Exam 3

Question 1

Appropriations

Answer 1

acts that give federal agencies the authority to spend the money allocated to them.

Question 2

Authorizations

Answer 2

acts that enable agencies and departments to operate, either by creating them or authorizing their continuance.

Question 3

Cloture

Answer 3

a rule in the Senate that allows debate to be cut off by 3/5 of those present and voting.

Question 4

Conference Committee

Answer 4

a committee set up to resolve the differences in a bill passed by different chambers.

Question 5

Constituency

Answer 5

a term used to refer to both the area and residents that make up the district of a member of congress.

Question 6

Divided Government

Answer 6

when one party controls the White House and ANOTHER party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Question 7

Earmark

Answer 7

a method of inconspicuously attaching a request for money for a specific project in a bill.

Question 8

Filibuster

Answer 8

a continuous speech made by one of more member of the Senate to prevent a piece of legislation from being brought to the floor for a vote. (Parks and Recs- Patton Oswalt talking about his Star Wars fiction to stall voting.)

Question 9

Majority Leader

Answer 9

2nd in command to the Speaker of the House and the one officially in charge of the party’s legislative agenda. Also working with the Speaker, the Majority Leader schedules votes on bills.

Question 10

Oversight

Answer 10

Congress’ responsibility to make sure that the bureaucracy is administering federal programs as Congress intended.

Question 11

Pay-as-you-go (paygo) rule

Answer 11

it requires all new spending to be offset by a revenue source or spending cuts elsewhere. (only spending money you have)

Question 12

Pork-barrel Projects

Answer 12

funds obtained by members of Congress for special projects, new programs, buildings, or other public works that bring jobs, benefits, and business to their districts or states.

Question 13

Reapportionment

Answer 13

When 435 seats in Congress are allocated among the states based on the latest US Census.

Question 14

Redistricting

Answer 14

redrawing district lines to account for a change in the number of seats or population shifts. (A portion of Chicago district- Illinois 4th district- hugely democrat, only a street wide in some places)

Question 15

Speaker of the House

Answer 15

the presiding officer of the House of Rep.

Question 16

Standing Committees

Answer 16

permanent committees in Congress- each having a number of subcommittees.

Question 17

Unified Government

Answer 17

when one party controls the White House AND both houses of Congress.

Question 18

Whips

Answer 18

members who have the responsibility to maintain contact with other members in their party, determine which way they are leaning votes and attempt to gain their support (they are intimidating people- House of Card’s Kevin Spacey)

Question 19

Chief Executive

Answer 19

the president’s role as leader of the executive branch.

Question 20

Commander in Chief

Answer 20

the president’s role as the leader of the military.

Question 21

Executive Orders

Answer 21

directives or proclamations issued by the president that carry the force of the law. A form of legislative power for the executive branch.

Question 22

Executive Privilege

Answer 22

the right to refuse to make public some internal documents and private conversation. Cannot be invoked to withhold evidence material to an investigation of criminal wrongdoing.

Question 23

Pardon Power

Answer 23

the president’s power to erase the guilt and restore the rights of anyone convicted of a federal crime, excecpt an impeached president. (NIxon- Watergate). The president can also grant clemency by commuting a felon’s sentence without erasing the conviction (GWB and his brother’s DWIs)

Question 24

Pocket Veto

Answer 24

if Congress adjourns within 10 working days after sending legislation to the president, and the president takes no action, the bill dies.

Question 25

Signing Statements

Answer 25

comments attached to a bill when signed by the president when they believe it contains vague language that will hamper implementation or constitutionally ambiguous provisions that may later be contested.

Question 26

Veto Power

Answer 26

When the president doesn’t agree with a bill so they send it back to Congress unsigned with their objections. Vetoes can be overturned by 2/3 vote from both houses of Congress.

Question 27

War Powers Resolution

Answer 27

a resolution passed by Congress to limit the president’s ability to commit troops to combat. Without Congressional approval, the president must withdraw troops within 60 days….90 if he needs more time to protect them.

Question 28

Who can be president?

Answer 28

• Natural born citizen
• Thirty-five years or older
• Resident of the US for 14+ years
• -Experience
• -Pay and Perks
• $400,000
• Actually less than George Washington, despite bigger -job
• Camp David
• Health care
• Cars and aircraft
• Pension ($186,000 in 2009)
• Money for travel, office, staff
• 10 years of secret service

Question 29

Impeachment of president

Answer 29

• Hearings in House to determine if there is enough evidence to impeach
• House brings formal charges
• Trial held in Senate with Chief Justice of SCOTUS presiding

Question 30

Roles of President

Answer 30

-Head of State
Ceremonial 
-Chief Executive
Head of the Executive Branch
Signing Statements
-Commander in Chief
Head of the Armed Forces
-Chief Diplomat
Proposes treaties, recognizes foreign governments
-Chief Legislator
Sets legislative (Congressional) agenda
Proposes, vetoes, and signs legislation
-Other Presidential Powers
Statutory, Expressed, and Inherent Powers (“take care” clause)

Question 31

Office of VP

Answer 31

• Has own budget for office and staff
• An official airplane
• Has own white mansion
• Has few formal duties
• Preside over the Senate (which they rarely do)
• Cast tie-breaking votes (which rarely needs to be done)
• Succeed to the Presidency
• Usually chosen to balance the ticket
• Attack dog during campaign
• Sometimes involved in the president’s legislative strategy

Question 32

War-making

Answer 32

• War Powers Resolution (passed in 1973)
• Limits president’s ability to commit troops to combat
• The president may use troops abroad under three conditions:
  1. When Congress has declared war
  2. When Congress has given the president specific authority to do so
  3. When an attack on the United States or its military creates a national crisis
• Supposed to consult with Congress beforehand, if possible
• Notify Congress within 48 hours
• Must withdraw troops within 60 days (90 in some cases)