Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Gov & Politics > US Congress > Flashcards

US Congress Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Government Basics flashcards AP® U.S. Government flashcards
1
Q

2 chambers of Congress

A
  • House of Representatives
  • Senate
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How many members are there in the House of Representatives?

A

435

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How many members are there in the Senate?

A

100

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How often are there elections for the HoR?

A

Every 2 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How often are Senators up for re-election?

A

They serve 6 year terms
Every 2 years, 1/3 of them are up for election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What was the New Jersey plan?

A

During the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, the New Jersey plan was proposed. It suggested that all states should receive an equal number of representatives to retain small states’ rights.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What was the Virginia plan?

A

During the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, the Virginia plan was proposed. It suggested that states should have a proportional number of representatives to their population.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What was the Connecticut Compromise?

A

A compromise between the Virginia and New Jersey plans: the Senate would have an equal number of senators per state while states would have a proportional number of representatives in the House

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Which state has the most representatives?

A

California - 53

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Which state(s) have the fewest number of representatives?

A

Montana, Wyoming, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Alaska - 1

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

3 roles of Congress

A
  • Passing legislation
  • Representing the people
  • Overseeing the executive
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Powers of Congress

A
  • Legislative powers
  • Override presidential veto
  • Initiating constitutional amendments
  • Declaring war
  • Oversight
  • Impeachment
  • Electing the president in cases of hung Electoral College
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Powers of JUST the Senate

A
  • Ratifying treaties
  • Confirming presidential appointments
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How can Congress override a presidential veto?

A

With a two-thirds majority in both houses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How can Congress declare war?

A

Both houses must vote for a declaration of war - this has not been done since 1941

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How does the Senate ratify treaties?

A

While they are negotiated by the president, they need to be ratified by 2/3 of the Senate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are 2 methods of congressional oversight of the executive?

A
  • Congress must approve federal budgets
  • Congressional committees offer oversight and investigate the executive
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How can Congress impeach an official?

A
  • The House holds trials of impeachment with a simple majority needed
  • The Senate then tries them, and with a 2/3 majority they can be found guilty and removed from office
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are standing committees?

A

Committees of members of Congress who are experts in a subject
Their role is to scrutinise bills relating to that subject

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Legislative process (same in both House and Senate but must pass through both)

A
  • Introduction
  • Committee stage
  • Timetabling
  • Floor debate and vote
  • Conference committee
  • Presidential action
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are conference committees?

A

They reconcile the differences between House and Senate versions of a bill to create a final bill

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Requirements to be a member of the HoR

A
  • 25 years old
  • US citizen for 7 years
  • Live in the state they wish to represent
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Requirements to be a member of the Senate

A
  • 30 years old
  • US citizen for 9 years
  • Live in the state they wish to represent
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Percentage of Hispanics in the US as a whole vs in Congress

A

US population: 18%
Congress: 9%
(117th Congress)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What percentage of Congress is made up of women?

A

24%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Average age of members of Congress

A

59
US average is 38

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Advantage of Senators having longer terms than House representatives

A

Senators are more able to take unpopular but necessary decisions as they have 6 years before reelection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What percentage of Americans disapprove of Congress?

A

70%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Why is Congress so unpopular?

A
  • Ineffective and unproductive
  • Government shutdowns becoming more common
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What is gridlock?

A

When Congress cannot agree on legislation so they are unable to pass anything
Happens during divided government

31
Q

What is divided government?

A

When different parties hold the two houses of Congress or the presidency

32
Q

What is unified government?

A

When the same party holds both houses of Congress and the presidency

33
Q

What is a filibuster?

A

Tactic used in the Senate to prevent a vote: senators debate until the maximum amount of time has passed for voting

34
Q

What is a cloture?

A

Process for ending a filibuster: 3/5 majority of the senate must vote to stop a senator from talking

35
Q

Does Congress legislate effectively? - YES

A
  • Works well in periods of united government
  • Some bipartisan agreement (e.g. during COVID)
  • Congress can reject legislation proposed by the executive
36
Q

Does Congress legislate effectively? - NO

A
  • Only 2-3% of bills become law
  • Filibuster and divided government cause gridlock
  • Presidential vetoes are rarely overturned
37
Q

Is oversight more effective during untied or divided government?

A

Divided

38
Q

4 methods of oversight over the executive from Congress

A
  • Investigations
  • Confirmation of nominees
  • Impeachment
  • Ratifying treaties
39
Q

Which type of committees investigate the executive?

A

Standing and select committees

40
Q

How can the Senate prevent a president from appointing their nominee?

