Unit 4 - Legislative Branch Flashcards
Define:
Bicameral
Congress is a bicameral; this means that it is made up of two chambers, these chambers include the senate and the house of representatives. Each states has these two components as well.
Define:
Legislative
*Adjective that means “Lawmaking”. The legislative branch in our government is the lawmaking branch.
Define:
District
A district is represented by the house of representatives. Rather than focusing on the whole states like a Senate, the house of reps work for the people in a specific section of their states called a district.
Define:
Enumerated
The constitution has a list of powers that congress has individually. This list is the list of powers that no other branch or individual state can control. These are called enumerated, expressed, or listed powers.
Define:
Legislate
A verb that means to make laws.
Define:
Legislator
A person who makes laws
Define:
Legislation
A written document that is or may become law.
What is the function of the legislative branch?
The legislative branch …
Legislation branch
See a problem, tries to fix an issue with laws.
Executive branch Purpose with law
Execute the law
“Pork barrel” spending
pool of federal money available for appropriation
Wasting federal money
“Pork”
The government projects that benefit only a specific locale, specifically the sponsors’ voters.
How long is a House of representative elected for?
Elected every 2 years
How many members are in the House of reps?
435 voting members - 6 non voting
What are the requirements to be part of the house of reps?
25 years old
7 years citizen
Resident of state
people in house of reps?
220 democrats, 212 republicans, 3 vacant seats
119 women - 313 men
How many members are in the Senate?
100 members
- approx. 1/3 up for election every 2 years ( six year terms)
What are the requirements to become part of the Senate?
30 years old
9 years citizen
Resident of state
People in the Senate
50 republic 48 democrats 2 independent
24 women 76 men
Salary for the House of reps and Senates
$174,000 per year
Otto von Bismarck Quote
“Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made,” quipped Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898), the famous Prussian statesman and architect of German unification.
Types of powers
Formal, expressed, Enumerated powers
Implied powers
Formal, expressed, Enumerated powers
Found in the constitution
taxes, currency
Implied powers
Elastic clause:”Make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers”- Assumed to exist
- Powers created by using the elastic clause
- Powers gained by stretching the commerce clause
What Congress cannot do
Article 1, Section 9
Cannot suspend writ of habeas corpus May not pass bills of attainder May not pass ex post facto laws Cannot tax exports Can't issue titles of nobility
What congress can do
- Power to tax/spend
- Power to borrow
- commerce power
- Currency power
- Bankruptcy power
- Approve Treaties
- Declare War
- Maintain armed forces
- Regulate foreign commerce
- Naturalization Process
- Admit new states and govern territories
- Manage federal lands
- Create and regulate postal service
- Copyrights and patents (copyright lifetime+70)(20 years)
- Establish standard system of weights and measures
- Create courts
- Set criminal laws
Congressional staff- Personal staff
- Administrative Assistants (manage office, schedule, visitors)(AA)
- Legislative Assistants (inform boss on bills, research and draft legislation, attend meetings, negotiations)(LA)
- Caseworkers (Directly work with constituents in home district.
- Committee Staff (Draft bills, plan hearings, write memos, prepare committee reports)
- Supports (Congressional Research Service, Government accountability Office, Congressional Budget Office)
Descriptive vs Substantive representation
Descriptive - Representing constituents by mirroring personal, politically relevant characteristics.
Substantive - Representing constituents interests, regardless of descriptive discrepancies
Getting into congress
- Having more money
- Looking the parts
- Biggest indicator of electoral success is being the incumbent
- 80-90% of sen/reps seeking re-election get it
Incumbent Advantages
- Advertizing, more visibility if already in congress, free mailing to constituents (can’t do it 60/90 days before elections)
- Credit Claiming, Service to the constituents, casework
- Position-taking, Build a record, make/fulfill promises
- Weak Opponents, because incumbents are so powerful good opponents might not join till there is an open seat.
- Gerrymandering (
cp
Cracking vs packing
