Congress
Created for a specific purpose
Select Committee
CRS, GAO, CBO provide specific information to Congress
Staff Agencies
Which of the following is true regarding the leadership structure of Congress?
The Vice President is responsible for creating and setting the legislative agenda for the Senate
Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true?
They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote
True
True or False: as the size of government grows, oversight grows as well
10th Amendment
What amendment gives denied powers?
Power to tax Borrowing Power Commerce Power Judicial Powers Copy Rights and Patens
What are some expressed powers?
Declare war Conduct foreign policy Coin money
What are the expressed powers given to Congress?
May only tax for public purpose May not tax exports Direct taxes Indirect taxes
What are the limitations on taxes?
House - formally brings charges Senate - act as a jury Supreme Court Justice - judge
What are the roles of the House, Senate, and Supreme Court Justice during impeachment?
Necessary and Proper Clause
What lets Congress have implied powers?
House of Representatives
Which house has more rules?
Senate
Who approves all executive appointments?
Whips
Who assists the Majority Leader in the Senate?
Majority leader and whips
Who assists the Speaker of the House?
Anyone
Who can draft a bill?
VIce President
Who formally leads the Senate?
Congress
Who has the power to impeach a Federal Official?
Speaker of the House, by the House members
Who leads the House and how are they voted in?
Minority Leader
Who must work with the Majority Leader?
Party leaders
Who plays a vital role in steering bills through both houses?
Majority Leader, chosen by the party
Who really leads the Senate and how are they elected?
If legislation passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate but each version is slightly different, the conflicting behavior is
a conference committee for review and compromise
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
approving major presidential appointments
Congressional standing committees are best described as
committees created for each session
Debate of a bill in the House of Representatives under a "closed rule" means that
debate on the bill will consist of five-minute speeches, pro and con
The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives rests on its authority to
determine the procedures by white nominations by the President will be approved by the House
The Constitution states that all revenue bill must originate in
the United States House of Representatives
A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always
A member of the majority party in the chamber
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation?
A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state
If the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the reasoning for the decision in Baker v. Carr (1962)?
Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law
Legislature divided into two houses
Bicameral legislature
A proposed law
Bill
Power of Congress to regulate interstate trade as well as foreign trade
Commerce Power
Organize hearings, research & write legislation, target of lobbyists
Committee Staff
Power to investigate government action
Conduct investigations
Resolve differences in House and Senate bills
Conference Committee
Which of the following statements about Congress is true?
Debate in both house is structured by elaborate rules enacted by leaders of the majority party
The government spends more than it takes in one year
Deficit Financing
Limited debates
Does the House have limited or unlimited debates?
Unlimited debates (filibuster)
Does the Senate have limited or unlimited debates?
Approvement center
Executive powers
Powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution
Expressed Powers
States commerce is also traffic and intercourse
Gibbons v Ogden
Seniority
How are committee chairs chosen?
Few policy areas = made up of House & Senate members
Joint Committee
Power to establish the courts Define crimes and set punishments
Judicial Powers
Constituency versus Ideology
Most constituents are uninformed about their member. It is difficult for constituents to influence their member, but on controversial issues members can not ignore constituents.
The total amount of money borrowed by the government over time, plus accumulated interest
National Debt
Denied Powers
Reserves powers not mentioned with the states
A member of the House of Representatives who wishes to be influential in the House itself would most likely seek a place on which of the following committees?
Rules
Allows House and Senate to confirm the Vice President
25th Amendment
Begin process to amend the Constitution
Amendments
The exclusive right of an author to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her creative work
Copyright
A "cloture motion" passed in the Senate does which of the following?
Cuts off debate on a bill
Federal spending for which of the following is determined by laws that lie outside the regular budgetary process?
Government-subsidized housing programs
"Pork barrel" legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because such legislation
Helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the rules for debate used by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?
House - debate is unlimited; Senate - Debate is unlimited
1. Members want committee assignments that will help them get reelected, gain influence, and make policy 2. New members express their committee preferences to the party leaders 3. Support of the party is important in getting on the right committee 4. Parties try to grant committee preferences
How do members get on a committee?
435 members, 2 year terms
How many members are in the House of Representatives and how long do they serve for?
100 members, 6 year terms
How many members are in the Senate and how long do they serve for?
Powers no specifically mentioned in the Constitution
Implied Powers
Hearings and other methods of checking the actions of the executive branch
Oversight
Party Influence
Party leaders cannot force party members to vote a particular way, but many do vote along party lines.
grants a person the sole right to manufacture, use, or sell any new and useful art, machine, manufacture or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof
Patent
Work for the member, mainly providing constituent service, but help with legislation too
Personal Staff
Subject matter committees handle different policy areas
Standing Committee
A charge levied by the government on persons or property to meet public needs
Tax
Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress?
The Speaker of the House
Initiates all revenue bills, more influential on budget
What does the House of Representatives do?
Gives "advice & consent", more influential on foreign affairs
What does the Senate do?
The House will select a winner
What happens if no candidate receives a majority in the electoral college?
Major role in committee assignments and legislation
What is the House's part in making legislation?
The chair
What is the most important position for controlling legislation
Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT
establishing a lower-court system
The practice in Congress whereby Representative A promises to vote for Representative B's legislation, provided that Representative B votes for Representative A's legislation, is referred to as
logrolling
Most of the bill introduced in the House and the Senate are then
referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress
The details fo legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings?
subcommittee
Enumerated powers of the federal government include all of the following EXCEPT the power to
tax
Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?
the chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party
The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because
the seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore committees must play a larger role
The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most strongly with
their political party affiliation