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Political Science > Unit 4- The Legislative Branch > Flashcards

Unit 4- The Legislative Branch Flashcards

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1
Q

What’s the role of Congress in a Democracy?

A

National Government

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2
Q

How many members is Congress made up of and what do they do?

A

535 Elected Officials- Make laws and respond to the constituents’ demands. 535LD

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3
Q

What are the 5 roles of members of Congress?

A

Legislators-Representatives of their Constituents- Committee Members- Servants- Politicians. LRCSP

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4
Q

What are the 4 voting options of a lawmaker?

A

Delegate-Trustee-Partisan-Politico DTPP

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5
Q

Define Delegate

A

People with authority to represent others at a conference or convention.

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6
Q

Define Trustee

A

Lawmakers who vote based on their conscience and judgement, not the views of their constituents.

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7
Q

Define Partisan

A

Lawmakers who owe their first allegiance to their political party and vote according to their party line.

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8
Q

Define Politico

A

Lawmakers who attempt to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles.

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9
Q

What is the most popular voting model today?

A

The delegate model

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10
Q

Define Bills

A

A proposed law presented to a legislative body for consideration.

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11
Q

Define Floor Consideration

A

The process by which proposed laws are considered and acted upon by the full membership of the House and Senate.

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12
Q

Define Oversight Function

A

Review by legislative committees of the policies and programs of the executive branch. OE

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13
Q

Which Congress included the most women and minorities in history?

A

115th

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14
Q

Who is the elected Minority Leader?

A

Nancy Pelosi

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15
Q

Define Term

A

Two year period of time during which Congress meets.

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16
Q

Define Session

A

Period of time each year during which Congress assembles and conducts business.

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17
Q

Define Convene

A

To begin a new session of Congress

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18
Q

Define Adjourn

A

Suspend, as in a session of Congress

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19
Q

Define Recess

A

A time when both houses of Congress temporarily suspend business.

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20
Q

Define Prorogue

A

Adjourn, as in a legislative session.

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21
Q

When can a President prorogue a session?

A

Only when the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment.

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22
Q

Define Special Session

A

An extraordinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency situation.

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23
Q

Who is able to call Congress into a Special Session?

A

The President

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24
Q

Define Franking Privilege

A

Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free.

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25
Q

How many members are in the House and how many are in the Senate?

A

435 in the House- 100 in Senate

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26
Q

Define Apportioned

A

Distributed, as in seats in a legislative body.

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27
Q

Define Reapportion

A

Redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body.

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28
Q

How long is Congress forced to reapportion the seats in the House?

A

Every 10 years

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29
Q

Define single-member district

A

Electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office.

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30
Q

Define At-Large

A

Election of an office-holder by the voters of an entire governmental unit rather than by the voters of a district or subdivision.

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31
Q

Define Redistricting

A

The process of creating congressional districts in each State after the census.

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32
Q

Define Gerrymandering

A

The drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group.

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33
Q

Define Off-Year Elections

A

Congressional elections that occurs between presidential election years.

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34
Q

What are the two requirements to become a member of the House?

A

Formal Qualifications- Informal Qualifications FI

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35
Q

What are the formal requirements to be a member of the House?

A

25 years old- Been a citizen for at least 7 years- Be an inhabitant of the State from which you intend to be elected. 25C7I

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36
Q

Define Incumbent

A

The current officeholder.

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37
Q

How long do Senators serve?

A

6 years

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38
Q

Define Continuous Body

A

Governing unit whose seats are never all up for election at the same time.

39
Q

Define Constituencies

A

The people and interests that an elected official represents.

40
Q

What are the requirements to become a Senate?

A

30 Years- Citizen for 9 years- Inhabitant of elected State 30C9I

41
Q

Define Delegated Powers

A

Congress has only those powers delegated (granted, given) to it by the Constitution.

42
Q

What are the 3 powers that Congress has?

A

Expressed-Implied-Inherent

43
Q

Define Expressed Powers

A

Those delegated powers of the National Government that are spelled out, expressly, in the Constitution; also called the “enumerated powers”.

44
Q

Define Implied Powers

A

Those delegated powers of the National Government that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the Constitution; those necessary and proper to carry out the expressed powers.

45
Q

Define Inherent Powers

A

Powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community.

46
Q

Define Commerce Power

A

Exclusive Power of Congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade.

47
Q

Define Tax

A

A charge levied by government on persons or property to raise money to meet public needs.

48
Q

Define Public Debt

A

All of the money borrowed by the government and not yet repaid, plus the accrued interest on that money; also called the national debt or federal debt.

49
Q

Define Deficit Financing

A

The practice of funding government by borrowing to make up the difference between government spending and revenue.

