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AP Gov Legislative Branch Flashcards

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7686048746Issues the 113th Congress did NOT resolveFarmers in midwest faced droughts and needed relief, national debt was growing, international conflicts persisted in the Baltic States and the Middle East, status of a national health care bill, education, student grants and loans. abortion and contraceptives and same sex marriage.0
7686087490Roles of Congressmen(and women)Lawmaker, policy maker, budgeter, representative of their district, state party and sometimes race, ethnicity, and gender.1
7686118186Hyper partisanshipA sharply polarized situation in which political parties are in fierce disagreement with each other. Ex. 113th Congress because there are 2 sharp political sides.2
7686152746How is the decennial census connected to the House of Reps?It is a census that comes out every 10 years that counts all the Americans which then determines House of Reps representatives numbers.3
7686167892How is apportionment connected to the House of Reps?It determines how many seats there are in the House of Reps depending on the population.4
7686183648How is redistricting connected to the House of Reps?After seats are appropriated state legislators must reflect populations so each congress member represents the same # of residents.5
7686214077What are the enumerated=delegated powers of Congress?Make laws, raise and spend revenues. Power to declare war, raise army and navy, coin money, regulate commerce, establish the Federal courts and set forth immigration rules and all laws "necessary and proper"6
7686243326Key differences between House and SenateHouse:435 reps, tax &revenue, 2 yr term, centralized, committee on rules, more efficient. Senate:100 reps, 4 yr term, less centralized, no rule committee, foreign policy, difficult to pass legislation.7
7686274050Law making power of executive , bureaucracy, and judicial branch.Executive-Presidents issue proclamations & executive orders. Bureaucracy-Issue quasi-legislation rules & are charged with enforcing laws. Judicial- (Supreme Court) render opinions that generate principles also have the force of all. umm that doesn't make sense so judicial review I guess.8
7686323523Bicameral Legislature2-house legislature. Ex Congress bc house and senate.9
7686338996NaturalizationAdmittance of a foreigner to the citizenship of a country. Ex10
7686348932Impeachment ProcessHouse of Reps charge a official with "Treason, Bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Senate conducts the trial with a 2/3 vote of being guilty.11
7686414119demographic groups over represented in CongressEducated, wealthy, white males/males compared to rest of the population.12
7686425455demographic groups underrepresented in CongressWomen, African Americans and other minorities, poor people compared to the rest of the population.13
7686444128Who are non-voting members of Congress representing?American Samoa, DC, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico.14
7686449508IncumbencyHelps members stay in office once they are elected bc they have advantages. Ex. access to media.15
7686458024RedistrictingRedrawing congressional districts to reflect increase or decreases in seats allotted to the states. As well as population shifts within a state. Occurs every 10 yrs im pretty sure.16
7686479924GerrymanderingThe drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome without regard to shape of the district. Can be used for political advantages.17
7686497256Advantages of incumbencyName recognition, casework, media access, redistricting, credit claiming, franking privilege, ease in fundraising, experience in running a campaign.18
7686533778Origins of "Gerrymandering"Come from the last name of MA governor bc he first politicized the redistricting process, Elbridge Gerry. And the word salamander bc the was one wonky shaped district that looked like a dragon or some shiz.19
7686555647Majority PartyThe political party in each house of congress with the most members. And im not gonna add why its important bc its kinda obvi.20
7686567142Minority PartyParty in each house with the 2nd most members.21
7686580272Party CaucusA formal gathering of all party members. Democrates only tho.22
7686584770Party ConferenceSame thing but for the Republicans.23
7686597372Committee on CommitteesMake committee assignments. Important bc it helps get things done at conferences. Republicans only.24
7686610833Steering CommitteeSame thing as committee on committees but for Democrates.25
7686639084Speaker of the HouseThe only officer of the House of Reps specifically mentioned in the constitution. Chambers most powerful position. Paul Ryan26
7686650812Majority LeaderHead of the party controlling the most seats in the House/Senate. 2nd most powerful position. Senate-Mitch McConnell aka turtle senator (I added a pic to make gretchen laugh). House- Kevin McCarthy.27
7686706522Minority LeaderSame as Majority leader but for the Minority party. House- Nancy Pelosi. Senate-Chuck Schumer.28
7686725760WhipsAssits speaker, majority, and minority leaders in their leadership efforts. Help persuade party members. House: Majority- Steve Scalise, Minority- Steny Hoyer. Senate: Majority-John Cornyn, Minority-Dick Durbine.29
7686940102President Pro TemporeOfficial chair of the Senate. Presiding officer of the Senator. Orrin Hatch. the official who presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president30
7686983050How is the House of Reps organized?Look at chart in study guide.31
7686988151How is the Senate organized?Look at chart in study guide.32
7686995710Standing committeeCommittee to which proposed bills are referred. Ex is Agriculture. Pushes from one congress to another.33
7687003848Joint committeeStanding committee that includes members from both houses. Ex is Economics. Focus on major matters.34
7687020591Conference committeeSpecial joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills. Helps pass bills.35
7687035479Select(special) committeesTemporary committee appointed for specific purpose. Ex Select Benghazi. Helps solve a particular issue.36
7687045529closed rule billphrbphibits amendments to bills up for debate floor.37
7687050925seniorityTime of continuous service on a committee38
7687062064Explain why House committee members are specialists while Senate committee members are generalists.House members have few committee assignments, while Senators are generalist bc they have 3-4 committees and 7 sub committees.39
7687079495Explain why the Appropriation and Budget Committee wields great power in both houses.It has a monetary impact and bc some members are interested in it.40
7687123123Power of committee chairman. How are they selectedSelect all subcommittee chairs, call meetings and are command Majority members to sit on conference committees. Senate is chosen by seniority and House by party loyalty.41
