Unit c additional Congress vocab terms Flashcards
What is the house ways and means committee in charge of?
This is one of the most powerful committees in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s responsible for all things related to taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures.
What is the delegate model, what model of democracy does it represent, and when is it often used?
- usually on domestic issues, such as spending or local/yregional concerns
- elected representatives act directly on the wishes of their constituents, which aligns with the idea of participatory democracy where citizens have a direct role in decision-making
-when representatives vote according to consitutent’s views
Participatory democracy
citizens have the power to make decisions directly, rather than through elected representatives.
What is the house rules committee in charge of ?
-This hosue rules committee is a powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the house floor, the debate duration, and whether amendemtns will be allowed.
what is the committee of the whole and why is it important?
-Consists of all members of the house but is governed by different rules so not everyone has to show up. Makes it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation.
What is a hold and where is it used?
- a delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects a bill.The Majority Leader decides how to respond—whether to negotiate with the senator who placed the hold, try to gather enough votes to overcome it, or delay the bill or nomination.
Unanimous consent agreement
An agreement in the sernate that setes the terms for consideration of a bill. It is proposed by the majority leader and reflects negotiations between the senators.
What are congress’ constitutional non-legislative powers?
-propose amendents
-impeachment
-electoral college
-approve treaties and appointments (senate)
oversight investigations
What are congress’ consitutional legislation powers?
-tax
-spend
commerce
-declare war
How do standing committees conduct oversight? How do select committees conduct oversight?
-standing committees monitor the actions of relevant executive branch departments and agencies, ensure that they have budget and staffing to achieve their goals and advocate for agencies. I the senate, senators play a lead role in hearings
How does an impeachment work in congress?
-Introduction: Impeachment starts in the House. Any member can introduce an impeachment resolution, or the House can start an investigation. Then the house votes to impeach, if a simple majority is reached, then the official has a hearing in the senate. It takes a two-thirds majority (67 out of 100 senators) to convict.
What happened in baker v carr and why is it significant?
Baker v. Carr (1962)
-tennessse citizens argued that a low reapportioning the state’s general assembly seats according to the state census was ignored. this didn’t reflect economic growth and populations shifts from rural to urban areas. The conclusion was that the supreme court had jurisdiction over legislative reapportionment, because it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment..
it is significant because it set the one person one vote principle and opened the door for courts to address and correct issues of political representation
Shaw v. reno
-shaw v reno happened in 1993
-North Carolina created a bizarrely shaped congressional district to ensure the election of an African American representative. Some residents challenged this, arguing that the district was drawn solely based on race.
The Decision: The Supreme Court ruled that while race can be considered in redistricting, it cannot be the predominant factor. The Court said that districts drawn with race as the main criterion could violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
-argued that solely racial gerrymandering was unconstitutional and reinforced the equal protection clause.
Office of managment and Budget
the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities
entitlement programs and why are they improtant
-they are important because they constitute most of yearly federal spending
-they are programs that provide benefits to those who qualify under the law, regardless of income. these include medicare, social security
-it is form of mandatory spending
mandatory spending and what is an example
spending required by existing laws that is lock in the budget
-entitlement programs
what is discretionary spending and what is an example
-defense spending
budget surplus
the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more than it spends
budget deficit
the annual shortfall when a government takes in less money than it spend
what is the politico role
representation where members of congress balance their choices with the interest of their constituents and parties in making decisions
-a combination of the delegate and trustee roles
gridlock and what is it in many cases caused by
a slowdown or halt in congress’ ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship
-divided government is one of its main causes
divided government
control of the presidency and one or more chambers of congress is split between 2 major parties
what is a lame duck period?
period at the end of a presidential term when congress may block presidential initiatives the time between an election and the inauguration of a new official. During this time, the outgoing official, often called a “lame duck,” has less influence and power because their successor has already been elected. This period can still involve important decisions and actions, but the outgoing official’s ability to push through major initiatives is usually limited.
treaty
an agreement with a foreign government that is negotiated by the president and requires a 2/3 vvote in the senate to ratify.
what is the “honeymoon” period
he “honeymoon” period refers to the early days of a president’s term when they generally enjoy higher approval ratings and more goodwill from Congress and the public. During this time, presidents often have an easier time getting their agenda passed because everyone is still feeling optimistic and cooperative
who are the white hosue staff and what do they do
The White House staff are the folks who work directly for the President, helping to manage the day-to-day operations of the executive branch. Here are some key players:
Chief of Staff: This person is like the President’s right-hand man or woman, managing the staff and controlling access to the President.
