadership and the rank and file, conveying the leadership’s views and intentions to the members and vice versa

Question 12

Speaker of the House

Answer 12

John Boehner

Question 13

Majority Leader

Answer 13

Republican, Kevin McCarthy

Question 14

Minority Leader

Answer 14

Democrat, Nancy Pelosi

Question 15

House Democratic Whip

Answer 15

Steny Hoyer

Question 16

House Republican Whip

Answer 16

Steve Scalise

Question 17

Are the house and senate equal?

Answer 17

??

Question 18

Party Caucus

Answer 18

all DEMOCRATIC members of House and Senate

Question 19

Party Conference

Answer 19

REPUBLICAN members of House and Senate

Question 20

President Pro Tempore

Answer 20

serves as Senate presiding officer in the vice-president’s absence (which is nearly all the time).

Question 21

President Pro Tempore (person)

Answer 21

Patrick Leahy

Question 22

personal staff

Answer 22

work for individual members of Congress

Question 23

Majority Leader (person)

Answer 23

Democrat, Henry Reid

Question 24

Minority Leader (person)

Answer 24

Republican, Mitch McConnell

Question 25

Senate Democratic Whip/Assistant Majority Leader

Answer 25

Richard Durbin

Question 26

Senate Republican Whip

Answer 26

John Cornyn

Question 27

Committee Staff

Answer 27

who serve either the majority or minority on congressional committees

Question 28

Leadership Staff

Answer 28

work for the speaker, majority and minority leaders, and majority and minority whips in the House of Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders and assistant majority and minority leaders (whips) in the Senate

Question 29

Institutional Staff

Answer 29

including majority or minority party floor staff and non-partisan staff such as the Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol (facilities and maintenance employees), and legislative clerks.

Question 30

support agency staff

Answer 30

non-partisan employees of the Congressional Research Service (CRS), Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Question 31

chief of staff

Answer 31

heads staff

Question 32

deputy chief of staff

Answer 32

assists chief of staff

Question 33

legislative correspondence

Answer 33

drafts letters in response to constituent comments and questions

Question 34

press secretary

Answer 34

deals with the media

Question 35

constituent service reps or case workers

Answer 35

helps constituents deal with federal agencies and provides direct constituency services

Question 36

screening process (divisions into committees)

Answer 36

committees doe the work before it comes to the floor (if it makes it)

Question 37

standing committee

Answer 37

committee with fixed membership and jurisdiction, continuing from Congress to Congress

Question 38

select committee

Answer 38

temporary committees appointed to deal with a specific issue or problem

Question 39

house committee

Answer 39

3 levels of importance: top committees-rules second levels-deal with nationality third levels-housekeeping (i.e. reforms)