Legislative Branch Flashcards
Session
The regular period of time during which Congress conducts business.
Term
The length of time that officials serve after an election.
Adjourns
Suspends until the next session, each regular session as it sees fit.
Special Session
A meeting to deal with some emergency situation.
Reapportion
Redistribute- the seats in the House after each decennial census.
Gerrymandering
The act of drawing congressional districts to the advantage of the political party that controls the State legislature.
Franking Privilege
Allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for the postage.
Eminent Domain
The inherit power to take private property for public use.
Copyright
The exclusive right of an author to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her creative work.
Patent
Grants a person the sole right to manufacture, use, or sell “any new and useful machinery, manufacture, or composition of matter.”
Bankruptcy
The legal proceeding in which the bankrupt person’s assets are distributed among those to whom a debt is owed.
Party Caucus
A closed meeting of the members of each party in each house which deals with matters of party organization.
Floor Leaders
Party officers picked for their posts by their party colleagues.
Whips
Assist the floor leaders and serve as a liaison between the party’s leadership and its rank-and-file members.
Standing Committees
Permanent panels in Congress to which bills of similar nature are sent.
Oversight Process
Where Congress, through its committees, check to see that the agencies of the executive branch are working effectively.
Seniority Rule
Holds that the most important posts will be held by those party members with the longest records of service in Congress.
Joint Committee
Composed of members of both houses.
Bill
A proposed law or draft; public bill applies to the entire nation; private bill applies only to certain people or places.
Joint Resolution
A proposal for action that has the force of law when passed; usually deals with special circumstances or temporary matters.
Concurrent Resolution
A statement of solution on an issue used by the House and Senate acting jointly; does not have the force of law; doesn’t require the President’s signature.
Resolution
A measure relating to the business of either house or expressing an opinion on a matter; does not have the force of law; doesn’t require the President’s signature.
What date begins a new term of office in Congress?
noon of the 3rd day of January” of every odd-numbered year
Compare and Contrast the House and Senate
HOUSE
- 435 members
- 2 year terms
- great change
- based on population
- less prestige
Compare and Contrast the House and Senate
SENATE
- 100 members
- 6 year terms
- Continous body
- 2 representative per state
- more prestige
Qualifications of the House and Senate
HOUSE
- at least 25 years of age
- citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years
- resident of the state you will represent
Qualification of the House and Senate
SENATE
- at least 30 years of age
- citizen of the U.S. for at least 9 years
- resident of the state you will represent
When are elections held?
The Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even numbered year.
How many members of the house are in each district?
Each district has only one representative.
Speech and Debate Clause
Protests representatives and senators from suit for libel or slander.
The Trustee, Delegates, Partisan and Politico perspective of representation.
TRUSTEE- Believe that each question they face must be decided on its merit.
DELEGATES- See themselves as agents of the people who elected.
PARTISANS- Lawmakers who owe their first allegiance to their political party and partisans.
POLITICOS- Attempt to combine the basic elements of the trustee, delegates, and partisan roles.
Be familiar with the expressed powers of congress in the Constitution.
PEACETIME POWERS
-Clause 1: to establish and collect taxes, duties and exercises.
-Clause 2: to borrow money.
-Clause 3: to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
WAR POWERS
-Clause 12: to raise and support armies.
-Clause 13: to provide and maintain
Duties of Congressmen and Senators
PUBLIC SERVANTS
- members of the House and the Senate also act as servants of their constituents.
- requests from voters vary widely, and members of Congress take heed to many of them.
What are the elements of the investigatory powers of congress?
1-to gather information useful to Congress
2- to oversee the operations of various executive branch agencies
3- to focus attention on a particular subject
4- to expose the questionable activities of public officials to private persons
5- to promote the particular interests of some members of congress
What happens at the beginning session of Congress?
Congress convenes every two years on January 3rd (odd years)
- Stg. At Arms
- Doorkeeper
- Postmasters
- Committee Memberships
- Speaker of the House
When congress is organized, the President presents the State of the Union addresses to a joint session of Congress.
Duties of the Speaker of the House and the President of Senate
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
- leader of the majority party
- presides over the House and keeps order
- names members of all select and conferences committees
- signs all resolutions and bills passed.
PRESIDENT OF SENATE
- assigned by the Constitution to the Vice-President
- same duties as the speaker of the house, but it cannot cast votes on legislation
- has deciding vote if tie
- President Pro Tempore presides in Vice-President absence
Chances of Bill becoming a law
It can die at any part of the process so it is hard to become a law. So, unlikely
How a Bill Becomes A Law
CHECK NOTES