A

They can refuse to hold hearings

41
Q

Example of someone who faired badly in their Senate appointment hearings

A

Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVos lacked knowledge on basic education policy. While she was approved, two Republicans broke ranks and voted against her.

42
Q

Example of a treaty which the Senate rejected

A

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2012)

43
Q

Does Congress perform oversight effectively? - YES

A
  • Standing and select committees investigate the executive
  • Strong during divided government
  • Presidents can be impeached
44
Q

Does Congress perform oversight effectively? - NO

A
  • Weak during unified government
  • Investigations are politicised and partisan
  • Impeachment has never removed a president from office
45
Q

What is the power of the purse?

A

Only Congress has the ability to raise/lower taxes

46
Q

Why do government shutdowns occur?

A

Both houses of Congress must pass the federal budget. If the budget does not pass in time due to gridlock, the government stops functioning.

47
Q

How did Trump bypass Congress’s power of the purse?

A

In 2019 he declared a national emergency so that he could use federal funding towards his border wall

48
Q

When was the longest government shutdown?

A

35 days in 2018/19

49
Q

What are congressional caucuses?

A

Groups in Congress with similar aims who work together to pass legislation

50
Q

Example of a bipartisan caucus

A

Bipartisan Heroin and Opioid Task Force

51
Q

Role of the majority/minority leaders

A
  • Plan the legislative agenda
  • Coordinate their party for votes and debates
52
Q

Powers of the Speaker of the House

A
  • Choose who goes on select/standing committees
  • Determine legislative agenda for the house
53
Q

Why is the whipping system weak?

A

Due to the separation of powers, the whips cannot offer executive positions in exchange for support

54
Q

What are some tactics whips use?

A
  • Deciding who sits on the House Rules committee
  • Deciding who chairs select/conference committees
55
Q

4 types of committees

A
  • Standing committees
  • Select committees
  • House Rules committee
  • Conference committees
56
Q

What are standing committees?

A
  • Permanent
  • Focus on a specific area of policy
57
Q

What are the roles of standing committees?

A
  • Hold hearings during the committee stages of bills before voting on whether they should continue into the House/Senate
  • In the Senate they hold hearings on executive appointments
58
Q

What are select committees?

A
  • Temporary (usually)
  • Set up to deal with an urgent issue
59
Q

Example of a permanent select committee

A

Senate Committee on Intelligence

60
Q

Role of select committees

A

To investigate an issue

61
Q

Example of a recent select committee investigation

A

The Senate Committee on Intelligence investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election

62
Q

Case study: House Select Committee on Benghazi

A
  • Set up in 2014 to investigate the 2012 terrorist attack on the US embassy in Libya
  • Questioned Hillary Clinton for 11 hours
  • Results were partisan and unclear. Republicans blamed Clinton’s weak leadership while Democrats suggested the situation was out of her control.
63
Q

What is the House Rules Committee?

A

Sets the ‘rules’ for bills, such as how much time they will have on the floor and whether amendments will be allowed

64
Q

Who is on the House Rules Committee?

A

13 members, split in favour of the majority party in a 2:1 ratio

65
Q

Why is being on the House Rules Committee an influential position?

A

Allows great influence over the legislative agenda. Often members receive lots of funding from pressure groups.

66
Q

Example of a House Rules Committee chair receiving funding from pressure groups

A

Republican Chair Pete Sessions (2013-19) received donations from Conservative groups which allowed him to use his position to prevent amendments which would’ve relaxed marijuana legislation

67
Q

5 roles of members of Congress

A
  • Communicating with constituents
  • Passing legislation
  • Committee membership
  • Lobbying the executive
  • Constituency casework
68
Q

Example of pork-barrelling

A

The infamous ‘bridge to nowhere’ in Alaska which would’ve connected a 50-person island to mainland Alaska for a cost of $400m

69
Q

What percentage of incumbent House representatives are re-elected?

A

Average 90%

70
Q

How do Congress and the executive interact?

A
  • President relies on Congress to pass legislation
  • Cabinet members are often selected from Congress
71
Q

Who is the tie breaker in the Senate in the case of a tie?

A

The VP (shows there isn’t full separation of powers)

72
Q

1996 Defence of Marriage Act

A

Passed by Congress and gave states the right to not recognise same sex marriage. Ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2015.

73
Q

Weaknesses of Congress

A
  • Only 2-3% bills become law
  • Gridlock is common
  • Government shutdowns are costly
74
Q

Strengths of Congress

A
  • Major legislation still passed every few years
  • Bipartisan compromise is still possible

Gov & Politics (23 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions