Legislative Branch Flashcards
Min age HOR
25
Min age Senate
30
How many years must you be a US citizen in the HOR
7
How many years must you be a US citizen in the Senate
9
formal qualifications for lawmakers at state and local level
very lax
Adding new seats to house
- every 10 years census to see whether there should be new reps added or lost
delegate vs trustee
delegate: lawmakers who act as they think the ppl want them to
trustee: exercise independent judgement
4 incumbent advantages for lawmakers
name recognition
office resources
campaign funds
bragging rights
Leadership in the House
Speaker of the House
Majority and minority leaders of parties
Majority and minority whips
Leadership in the senate
Pres of Senate (vice pres but only there to break a tie)
Pres of the Senate pro tempore: may preside when vice isn’t there but usually doesn’t deal with day-to-day
Majority leader: Holds the most seats/spokesperson
Minority leader:
Majority and minority whips
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
He presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. The caucus of the majority party chose him for the post
Senate Majority Leader
Has the Role of leadership in the upper house responsible for passage of the majority party’s programs. I determine the order in which bills are to be debated
He presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. The caucus of the majority party chose him for the post
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Has the Role of leadership in the upper house responsible for passage of the majority party’s programs. I determine the order in which bills are to be debated
Senate Majority Leader
Senate Majority Leader
Has the Role of leadership in the upper house responsible for passage of the majority party’s programs. I determine the order in which bills are to be debated
Senate Minority Leader
The minority party leader in the upper house who assists the minority leader by informing members when important bills are scheduled for a vote. My usual goal is to oppose majority bills
The ________ in the upper house who assists the minority leader by informing members when important bills are scheduled for a vote. My usual goal is to oppose majority bills
Senate Minority Leader
Aids the majority leader in keeping party members informed and supportive of the programs in the upper house
Senate Majority Whip
Senate Majority Whip
Aids the majority leader in keeping party members informed and supportive of the programs in the upper house
Types of commities
standing commities
subcommities
select or special commitees
joint committes
conference commitee
standing committes
- handle most of leg business is permanent
subcommitte
- review proposed leg
select or special committees
investigate specific probelms, is temporary
joint committee
made up of HOR and Senate
Conference committees
irons out differences when there are 2 versions of a bill passed
Powers of congress
levy and collect taxes
Borrow money
regulate interstate and foreign commerce
coin money
declare war
How Congress can check other branches
Amendmend constitution
Can override veto
Overseeing them
Must ratify treaties
Imepeachment
Confirming nominations
citizen legislatures
In citizen leg, members spend about half of their time as lawmakers Citizen legislatures are commonly found in states with small populations
In _______, members spend about half of their time as lawmakers ___________are commonly found in states with small populations
citizen leg
Prof leg
As the name suggests, there are leg whose members are full-time lawmakers. Prof legislatures are more common n states w larger pop
Hybrid leg
These types 2/3 of their time on leg buisness
Constituent
A person who lives in an eectoral district and is represented by an elected official
A person who lives in an eectoral district and is represented by an elected official
Constituent
Pork
Publicily funded projects secured by legislators to benefit their home districts or states. The funs for such projects are said to come from the “pork barrel”- the state or national treasury
Publicily funded projects secured by legislators to benefit their home districts or states. The funs for such projects are said to come from the “pork barrel”- the state or national treasury
Pork
Standing committee
Apermanent committee of legislators from either the House or Senate responsible for specific policy areas, such as foreign affairs or agriculture
Apermanent committee of legislators from either the House or Senate responsible for specific policy areas, such as foreign affairs or agriculture
Standing committee
joint committee
A permanent committee of legislators from either the House or Senate responsible for specific policy areas, such as foreign affairs or argiculture
A permanent committee of legislators from either the House or Senate responsible for specific policy areas, such as foreign affairs or argiculture
joint committee
conference committee
a temporary committee of legislators from both the House and Senate created to work out differences in bills passed by both houses of Congress
Appropriations
funds allocated by a legislature for a stated purpose as part of a budget spending bill
funds allocated by a legislature for a stated purpose as part of a budget spending bill
Appropriations
Joint resolution
An official statement issued by both houses of Congress. Once signed by the president, a joint resolution has the force of law
An official statement issued by both houses of Congress. Once signed by the president, a joint resolution has the force of law
Joint resolution
Casework
personal services provided by members of congress to their constituents, often to help their consituents with problems they are having with the federal bureaucracy
Federal Courts
District courts
US court of appeals
State Courts
Trial courts of limited jurisdiction
Trial courts of general jurisdiction
Intermediate courts of appeals
State Supreme Courts
