Chapter 10: Legislative Branch

Cannot suspend habeas corpus, grant titles of nobility, not tax on exports

3 Limits on Congress

makes laws, appropriates money to implement laws, regulate commerce w/ foreign nations, borrow money on credit for US

3 Powers of Congress

single-member district basis

A method of electing members to the house by allowing voters in each district to elect one of the State's representative from among a field of candidates from that district

general ticket system

A method of electing members to the house in which all of the State's seats are filled at-large or elected form the State as a whole rather than from a particular district; this method was proven grossly unfair and was done away with in 1842

Apportioned

A term that refers to the way in which seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the states on the basis of their respective populations (every state is guaranteed at least one seat no matter population)

reapportion

A term that refers to the way in which the seats of the House are redistributed every ten years after the census

Le PaRCS 1)Legislators 2)Politicians 3)Representatives of Constituents 4)Committee members 5)Servants of constituents

5 Major Roles of Congress members

174

Congress receives $________thousand/year in addition to fringe benefits like a tax deduction, free postage, a retirement plan, cheap health & life insurance, travel allowances, free printing, etc.; they set their own pay but are limited by the President's veto power and fear of voter backlash

Off-Year Elections

Congressional elections that occur in non-presidential election years; most often the party that hold the presidency loses seats in the off-year elections

No

Constitutional limit on number of terms ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS may serve?

Tuesday after 1st mon in Nov. of every even year (except in Alaska)

Day of Congressional Elections in every state exempt Alaska

Bicameral Legislature

Denotes the fact that Congress has 2 houses; created by the framers in order to check each other, appease both the small and large states, and to diffuse the power of Congress in order to prevent it from overwhelming the other 2 branches

equal # of ppl w/in state; contiguous territory

District must be....

race

Gerrymandering cannot be based solely on ______, but it can be one in a mix of factors that shape the process (under some circumstances that were never defined it could be unconstitutional)

2

House of Reps. Term Length

Refuse seat w/ majority, punish w/ majority, expel w/ 2/3 majority (cannot exclude those who meet the Const. standards of age, citizenship, & residence)

House powers when a member is elected to Congress:

1

In any given election except when the other seat has been vacated by death, resignation, or expulsion, how many senators are elected per state?

435

Number of Seats in House

25, 7 years citizen, inhabitant of state (usually district)

Qualifications for House

30 years, 9 years a citizen, inhabitant of state

Qualifications for Senators

6

Senate Term Length

Exclude by majority, punish by majority, expel by 2/3 majority

Senate powers when a member is elected to Congress:

Chuck Schumer & Kirsten Gillibrand

Senators of New York

Reapportionment Act of 1929

States that the "permanent" size of the House is 435 members (each representing an average of 700,000 people); the Census Bureau will determine the number of seats each state should have and send it to congress via the President; Congress has 60 days to reject before it passes

20th Amendment

The constitutional amendment that changed the date for the start of each new term

2

# of senators from each state

Trustee

A voting option of members of congress where they believe that each question they face must be decided on its merits (call issues as they see them based on conscience & justice)

Delegate

A voting option of members of congress where they see themselves as agents of the people who elected them

Politicos

A voting option of members of congress who attempt to combine elements of the delegate, trustee, and partisan roles.

Partisans

A voting option of members of congress who believe their first allegiance is to their party

House

All bills for raising revenue shall originate the _______, but all other bills can come from either house.

17th Amendment

Amendment to the constitution that changed the appointment of Senators by the State legislatures to the election of Senators by voters

sine die

The final end of a session, which may not take place in either house without the consent of the other house

session

The period of time during which Congress assembles and conducts business (1 each year)

prorogue

The power of the President (never been used) to end or discontinue a session of congress when the two house can not agree on a date for adjournment

special session

The president may can congress into ___________ to deal with some emergency situation (can call both or either); not as useful now that Congress meets year round

oversight function

The process by which Congress, through its committees, checks to see that the executive branch agencies are carrying out the politics that Congress has set by law

Floor consideration

Where a bill is considered and acted upon by the full membership of the House or Senate

gerrymandering

Where district lines are drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the State legislature (widespread today, usually to either concentrate the opposition's voters in one or a few districts OR spread the opposition as thinly as possible among several districts); this is the main reason only a handful of seats in the House are actually at risk

Nita Lowey

Who is your Congresswoman?

1/3

___ of the Senate reelected every 2 years

article I

______ of the constitution refers to the legislative powers of Congress

100

number of members in the Senate

Bills

proposed laws