Legislative Branch Flashcards
Gerrymandering
The party that controlls the state legislature gets to draw the districts in favor of their party
Westbury VS Sanders
Districts must have equal population
Qualifications for reps
25
Citizen for 7 years
Must be a resident of state
Speaker of the house
John boehner
Tennesseans that have been speaker of the house
John bell
James k Polk
James byrns
17th amendment
Senators are chosen by voters
Qualifications for senators
30
9 year citizen
Resident of state
President pro tempre
Senior member of majority party
In charge if VP isn’t tere
Current president pro tem
Patrick Lahey
Tennesseans as pro tem
Joseph Anderson
Isham Harris
Hugh Lawson white
Kenneth mckellar
Duties of legislative branch members
Legislator Committee member Represent your constituents Servant of your constituents Politicians
Voting options
Trustee- use their own judgement
Delegate- vote the way the people want
Partisan- vote the way your party wants
Politico- you try to combine all 3
Compensation
$174,000 Free medical care -$100,000 a year retirement Money for home office Travel expenses Franking privileges Free parking Cant be arrested in congress
Patronage
Efforts to help constituents by personally providing jobs, public works, or benefits
Port barrel legislation
Bills composed of items of patronage named and located in specific places
Private bill
A proposal to grant some kind of relief special privilege or exemption to a specific person
Types of laws
Authorization acts
Revenu acts
Appropriation acts
Public acts
Hearing
Inquiry conducted by congress to build a record on a specific bull already introduced
Investigations
Authorization by congress for a committee to examine a broad areas or problem rather than a specific bill
Responsibilities of congress
Statutes Oversight if administration Oversight of citizens Advise and consent Debate Direct commitee gov Legislative veto
Expressed powers of congress
Tax Borrow Regulate commerce Currency Bankruptcy Foreign relations War power Naturalization Postal power Copyright Weights and measurements Territories and Washington, D.C. Judicial power
Non legislative powers of congress
Constitutional amendments Electoral duties Impeachment Executive powers Investigatory powers
Opening day
Speaker of house elected
Dean if house will give oath of office
Speaker swears in other members
Officers elected
Rules adopted
Committees appointed
Standing committees
Agriculture
Homeland security
Armed services
Foreign affairs
Select committee
Temporary
Specific purpose
Joint committees
Composer of house and senate
Conference committee
Temporary
Very powerful
Purpose is to produce a compromise bill both houses will accept
First reading
Bill introduced
Numbered, titled, brief summary
Entered into congressional record
Sent to a committee
Committee can respond
Favorably Refuse to report Report w unfavorable recommendation Report bill in amended form Report a committee
Second reading
Goes to commitee if the whole
Anyone can suggest ideas or changes
Third reading
Final vote
Pass or fail
Once passed it goes to other house for same process
Culture
Limits time of debate in senate
60 senators must vote to do this before debate begins