7687155662Traffic cop powerThe Committee on Rules gives each bill a date the bill will be debated this is called a rule. A discharge petition can allow the majority to free bills out of a House committee. Report out means to tell the house or Senate the bills assigned to them.42
7687209951How long is a session in Congressas long as Congress wants43
7687212860Mark-upsession in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor.44
7687217632hold outSenator asks to be informed before a bill or nomination is brought to floor.45
7687238961FilibusterFormal way of stopping Senate action by long speeches or debates.46
7687245136cloturerequires the vote of 60 senators to stop a debate47
7687249474pocket vetoIf congress adjourns before the President signs the bill, the bill is vetoed.48
7687258786override vetoPresident vetos the bill49
7687264205Significance of the Budgetary Function to the legislative processPresident and congress work together to create a budget.50
7687271721Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and CBOlaid out a plan for congressional action on the annual budget resolution appropriations, reconciliation and and other revenue bills.51
7687289564Office of Management and Budgetaids the executive branch in its role of creating the budget.52
7687294884reconciliationconsideration of controversial issues affecting the budget by limiting debate to 20 hrs.53
7687312964Why pork appropriations and programmatic requests insure a member of Congress reelectionBecause the legislator brings old and new public work programs so they are hard defund. I think??54
7687334803Significance of the Congressional Oversight functionIt holds the executive branch responsible for the implementation of its authority.55
7687403364How the War Powers Resolution the demonstrates oversight functionBecause Congress must give its approval for the President to deploy a certain number of troops.56
7687423077Why the war powers resolution is probs unconstitutionalIt limits presidential power as commander in chief57
7687440451purpose of the Congressional Review Act and when Congress has used it.Allows Congress to exercise its oversight powers by nullifying (some word here that I dont know bc I can't read my own handwriting) regulations. The 112th Congress tried to make greater use of act and question all regulations.58
7687528287How Congress has used the Confirmation power to oversee presidential appointmentsThe Senate confirms members of the executive branch and a President will ask the Senators of the State that the person the president wants to appoint, if they favor them.59
7687554034When has Congress used its Impeachment PowerCongress has voted to impeach 17 federal officals.60
7687563205Describe the factors considered in the four resolutions against presidentsJohn Tyler charged with corruption and misconduct 1843, The House rejected the charges against Tyler. Andrew Johnson, charged with serious misconduct in 1868, the Senate acquitted Johnson by a one-margin. Richard M. Nixon charged with obstruction of justice and abuse of power in 1974, Nixon resigned before the full House voted on the articles of impeachment. Bill Clinton charged with perjury and obstruction of justice 1998, acquitted Clinton by a vote of 55-4561
7687563206trusteeListens to constituents opinions and then uses his own best judgment to make a final decision.62
7687571012delegateVotes the way their constituents would want regardless of opinion.63
7687575791politicoActs as a trustee or a delegate depending on issue,64
7687590120Political parties in CongressPolitical parties have strong influence. Democratic and Republican parties vote on 90% of legislation.65
7687605605Difference between divided government and unified governmentDivided-political party controlling congress and Presidency is different Unified-Same political party controlling congress and presidency.66
7687622887How memebers of Congress learn about constitutesAct on the preference of trustees. Social media. Town meetings. Go home and ask constituents.67
7687636589how members of Congress influence and collaborate with colleagues and caucusesask for advice from colleagues who know about the legislation68
7687643755logrollingVote trading, takes place on specialized bills.69
7687654335How legislators are influenced by Interest Groups, Lobbyists, and PACsThey provide information to supportive legislators, ex is NRAs position on gun ownership. Pay for campaigns.70
7687663605CRSResponds to quater million congressional requests for information each year. Conducts studies, makes summaries and tracks progress of bills introduced.71
7687679794GAOSets government standards for accounting, provides legal opinions, settles claims against the government, conducts studies upon congressional request.72
7687690465CBOGives congress a 2nd opinion on budget debates.73
7687826111DistrictingSpecific lines for each electoral district.74
7687841294"at large"They represent the entire state.75
7687845339single-member districtEach election district chooses one representative76
7687850729"one person, one vote"a persons vote counts equally no matter where they live.77
7687857972Why is "one person, one vote" sometimes impossible to achieveBecause the Senate has 2 reps for each states.78
7687861288Majority-Minority districtDistricts where the majority of voters are members of a minority group.79
7687869631who draws congressional districtsPeople working for the state legislator.80
7687877670SCOTUS requirements that district are "same size" and contiguousSo they can't be divided completely by other districts81
7687881495Why Gerrymandering is still a part of redistrictingTo make district even with populations and to capture the characteristics of a population.82
7687903445ContiguityTraditional redistricting principle that districts are a single unbroken state.83
7687907361compactnesshow spread apart or closed in a district is.84
7687911671Cracking and PackingMethod to minimize impact of a voting block by packing its members of the group into a single district so they have less of an impact. Cracking splits the group across so they dilut the impact.85
7687933441Racial GerrymanderingBoundaries were drawn with the goal to dilute voting favor of the minority86
7687943986Baker v Carr(1962)Required districts to be proportional bc of the 14th amendment to ensure everyone is equal.87
7687951183Wesberry v Sanders (1964)Stated the district lines had to contain roughly the same amount of people88
7687970801Reynolds v Sims (1964)the legislative districts across states be equal in population.89
7687977012Shaw v Renobased on race must be held to a standard of strict scrutiny under the equal protection clause. Racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional.90

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