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Us Congress Flashcards
What are positive thing about interest group
Interest group supply information as the Congress lack information capacity to provide 8nformation by itself
How interest group pressure government
Though campaign contributions and lobby
Problem of interest group
They do not check each other to preserve public good, they redirect public resource to their private end
Fanny Mae and Freddy
Whicg law is fundamental for campaign finance?
Federal election campaign act
What are pac
Is electoral arm of interest group
What is lobby
Provision of information from trusted source
What are lobbyists do
To leglators of crucial information Help legislators write bills
The problem of lobbyists
The information they provide tie with their interests not necessary public interests
The weakness of lobbyists
Lobbyist struggle to win floor votes when issues are highly salient , legislator preference are well known , or partisanship is an important factor .
Business tend to be more effective on. On influencing roll call votes on tax an regulatory policy , where their interests are harder to detect . Than on direct subsidies, where there are not obvious.
Where lobbyists can do better
In the committees and subcommittee universe.
Benefit fotr lobby
Companies spend more money in lobby per year tend to pay less in tax.
Companies that spen more on lobby are ;less likely being scrutinized by EPA.
What are three major interest at a stake in Fanny Mae
Private interest of Stockholders
Private interests of home builders
Private interests of affordable housing advocate
What are the Rules and procedures of the House.
They are a set of guidelines that govern the legislative process, debate, and general operations within the chamber
What is the purpose of the Rules and Procedures in the House.
These rules help maintain order and ensure that the legislative process proceeds in an organized and efficient manner.
What the Rules Committees can do?
- Determine the Rules for Floor Debate: The Rules Committee sets the specific rules for debate on each bill that comes before the House. This includes determining the length of debate, as well as whether amendments can be offered
- Grant or Deny Amendments: The Rules Committee has significant control over the amendment process for bills on the House floor.
- Manage the Legislative Calendar: The Rules Committee plays an important role in managing the legislative calendar and prioritizing the bills that will be considered by the full House.
- Waive Points of Order: The Rules Committee can waive points of order against a bill or specific provisions within a bill. This
- Originate Legislation: Although it is not the primary function of the Rules Committee, it has the authority to originate legislation, particularly if it pertains to the rules and procedures of the House. This power allows the committee to propose changes to the standing rules of the House or address procedural issues that arise during a session.
- Emergency Authority: In certain circumstances, the Rules Committee has the authority to act quickly to address urgent legislative matters
Limit power of opposition party
Limit amandment
Dependent reading
Limit length of debate
What is the role of the floor manager ?
Employ by the majority and minority party to manage debate , plan strategy , and parliamentary maneuver.
Make sure the bill proceeds in an orderly fashion
The process of floor debating :
Adopting the special rule governing debate
The speaker declare the House resolve into the committee of the whole
Presenting the Bill: The floor manager, who is typically a member of the committee that reported the bill, presents the legislation to the chamber and gives an overview of its purpose and provisions
Debate: 5 minutes rule : which allows members to speak for up to five minutes on any topic related to the bill.
Amendments: During the debate, members may propose amendments to the bill. In the House, the type and number of amendments allowed are determined by the rule established by the Rules Committee.
Voting on Amendments: After the debate on each amendment, the chamber votes on whether to adopt or reject it.
Closing Debate: Once all amendments have been considered and voted on, the floor manager may move to close debate on the bill.
Voting on the Bill: After the debate has concluded and all amendments have been considered, the chamber votes on the final version of the bill
What is the procedure of voting :
Vote last for a minimum 15 minutes Voting on the Bill: After the debate has concluded and all amendments have been considered, the chamber votes on the final version of the bill.
What are four type of Amendment in the Hous :
- Germane Amendment: Germane amendments are changes that are directly related to the subject matter of the bill
- An amendment to a pending amendment .
- A substitute to a pending Amendment .
- An Amendment to the substitute. Substituting amendments replace a portion or the entirety of a bill with new language
What amandment is allowed?
The open amandment and Germane amandment .,
What are five legislative calendars in the House
Union calendar: deal with raising , authorizing and spending money. (Most important)
House Calendar: The House Calendar contains all public bills and resolutions that do not involve revenue, appropriations, or national credit.
Private Calendar: The Private Calendar lists private bills and resolutions, which are measures that affect specific individuals, organizations, or entities rather than the general public
Corrections Calendar: Th, also known as the Consensus Calendar, is designed to expedite the consideration of non-controversial bills and resolutions
Discharge Calendar: Discharge Calendar: The Discharge Calendar lists petitions to discharge a bill or resolution from a committee that has not reported it to the House.
What are sent floor procedure
- Scheduling: The Senate Majority Leader is responsible for setting the floor schedule, determining which bills or issues will be considered, and managing the legislative calendar
- Quorum: A quorum is the minimum number of Senators (51) required to be present for the Senate to conduct business. If a quorum is not present, the Senate can only take limited actions, such as adjourning or requesting the attendance of absent Senators.
- Debate : the Senate allows for unlimited debate on bills and other matters, unless limited by unanimous consent agreements or cloture.
