US Congress Flashcards
What is the structure of Congress (House of Representatives)?
- It is bicameral, made up of two equal legislative bodies.
- The House of Representatives has 435 members, the number of representatives per state is reflective of the population of each state, so more populous states like California will have more representatives.
- Each state is divided into areas called Congressional Districts and each member represents their districts. These districts are drawn up by the State every 10 years.
- Members serve 2 year terms before being re-elected.
- Congressmen must be at least 25, resident in the state they represent and been a US citizen for at least 7 years.
What is the structure of Congress (The Senate)?
- Upper house and has 100 senators
- Every state has two senators and senators represent the whole state
- Elected for 6 years, 1/3 of the house is up for election every 2 years
- Senators must be at least 30 and be a US citizen for at least 9 years and be a resident in the state they want to represent.
What powers do the House of Representatives have?
- Power of the purse
- Bring charges of impeachment
- Elect the president if no candidate wins over 50% of the electoral college
What powers do the Senate have?
- Ratify treaties
- Confirm appointments such as cabinet members and Supreme Court judges
- Try the accused in an impeachment case
- Elect the Vice President if no candidate has over 50% in the electoral college
What are the concurrent powers of the House of Representatives and Senate?
- Create legislation
- Declare war
- Override the presidents veto (with a 2/3 majority in both Houses)
- Propose constitutional amendments
- Confirm appointed VP
What is the delegate model and the trustee model?
The delegate model is making decisions based on the wishes of their constituents rather than personal judgement.
The trustee model is making decisions based on their own beliefs, voters have put trust in them to do so.
How do Congressional elections operate?
- HOR are elected every two years and the Senate is elected for 6 years but a 1/3 are elected every two years.
- To be a Congressional politician a candidate has to win a primary and then win the seat on Election Day under FPTP.
What is a primary?
Voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party’s candidate.
What does incumbent mean?
The person who already holds the seat, running to retain it.
Success rates for incumbency are high, suggesting despite how frequent elections are, they have little impact,
When changes do happen they are big, swing sweats.
Why do incumbents have such an advantage?
- Gerrymandering: in 31 states the State Legislature draws up the Congressional District Boundaries, so whoever controls the State Legislature can do this to benefit their party.
- Safe Seats, winner takes all
- Use office to attract media and donors
- Pork-barrel politics: Congress obtain as many federal benefits (investment or infrastructure projects) as possible for their district/state, to aid their own re-election as constituents will express gratitude.
What factors affect how Congress votes (parties) ?
PARTIES: pressure from party leadership for representatives to follow the party line, majority and minority whips push the party’s agenda and ensure there are votes required for legislation.
Party caucuses meet weekly where party leaders stir support for their proposals.
What factors affect how Congress votes (caucuses)?
Caucuses are a group of members of congress who pursue a common interest, they make demands as a group giving them importance.
- Blue Dogs are southern house democrats who are fiscally conservative, thus giving voice to con/moderate centrist democrats
- Non partisan caucuses such as congressional steel caucus, has over 100 members from both parties.
What factors affect how Congress votes (constituency)?
- Members of Congress are swayed by the views of their constituents, the fact that an issue will play well or badly back home will be a deciding factor for when members of Congress vote.
- When in home state/district members will have engagements and meetings with constituents
What factors effect how Congress votes (pressure groups and lobbyists)?
- Members of Congress work with pg and lobbyists who share their beliefs and give them financial support.
- NRA is an example of a group that influences the vote of many of Congress and gives financial support to them, explains failure of gun legislation.
How does a bill become law ie, what is the legislative process?
1) Introduction from the president/party leaders/committees which is purely a formality
2) Committee stage where the bill is debated and amended, the bill can die here if it doesn’t get a favourable review
3) Timetabling where a decision is made as to whether the bill will pass to the full chamber for a full debate. To get it on the senate floor there has to be a unanimous consent agreement between majority and minority leaders. House Rules committee priorities the bills.
4) Floor debate and vote, need 50%+ of the vote to pass. In the senate someone can filibuster to delay or stop a bill but this can be ended by a cloture petition
5) Conference committee may be required if the two houses have different bills due to amendments, they can be reconciled.
6) Presidential action, president can sign it or not sign it but it automatically becomes law after 10 days.
President can pocket veto, fail to sign a bill after Congress has adjourned so it doesn’t become law.
President can normal veto, but this can be override by a 2/3 congress majority.
