Legislative Function Of Congress Flashcards
What percentage of bills actually make it into law?
2- 4%
What are the stages of the legislative process in congress?
Introduction committee stage, timetabling, floor debate, conference committee, presidential action
How does the lack of party strength affect the passage of legislation?
Parties are much weaker in the us, making it much harder to pass legislation as they do not act as a single unit
What is gridlock and how is it caused?
When congress cannot agree over legislationa dn it can therefore not be passed, caused by partisanship
How does equal law making power prevent the passage of law?
Each chamber has different legislative priorities
How doe congressional committees prevent the passage of law?
Legislation has to pass through several o fthese committees and each can turn away the bill
How does the presidential veto stop the passage of a law?
Overriding it needs a supermajority
How are the rules for the debate of bill sdifferent in the differnet houses?
House: goes through house rules committee that decides order and the rules the bill wil be debated under
Senate: all bills are openly debated
What is a fillibuster what examples are there of it happening?
Where a senator gives a prolonged speech to obstruct the legislative process or the confirmation of appointments e.g., Bernie Sanders in 2010 for 8,5 hrs to help Obama during negotiations over a tax deal, Ben Sassy and Pat Tooney of Nebraska for 15hrs in 2013 in favour of deal for greater gun control
What is a cloture motion?
Where a filibuster can be ended if 3/5 of the house support it being ended.
How is the order of bills decided in the senate?
Through the use of a unanimous consent procedure which is an agreement between teh minority and majority leaders in the senate over the order by which bills will pass through the senate floor
Why does the conference committe process come about, examples of its use?
When there ardifferences, delegates from each house come together to iron them out and reconcile. Only used 7x 2015-2017, 37x 1995-1997
What options does congress have in relation to presidential veto?
They can accept it, overturn it by super-majority or put right the wrongs the president has outlined?
How many times has the president overriden legislation since 1789?
112x
What are the strengths o the legislative process?
Checks and balances between branches, detailed consideration, individual and states rights are protected