- Unanimous convent agreement : These agreements are negotiated between the Majority and Minority Leaders to set the terms for considering a specific bill or issue, including time limits for debate, the order of amendments,
- Filibuster and Clture : A filibuster is an attempt by one or more Senators to delay or block a vote on a bill or other matter by extending debate indefinitely. To end a filibuster and proceed to a vote, the Senate can invoke cloture, which requires the support of three-fifths of the Senate (60 votes). Cloture limits further debate to 30 hours and prevents the introduction of additional amendments not already pending.
- Amandment : Senators can propose amendments to bills during floor debate. Amendments can be germane (related to the subject matter of the bill) or non-germane, which allows for a broader range of issues to be considered
- Voting: After debate and the consideration of amendments, the Senate proceeds to vote on the bill. Voting can be done by voice vote, standing vote, or roll call vote, where each Senator’s vote is recorded individually.
- Conference Committee : If the Senate and House pass different versions of the same bill, a conference committee is formed to reconcile the differences.
Structure difference between the chamber
- The House is more than four time of the size of the senate.(435 in the House vs 100 in the Senate)
- The Germaneness requirement for Amendment in the House but not the senate.
- The speaker has discretionary and unchallengeable recognization compare to the Senate presiding officer
- A Rules committee in the House but not the senate that can determine the ground rule for debating and amending the legislation on the floor.. (House rule permit a majority rule at will , the senate rule permit to slow down or even defer action on legislation by individual members and determined minority . 60 votes are necessary to broke filibuster )
Ways the President can influence the Congress
Through address directly to the people.
Specialists Vs generalist
Representatives tend to be known as subject matter specialist while the Senator tend to be generalist.
Senate represent a more heterogenous constituency than House members.
With 6 year term the Senators are less vulnerable to immediate constituency pressures.
The result;t the senators must rely more on the knowledgeable personal aid for advice and decision making.
Power distribution.
Power to influence are more evenly disabled in the sea Nate than in the House
Similarity House and Senate
Both chambers are essentially equal in power and share sim plan responsbility in law making , oversoight and representation.
The president and the executive branch’
Way the President can influence the congress
- Manipulation of patronage
- The allocation of Federal-fund or project that is vital to the reflection of certain members.
- Accessing news media to promote his policy
Congress and media
What are mandatory and Discretionary spending ?
Mandatory Spending: This type of spending is for programs that are required by law. It’s “automatic” in the sense that it continues each year without requiring a specific appropriation by Congress. These programs are often termed “entitlements” because individuals meeting eligibility requirements are entitled by law to receive benefits. The largest mandatory spending programs are Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Other programs include unemployment insurance, food stamps (SNAP), and federal employee retirement and disability. The spending levels on mandatory programs fluctuate based on program requirements and the number of people who are eligible.
Discretionary Spending: This type of spending is determined through the annual appropriations process in Congress. Each year, Congress decides the level of spending for discretionary programs.
These programs are typically funded through the 12 appropriations bills that Congress passes each year.
Discretionary spending covers a wide range of activities including defense, education, transportation, scientific research, and many others. The level of discretionary spending can vary significantly from year to year based on the priorities and decisions of Congress and the President.
What is budget reconsulation?
Budget reconciliation is a legislative process in the United States Congress that allows for expedited consideration of certain tax, spending, and debt limit legislation. It is designed to help Congress make changes to existing laws to achieve the spending and revenue goals set out in the annual budget resolution.
The main features of budget reconciliation include:
Origination: The reconciliation process starts with instructions in the budget resolution passed by both the House and Senate. These instructions direct specific committees to develop legislation that meets certain spending or revenue targets.
Consolidation: Once the relevant committees produce the legislation, the House and Senate Budget Committees consolidate the proposals into a single bill. This bill is then considered under the reconciliation process in each chamber.
Expedited Consideration: Reconciliation bills enjoy procedural advantages that make them easier to pass, especially in the Senate. In the Senate, debate on reconciliation bills is limited to 20 hours, which means they cannot be filibustered. This allows the Senate to pass a reconciliation bill with a simple majority (51 votes) rather than the usual 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster.
Restrictions: The reconciliation process is subject to certain restrictions. One notable restriction is the “Byrd Rule” in the Senate, which prohibits the inclusion of provisions that do not directly affect spending, revenue, or the debt limit. If a Senator raises a point of order against a provision under the Byrd Rule, the provision can be removed from the bill unless 60 Senators vote to waive the rule.
Presidential Approval: Like other legislation, reconciliation bills must be approved by both the House and Senate in identical form and then signed by the President to become law. If the President vetoes the bill, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority in both chambers
What are difference between: authorization and appropriation:
Authorization: This is the process by which Congress establishes, continues, or changes a discretionary program or agency and sets its overall funding limit.
An authorization act may create or continue a federal agency or program, set its terms and conditions, and establish the maximum amount of money that can be appropriated for it.
