USA2

Question 1

what are the 2 houses in congress?

election cycle?
requirements ?

Answer 1

house of representatives and senate

HOR= 2 year term, senate= 6 year term
25, citizen 7 years, 30, citizen 9 years

Question 2

what are the 4 concurrent powers?

Answer 2

• constitutional amendments
• declaring war
• confirming vice president
• passing legislation

Question 3

what are the exclusive powers of …
house of representatives? (3)

senate ?(4)

Answer 3

• initiate money bills
• elect president if EC deadlocked(1800/24)
• bring cases of impeachment e.g. bill Clinton 1998
• confirm presidential appointments
• elect vice president if EC deadlocked
• try cases of impeachment
• ratify treaties

Question 4

What is the significance of incumbency? (5)

Answer 4

• name recognition
• legislative record
• congressional franking privileges
• gerrymandering, manipulated
• house/senate dedicated website

Question 5

features of congressional elections? (3)

Answer 5

• midterms
• win primary to become candidate for party
• win seat by FPTP on election day

Question 6

factors effecting voting in congress?(4)

Answer 6

• constituency
• pressure groups and lobbyists
• party and partisanship
• congressional caucuses

Question 7

what is the legislative process? (8)

Answer 7

• introduction
• committee
• timetabling
• second reading/vote
• third reading/vote
• conference committee (both)
• house/senate approval
• presidential action

Question 8

strengths of legislative process? (4)

weaknesses ?(3)

Answer 8

• high level scrutiny
• protects state rights
• prevents tyranny of majority
• unanimous consent
• slow
• lack of bipartisanship leads to gridlock
• focus on re-election rather than legislation

Question 9

what are congress’s oversight powers? (6)

Answer 9

• impeachment
• determining funding
• declaring war
• ratification of federal justices
• ratification of treaties
• investigation of executive action

Question 10

what are the factors regarding oversight of congress and presidency? (5)

Answer 10

• HOR and senate presided by same party
• when next election is
• which branch has recent mandate
• poll ratings/popularity
• national circumstances

Question 11

what are the methods congress uses to oversee the supreme court? (5)

Answer 11

• ratification of judicial nominees
• creation of lower courts
• impeachment of justices
• congress’s determination of the no. of justices
• initiate constitutional amendment to overturn supreme court ruling

Question 12

who does congress represent? (6)

Answer 12

• districts/ states as a whole
• individual constituents
• their party
• congressional caucuses
• interest groups
• descriptive representation

Question 13

House of representatives is effective ?(4)

Answer 13

• shorter election cycle -responsive
• congressional politicians represent smaller numbers
• party discipline stronger in house
• based on population more populous better represented

Question 14

the senate is effective? (4)

Answer 14

• represent view as a whole state
• unanimous consent allows power
• unanimous consent allows party discipline weaker
• six year terms ‘get on with it’

Question 15

changing roles in constitutional powers?

• declaration of war
• passing budget
• passing legislation

Answer 15

• developed weapons, authorisations in use of military
• increased bipartisanship, arguments
• lack of bipartisanship low legislation more executive orders

Question 16

parties are important? (3)

not important ?(3)

Answer 16

• increase partisan, gov shutdowns, low leg
• diff parties control presidency in congress
• control appointments
• parties ‘broad churches’
• party discipline weak
• unanimous consent gives senators individual power

Question 17

the legislative function good? (2)

bad (3)

Answer 17

• well scrutinised lengthy process
• increased divided gov, reduces tyranny
• lack of legislative output
• difficult to overturn veto
• presidential bills largely unhindered