Unit 2 - Legislative Branch

Question 1

Congress: The Senate and House of Representatives

Answer 1

Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government, made up of two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Question 2

Bicameralism

Answer 2

Bicameralism refers to a system of government where the legislature has two chambers or houses. In the U.S., this is the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Question 3

Connecticut (Great) Compromise

Answer 3

A plan to create a two-chambered legislature where the Senate gives equal representation to each state, and the House gives representation based on population. The Connecticut Compromise helped settle disagreements between large and small states during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It led to the creation of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Question 4

Characteristics of the Senate (HINT: There are 6)

Answer 4

• Upper chamber
• Older age requirement (at least 30)
• Term Length (6-year terms)
• ⅓ of Senate up for election
  every 2 years
• Meant to represent states
• Unlimited Debate

Question 5

Characteristics of the House of Representatives (There are 5)

Answer 5

• Lower chamber
• Younger age requirement (at least 25)
• Shorter term to account for
  shifts in public opinion (2-year terms)
• Meant to represent the people
• More formal debate (Rules
  committee)

Question 6

What are the enumerated powers of Congress?

Answer 6

• Passing a federal budget
• Raising revenue / taxing
• Borrowing money
• Coining money
• Declaring war / funding military
• Determining process for naturalization
  (citizenship)
• Regulating interstate commerce
• Creating federal courts
• Oversight of executive branch

Question 7

Roles of Committee

Answer 7

Committees in Congress are smaller groups of members from the Senate or House that focus on specific areas of legislation and policy.

Question 8

How are majorities determined in Committees?

Answer 8

The majority party in Congress controls the majority of seats on each committee, which influences the committee’s decisions and direction.

Question 9

Role of the Speaker of the House

Answer 9

The Speaker is the leader of the House of Representatives, responsible for overseeing debates, ensuring order, and representing the House in official matters. The Speaker sets the agenda, assigns bills to committees, and can influence the flow of legislation. They are second in line to the presidency after the vice president.

Question 10

House Rules Committee

Answer 10

The Rules Committee determines the rules for debate and voting on bills in the House, including time limits and amendments allowed. If a bill is being debated, the Rules Committee decides how much time Representatives will have to discuss it and whether amendments can be proposed.

Question 11

Discharge Petition

Answer 11

A discharge petition is a tool used to bring a bill out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote, bypassing committee leadership if necessary. If a bill is stuck in committee, a majority of House members can sign a discharge petition to force it to be debated and voted on by the full House.

Question 12

Unanimous Consent

Answer 12

Unanimous consent is a procedure where no Senator objects to a proposed action, allowing it to pass quickly without a formal vote. If all Senators agree, a bill can be passed or a procedural action can be taken without needing a vote, making the process faster.

Question 13

Holds

Answer 13

A hold is an informal practice where a Senator can block or delay a bill or nomination by notifying leadership of their objection. If a Senator wants more time to review a bill or wants to negotiate changes, they can place a hold on it, preventing further action until the issue is resolved.

Question 14

Filibuster

Answer 14

A filibuster is a tactic used by Senators to delay or block legislation by speaking for an extended period, usually to prevent a vote on a bill. A Senator might filibuster a bill by speaking on the Senate floor for hours to stop it from advancing.

Question 15

Cloture

Answer 15

Cloture is a procedure used to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote. It requires the support of 60 Senators. If a filibuster is delaying a vote, Senators can invoke cloture to limit further debate and proceed to the vote on the bill.

Question 16

Conference Committee

Answer 16

A Conference Committee is a temporary, joint committee formed to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. If the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill, the Conference Committee works out the details, and a final version is sent back to both chambers for approval.

Question 17

Presidential Options for Bills

Answer 17

• Sign it
• Veto it
• Allow it to become law without signing (If the president doesn’t act within 10 days (excluding Sundays) while Congress is in session, it automatically becomes law.)
• Pocket Veto (If Congress adjourns within 10 days and the president does not sign the bill, it does not become law.)

Question 18

Budget

Answer 18

The budget is the government’s plan for how it will spend money and generate revenue over a specific period (usually a fiscal year). The federal budget outlines how much money will go to different areas, such as defense, healthcare, and education.

Question 19

Mandatory Spending and which 3 programs?

Answer 19

Mandatory spending refers to government spending on programs that are required by law, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Question 20

Discretionary Spending

Answer 20

Discretionary spending refers to the part of the budget that Congress can adjust each year, such as funding for education, the military, and infrastructure.

Question 21

Increasing Mandatory Spending Will Lead to Less Money for Discretionary Matters in the Budget… How?

Answer 21

As mandatory spending programs (like Social Security and Medicare) grow, there is less money available for discretionary spending programs. Congress may need to cut spending on areas like education or infrastructure to balance the budget.

Question 22

Pork Barrel Legislation

Answer 22

Pork barrel legislation refers to laws passed by Congress that provide special benefits to constituents in specific districts or states, often to gain political support. A law that funds a local bridge or highway project in a specific Congress member’s district to help their reelection chances is an example of pork barrel legislation. - Sometimes really pointless and useless.

Question 23

Logrolling

Answer 23

Logrolling is the practice of lawmakers agreeing to support each other’s bills or projects in exchange for mutual support.

Question 24

Descriptive Representation

Answer 24

Descriptive representation refers to elected officials representing not only the interests of their constituents but also sharing characteristics (such as race, gender, or socioeconomic background) with them.

Question 25

Divided Government

Answer 25

A divided government occurs when different political parties control different branches of government (e.g., the presidency is controlled by one party, and Congress by another).

Question 26

Gridlock

Answer 26

Gridlock happens when there is a standstill in government, often due to partisan divisions, which prevents legislation from being passed.

Question 27

Partisanship

Answer 27

Partisanship occurs when members of Congress vote in alignment with their political party, often disregarding other factors like constituent needs or personal beliefs.

Question 28

Polarization

Answer 28

Parties Moving Further to the Left/Right

Question 29

Gerrymandering

Answer 29

Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party or group.

Question 30

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Answer 30

Baker v. Carr (1962) ruled that redistricting issues can be reviewed by courts and that districts must have roughly equal populations, ensuring equal representation (one person, one vote). A state that has one district with 100,000 people and another with 500,000 violates the principle of equal representation established in this case.

Question 31

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Answer 31

Shaw v. Reno (1993) determined that racial gerrymandering, where districts are drawn with race as the primary factor, is unconstitutional, as it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Question 32

Trustee Model

Answer 32

The trustee model of voting is when elected officials use their own judgment and expertise to make decisions on behalf of their constituents, rather than just following the constituents’ wishes.

Question 33

Delegate Model

Answer 33

The delegate model of voting is when elected officials act strictly in accordance with the wishes of their constituents, voting as they would want the representative to vote.

Question 34

Politico

Answer 34

The politico model combines elements of the trustee and delegate models, where representatives may act as a delegate on certain issues and as a trustee on others, depending on the situation. A representative might vote as a delegate on local issues but as a trustee on national issues, where they feel their expertise is more needed.