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The Legislative Branch Flashcards

1
Q

Roots of the Legislative Branch?

A

-Article 1 of the Constitution established bicameral legislature for both federal and state government (except Nebraska)
-Great Compromise
-House of Representatives and Senate
-Representative of the people in their states or regions
-Job of legislature: suggesting, forming, and passing laws

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2
Q

House of Representatives Qualifications?

A

-25 years old
-Resident of US for 7 years
-Live in state/district they represent
-2 year term by popular consent
-Currently 435 members (og was 65)
-Each state must have at least 1 representative

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3
Q

House of Reps Job?

A

-Limited authority in foreign affairs
-Impeachment: House issues articles of impeachment, senate serves as judge and jury
-Elaborate structure with strict rules

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4
Q

Speaker of the House? (House of Reps)

A

-Elected every 2 years
-Usually of majority party
-Presides over House
-Spokesperson
-Official liaison to Senate and President
-118th Congress: Mike Johnson, Republican from LA

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5
Q

Majority Leader? (House of Reps)

A

-Works closely with the Speaker
-Helps schedule legislation for the floor
-118th Congress: Steve Scalise, Republican from LA

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6
Q

Minority Leader? (House of Reps)

A

-Works closely with Speaker
-Represents goals of minority
-118th Congress: Hakeem Jefferies, Democrat from NY

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7
Q

Whips? (House of Reps)

A

Majority and Minority
-Elected by party members in party caucuses
-Keep close contact with members
-Keep members focused on party agenda/goals
-118th Congress Majority: Tom Emmer, Republican from MN
-118th Congress Minority: Katherine Clark, Democrat from MA

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8
Q

Senate Qualifications?

A

-30 years old
-Resident of US for 9 years
-Must live in state they represent
-6 year term
-Every 2 1/3 years of Senate is re-elected
-17 amendment (1913) made senators chosen by popular consent
-100 members, 2 per state

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9
Q

Senate Jobs?

A

-Must confirm many major presidential appointments
-Approves treaties
-Fewer formal rules
-Individual senators have more impact on legislation than House members

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10
Q

Leader of the senate?

A

VPOTUS is the presiding officer: only constitutional role

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11
Q

President pro tempore? (Senate)

A

-Delegated to take the place of VPOTUS when not there
-Honorary role
-Usually member of the majority party
-Senior senator
-Current is Patty Murray, Democrat from WA

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12
Q

Majority party leader? (Senate)

A

-Real power in the Senate since VPOTUS is not there on a daily basis
-Does not have as much power as the Speaker
-Current is Chuck Schumer, Democrat from NY

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13
Q

Minority leader? (Senate)

A

-Current is Mitch McConnell, Republican from KY

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14
Q

Majority + Minority Whips? (Senate)

A

Majority: Richard Durbin, Democrat from IL
Minority: John Thune, Republican from SD

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15
Q

Constituents? (Members of Congress)

A

People who he/she represents

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16
Q

Casework? (Members of Congress)

A

All tasks performed by staff to calm constituency

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17
Q

Incumbency? (Members of Congress)

A

Informal factor to keep someone in office

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18
Q

Trustee? (Members of Congress)

A

Listens to constituents and uses judgement to make decisions

19
Q

Delegate? (Members of Congress)

A

Always follows what constituency wants

20
Q

Politico? (Members of Congress)

A

Half trustee and half delegate

21
Q

Congressional Powers (Enumerated)

A

Collect and lay taxes
Imports and excises
National defense
Borrow money
Regulate commerce
Declare war
Raise an army and navy
Immigration
Bankruptcies
Coin money
Weights and measures
Punishment for counterfeiting
Establish post offices and post roads
Patents
Appeals courts
Piracies
Exercise exclusive legislative powers over DC and other federal facilities

22
Q

Congressional Powers (Implied)

A

-“Necessary and Proper clause”
-AKA the elastic clause
-Increase authority to get rest of their job done better or more efficient

23
Q

Apportionment?

A

-The determination and assignment of representation in a legislature based on population
-Larger state = More congressmen

24
Q

Redistricting?

A

-Occurs after every 10 yr census when congressional districts are geographically redrawn in order to reflect a change in population
-Each House member represents the same number of people

25
Gerrymandering?
-Majority party in a state legislature redraws districts to favor their party -Sometimes creating strange divisions -Two forms: Packing ("safe districts" to keep loyal voters) and Cracking (split residents of one party)
26
Baker v Carr?
The SC ruled that malapportionment violates the constitutional principle of equal protection of the law (14th amendment)
27
Shaw v Reno?
-SC ruled that states could no longer divide legislative districts on racial boundaries -Unconstitutional because denied white citizens equal representation in those districts
28
The Committee System?
-Gets things done by dividing up -Each has its own agenda -Massive research -Long debates -Deep discussion of special interests -75% of all bills originate in committees -Seniority determines committee members and chairmen -House votes for chairmen by secret ballot
29
To serve on a committee?
-Must have a background in a committee's agenda -Be a senior member to serve on major committees
30
Standing committees?
-The major committees -Permanent committees with specific areas of responsibility -Bills are referred to these and then are further broken down into smaller subcommittees
31
Ad Hoc, Special, and Select committees?
Temporary committees created for specific purposes such as to draft and enforce mandates
32
Joint committees?
-Formed from members of both houses of congress -Considers issues needing to be addressed by both houses -Current Joint committees: Joint committee on printing, Joint committee on taxation, Joint committee on the library, Joint economic committee
33
Conference committees?
-Contain members of both houses of Congress -Created to smooth the differences between House and Senate versions of a bill
34
House Rules committee?
-Determines rules of debate for particular bills -Sets debate time limits -Determines bill amendments -Influence over bill's passage -Closed rule (gag rule): sets strict time limits on debates and robids amendments from the floor, except those from the presenting committee -Open rule: Permits amendments and often has less strict time limits, allowing for input from other members
35
Filibuster?
-Act of taking a proposed law to death -3/5 (60) of all senators must vote for cloture: limits debate to an additional 30 hours
36
Hold?
-An action that a senator can take to insure he or she is informed before a certain bill hits the senate floor -Lets other senators know that the colleague who placed the hold probably has big objections to the bill -A hold may lead to a filibuster
37
Pork Barrel?
-Bring home the bacon -Give constituents what they want -Means that members of both houses often pass bill that benefit their home states -Appear on a bill as amendments -AKA earmarks and riders -Christmas Tree Bill is one with a lot of riders
38
Logrolling?
A member of congress supports another member's pet project in return for support for his or her own project
39
Where can bills come from?
-POTUS -Executive agencies -Committees -Interest Groups -Private Individuals
40
Where do most bills die?
Committee
41
Pigeionholed?
Bill is forgotten for weeks or forever
42
Discharge petition signed by how many?
218 members to bring it to the floor
43
How can veto be overridden?
2/3 votes from both houses
44
Pocket Veto?
When congress is set to adjourn in less than 10 day after the President receives the bill, he can "pocket" it and it officially becomes dead

AP Gov (4 decks)

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