unit 4: congress Flashcards
senator requirements
-6 year term
-must be a citizen for 9 years
-at least 30 years old
house representative requirements
-2 year terms
-must be a citizen for 7 years
-at least 25 years
the senate (details)
-equal representation -> 2 senators per state
-are less in touch with people’s needs because there’s 2 per state
-are more constitutionally responsible and deal with larger issues
-follow the trustee model
the house of representatives (details)
-represented by population -> census every 10 years for apportionment
-max 435 seats
-have to be more responsive to people’s needs in order to get re-elected
-follow the delegate model
-less likely to form bipartisan coalitions
debate in both houses
-limited in the house of representatives
-unlimited in the senate
enumerated powers of congress(examples)
-pass a federal budget
-can raise revenue (taxes and tariffs)
-coin money
-declare war (only powerthat existed under AOC as well)
-raise and maintain armed forces
implied powers of congress
necessary and proper clause states that congress can create any laws “necessary and proper”
house leadership
-speaker of the house
-majority/minority leaders
-majority/minority party whip
speaker of the house
-voted by the members of the house
-chooses who can/can’t speak during debate
-assigns committees
majority/minority party leader (house)
-directs debates
-guides the members in policy making issues
majority/minority party whip
-renders party discipline
-makes sure party members remain in line with party goals
senate leadership
-president of the senate
-president pro tempore
-majority/minority party leaders
-party whips
president of the senate
-VPOTUS
-non-voting member of the senate and only votes to break a tie
president pro tempore
-voted by the senate
-leads the senate in the absence of the VPOTUS
majority/minority party leaders (senate)
-majority leaders hold A LOT of power because they set the legislative agenda and control calendar assignments of bills
committees
small groups of legislators who debate and draft precise legislation
4 types of committees
-standing committees
-joint committees
-select committees
-conference committees
standing committees
-is always there because they deal with issues that are always present
-ex: appropriations committee in the senate decide where federal money is spent
-ex: ways and means committee in the house works on taxation bills
joint committees
-involves members of both the house and senate
-ex: joint comm on the library deals with the library of congress
-ex: joint comm on printing deals with publishing arm of the federal gov
select committees
-temporary committees made for a specific purpose
-ex: missouri compromise line was determined by a select committee that was disbanded after a decision was made
conference committees
this committee is formed if both houses can’t agree on an identical version of a bill
house rules committee
-decides which bills go to house debate
-decides when votes take place and assigns bills to various committees for debate and revision
-if a bill cannot pass through the house committee than it’s going to die
committee of the whole
-procedural move that relaxes some rules of debate so that amendments to bills can be debated quicker
-for example only 100 members have to be present for this
discharge petition
if a bill is stuck in committee then the house can hold a simple majority vote which brings to the floor for voting on the bill
filibuster
an attempt to delay or kill a bill by talking for an extended period of time
cloture
allows the house to end a filibuster and this calls for a 3/5 vote to pass or 60 senators
unanimous consent
a call for agreement for senators to restrict certain privileges for the sake of efficiency in debate
-for example prohibiting filibusters until further notice
how bill becomes a law
- bill is sponsored in either the house or senate
- once bill is assigned to a committee, further debate and changes will occur
- then bill goes to the floor for a vote
- if bill passes in both house and senate it goes to the president for signing
logrolling
agreement between legislators “if you vote for my bill, i’ll vote for yours”
non-germane riders
provisions added to bill that’s irrelevant but benefits a congress persons district/state
pork-barrel spending
the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and win votes
federal budget consists of
- mandatory spending
- discretionary spending
mandatory spending
money that congress must allocate by law
-ex: medicare and medicaid
discretionary spending
money left over that committees heavily debate on it’s spending purposes
deficit spending
when congress spends money it doesn’t have and so that money then comes out of taxes
trustee model
congressperson makes decisions for the people based on what the trustee feels is best
-ex: senate
delegate model
congressperson mirrors what the people want in their decision making
-ex: house of reps
politico model
mix of both trustee and delegate models
house role in impeachment
-the house initiates impeachment by bringing charges against the president through “Articles of impeachment”
-simple majority is needed to support impeachment and begin trial
-2/3 majority is needed to convict
senate role in impeachment
-senate serves as high court of impeachment for impeaching officials but when it’s the president, the chief justice of USA serves
-2/3 vote needed to convict and if this passes then removal from office will occur
advice and consent
-power of the senate to approve treaties and when the president appoints people to public positions such as cabinet secretaries and federal judges
-2/3 majority is needed to pass treaties
-simple majority is needed to confirm appointments
congressional behavior theories
-representational
-organizational
-attitudinal
representational theory
members of congress want to get reelected and therefore must please constituents
organizational theory
important to please fellow members of congress because their goodwill is needed to gain status and power in congress
attitudinal theory
multiple outside forces influence congress members and they vote for their own beliefs
conservative coalition
conservative democrats from the south who would side with republicans and therefore overpower northern democrats
polarized congress
-has become more polarized bc congress is increasing ideological
-split tickets bring new members and then that means new ideological perspectives
-this pisses off average voters and causes them to notice disagreement more
congress (congress vs parliament)
-candidacy is awarded by winning a primary
-voters vote by choosing candidate
-has to appeal to the public not their party so they can vote however they so choose to
-great benefits such as 174K salary and franking privileges
parliament (congress vs parliament)
-candidacy is given through lobbying local party committees
-voters vote by choosing a party
-candidates have to vote with their party because if they don’t they risk not being nominated again
-don’t receive high pay and do not have offices