It’s important to note that an authorization act by itself does not provide funding—it only establishes the legal basis for subsequent appropriations.
Appropriation: This is the process by which Congress provides the actual funds for a program or agency to use.
Appropriations acts are passed annually and determine the amount of discretionary funding that will be provided for authorized programs and agencies in a given fiscal year.
These funds must be used in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the relevant authorization acts.
The Congressional budget process is a series of steps that the U.S. Congress takes to establish, agree on, and enforce the federal budget.
- President’s Budget Request: The process begins early in the year (usually the first Monday in February) when the President submits a detailed budget request for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on October 1. This request includes proposed spending levels for all federal programs and agencies and projections for federal revenue.
- Budget Resolution: In response to the President’s budget request, the House and Senate Budget Committees each draft a budget resolution.
The budget resolution sets overall spending and revenue goals for the next fiscal year and provides a framework for the consideration of individual spending and tax bills.
The resolution must be passed by both the House and Senate, but it does not require the President’s signature.
- Appropriations Process: Once the budget resolution is agreed upon, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees begin working on appropriations bills, which provide funding for federal programs and agencies.
There are typically 12 appropriations bills each fiscal year, each covering a different area of the federal government.
These bills must be passed by both the House and Senate and signed by the President to become law.
- Reconciliation: If Congress needs to make changes to existing law to achieve the spending and revenue goals set out in the budget resolution, it can use a process known as reconciliation.
Reconciliation bills can address issues like tax policy or mandatory spending programs (like Medicare or Social Security) and they have special rules in the Senate that protect them from a filibuster.
- Enforcing the Budget: Throughout the year, Congress uses various mechanisms to enforce the budget levels set in the budget resolution and appropriations bills.
This includes points of order that can be raised against legislation that exceeds these levels, and automatic spending reductions (sequestration) if certain budget caps are breached.
- Continuing Resolutions and Emergency Spending: If Congress doesn’t pass all the appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year, it can pass a continuing resolution (CR), which provides temporary funding to avoid a government shutdown.
Congress can also pass supplemental appropriations bills to provide additional funding for unexpected needs, such as natural disasters or military conflicts.
What is A government shutdown
A government shutdown in the United States occurs when Congress fails to pass, or the President refuses to sign, appropriations bills or continuing resolutions funding federal government operations and agencies.
by that date Congress hasn’t passed appropriations bills (which set discretionary spending levels for various federal agencies), or if the President hasn’t signed them into law, then those parts of the government not funded will shut down.
Essential Services Are Paused: During a shutdown, federal agencies must discontinue all non-essential services. This could mean furloughing workers (i.e., giving them temporary unpaid leave), closing national parks, stopping the issuance of certain permits and licenses, and other measures
Certain essential government functions continue, even in the event of a shutdown. This includes activities related to national security, public safety, and other functions deemed necessary to protect life and property. For example, military operations, law enforcement, air traffic control, and health care services typically continue.
Congressional oversight
Congressional oversight refers to the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation
Here are some key aspects of congressional oversight:
Purpose: The main goal of oversight is to ensure that executive branch agencies are implementing laws and operating programs as Congress intended. It also helps detect and prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and illegal activities within the federal government. Further, it can inform future legislative activity by identifying the need for new laws or changes to existing ones.
Committees: Congressional oversight is primarily conducted through various standing committees and subcommittees in the House and Senate. Each committee typically has jurisdiction over certain agencies and policy areas. For example, the Senate Armed Services Committee oversees the Department of Defense, while the House Ways and Means Committee oversees tax policy and the Internal Revenue Service.
Methods: There are various methods of oversight, including hearings and investigations, reports, audits, and inspections. Congressional committees might request information from federal agencies, ask officials to testify at hearings, or conduct in-depth investigations into certain issues. They also often work closely with government watchdogs like the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or agency Inspectors General.
Subpoena Power: Congressional committees have the power to issue subpoenas requiring individuals to testify or produce documents relevant to an oversight investigation. If a person fails to comply with a subpoena, Congress can hold them in contempt and potentially refer the matter for criminal prosecution.
Limitations and Challenges: While oversight is a key function of Congress, it can also be challenging. Agencies may resist oversight efforts, and political disagreements can sometimes hinder effective oversight. In addition, oversight is often time-consuming and resource-intensive.
The Federalist 76:
Federalist No. 76, written by Alexander Hamilton, focuses on the appointment power granted to the President in the proposed Constitution. The paper discusses the reasons for giving the President the power to nominate, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint public officials.
Hamilton argues that a single executive is better suited to make such appointments because of the qualities this arrangement promotes: decisiveness, responsibility, and careful consideration. He notes that a group of people making such decisions may not be as efficient or accountable.
He also addresses potential concerns that the President might abuse this power, reassuring readers that the Senate’s role in confirming appointments serves as a check against such abuses.
Hamilton closes by arguing that the process of nomination and confirmation would help ensure the most capable individuals are chosen for public office, as the President would be motivated by the desire for public approval and the Senate would be unlikely to confirm unfit candidates.