50
Q

Define Bankruptcy

A

The legal proceeding by which a bankrupt person’s assets are distributed among those to whom he or she owes debt.

51
Q

Define Legal Tender

A

Any kind of money that a creditor must, by law, accept in payment for debts.

52
Q

Define Copyright

A

The exclusive, legal right of a person to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her own literary, musical, or artistic creations.

53
Q

Define Patent

A

A license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right to manufacture, use, or sell his or her own invention for a limited period of time.

54
Q

Define Territories

A

A part of the United States that is not a state and has its own system of government.

55
Q

Define Eminent Domain

A

The power of a government to take private property for public use.

56
Q

Define Naturalization

A

The legal process by which citizens of one country become citizens of another.

57
Q

Define Necessary and Proper Clause

A

the final clause of Article 1 which gives Congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper for executing its powers.

58
Q

In what instances does Congress use its implied powers?

A

Commerce Power- Power to tax and spend- War Powers CTW

59
Q

Define Appropriates

A

To assign to a particular use.

60
Q

Define Impeach

A

To bring formal charges against a public official.

61
Q

Define Acquit

A

To not find guilty of charge

62
Q

Define Perjury

A

The act of lying under oath.

63
Q

Define Censure

A

To issue a formal condemnation

64
Q

Define Subpeona

A

An order for a person to appear and to produce documents or other requested materials.

65
Q

Define Successor

A

A person who inherits a title or office.

66
Q

Define Speaker of the House

A

the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen from and by the majority party in the House.

67
Q

Define President of the Senate

A

The presiding officer of a Senate; in Congress, the Vice President of the United States; in a State’s legislature, either the lieutenant governor or a senator.

68
Q

Define President Pro Tempore

A

the member of the United States Senate, or of the upper House of a Senate’s legislature, chosen to preside in the absence of the president of the Senate.

69
Q

Define Party Caucus

A

A closed meeting of a party’s house or senate members; also called a party conference.

70
Q

Define Floor Leaders

A

Members of the House and Senate picked by their parties to carry out party decisions and steer legislative action to meet party goals.

71
Q

Define Majority Leader

A

The floor leader of the party that holds the majority of seats in each house of Congress.

72
Q

Define Minority Leader

A

The floor leader of the party that holds the minority of seats in each house of Congress.

73
Q

Define Whips

A

Assistants to the floor leaders in the House and Senate, responsible for monitoring and marshaling votes.

74
Q

Define Committee Chairmen

A

Member who heads a standing committee in a legislative body.

75
Q

Define Seniority Rule

A

Unwritten rule in both Houses of Congress reserving the top posts in each chamber, particularly committee chairmanships, for members with the longest records of service.

76
Q

Define Standing Committees

A

Permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specified subject area area are referred; see select committee.

77
Q

Define Subcommittee

A

Division of existing committee that is formed to address specific issues.

78
Q

Define Select Committee

A

Legislative committee created for a limited time and some specific purpose; also known as a special committee.

79
Q

Define Joint Committee

A

Legislative committee composed of members of both houses.

80
Q

Define Conference Committee

A

Temporary joint committee created to reconcile any difference between the two houses versions of a bill.

81
Q

Define Joint Resolutions

A

A proposal for action that has the force of law when passed; usually deals with special circumstances or temporary matters.

82
Q

Define Concurrent Resolution

A

A statement of position on an issue used by the House and Senate acting jointly; does not have the force of law and does not require President’s signature.

83
Q

Define Resolution

A

A measure relating to the business of either house of Congress or expressing an opinion; does not have the force of law and does not require the President’s signature.

84
Q

Define Rider

A

Unpopular provision added to an important bill certain to pass so it will ride through the legislative process.

85
Q

Define Pigeonhold

A

Expression describing how most bills introduced in each session of Congress are buried, put away, or never acted upon.

86
Q

Define Discharge Petition

A

Enables members to force a bill that has remained in committee for 30 days onto the floor for consideration.

87
Q

Define Quorum

A

Fewest number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; majority.

88
Q

Define Engrossed

A

A bill printed in its final form.

89
Q

Define Filibuster

A

A stalling tactic in which senators monopolize the Senate floor with talk and other delays so a bill cannot be brought to a vote.

90
Q

Define Cloture

A

A procedure to limit or end floor debate, especially during a filibuster.

91
Q

Define Veto

A

Chief executive’s power to reject a bill passed by a legislature.

92
Q

Define Pocket Veto

A

A type of veto a chief executive may use after a legislature has adjourned when the chief executive does not sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so.

93
Q

Define Omnibus Measure

A

One bill that contains numerous issues and subjects.

Political Science (5 decks)

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