US congress Flashcards
beause congress has two chambers what is it known as
a bicameral legislagture
what % of american aprove of teh work congress does
13% up from 11%
what % of congress men/women are relected
96%
how many membours of the senate vs the house of rep
- 100 in the senate ( two senators for each state no matter the size)
- 435 in the house ( numbre of reps depends on the population size of the state)
what does each representaive in congress represent
a congressional district in a state
what are the reqiremenst to become a represenative of teh house
- US citozen for at least 7 years
- over 25
- resident of teh state tehy reprsent
what are the reqiremenst to become a senator
- US citozen for at least 9 years
- over 23
- resident of teh state tehy reprsent
what is an election in teh middle of a precidency called
a midterm
what amendment made it manditory for teh senate to be eleceted
teh seveteenth amedment 1913
what electorla system do comgressioanl elections take place under
FPTP
why is it more likly that a unified congress will occure after a primary
- the coatails effect
what an exeptions to teh coats tail effect
- Bush 2002
- obama 2012
what is it called when when a currentholder of a political office is relelected
incubanacy ( they are teh incumbant)
describe the decomratic vs republican makup of congress since 2009
- Obama 2008-16
1. D-D
2. R-D
3. R-D
4. R-R - Trump 2016-2020
1. R-R
2. D-R - Biden
1. D-(D- split but harris tie breaker)
2. R-D
what are the powers both chamers have in congress
8
- Legislative Powe
1. prepose
2. pass - Oversight Power
1. botbh can hold invesigtory hearings - impeahcment role
- war powers
- amendment power
what are the powers that are only held by the senate
- confirming appointments
1. federal judges and supream court judges, Cabinet members, ambassadors
2. only a majority vote needed - ratifying treaties
1. negotiate dby president
2. 2/3 majority neded - Filibuster and Cloture
1. fillabuster ( talk withou being stopped)- can killa bill by usinf all its set debate tiem without coming to a vote.
2. closture ( to end a fillabuster requires the support of three-fifths (currently 60 out of 100) of the senators. - voting on impeachments ( impeachemnt trials)
1. 2/3 majority - the power to select a vise presidnt
1. in the case of an electoral collage tie
2. in the case of the role needing filling e.g if the president dies or resigns and teh piror vice president steps up
where do most invesigations occure under
- the senate judicary committee
give an example of a mebour of the eexecutive going on trial in congress
Hillary clinton as secuartyry of state when on trial in 2016 for her use of a private email sharing governemnt clasified documenst
give an example of a consitutional amendment made by congress
- the 17th amendment 1913 reqirign all senators to be elected officlas
- these are very rare as tehy are so difficult to pass (there has only been 27)
give an example of a succesful impeachemnt of a judge
- 2010 judge thomas porteous
- wingly and intentionally making false statements
how many time shas the electoral colalge been split and congress has ahd to vote the president and vise president in ?
- 2 times a very long time ago in the 18 hundreds
whos the democratic and republican leaders/ minority leaders in the house
- Democrat= Nancy pelosi
- Republican = Kevin Macarthy
whos the democratic and republican leaders/ minority leaders in the senate
- democrat= chuck shuma
- republican = mich mconnell
what is a bill failing called ?
a bill dies