AP Gov 10-3,4

What is the difference between a bill and a law?

A bill is proposed legislation under consideration by legislature. A bill becomes a law once it has been passed by the legislature.

Bill

A proposed law presented to a legislative body for consideration. Significant because senators and representatives must screen proposals and decide which measures will go on to floor consideration.

Franking privilege

Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free. Significant because it allows members of congress to send mail to their constituents at the government's expense.

Politico:

Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles. Significant because politicos believe their vote should be based on a balance between: Their own view of what is best for the constituents and what is best for the nation as a whole.

Partisan:

Lawmaker who owes his/her allegiance to his/her political party and votes according to the party line. Significant because partisans believe their vote should be based on loyalty to their party ("What does my party want?")

Trustee:

Lawmaker who votes based on his or her conscience and judgement, not the views of his or her constituents. Significant because trustees believe that their vote should be based on conscience and judgement. Sometimes this means ignoring the views of their colleagues or constituents.

What roles and functions do members of Congress perform?

Members of congress are legislators, representatives of their constituents, commitee members, servants of their consitutients, and politicians. They have representative, committee member, and servant functions.

Delegate:

Representative; member of congress who cast votes based on the wishes of their constituents. Significant because delegates believe that their vote should be directly based on the people.

Constituency:

The people and interests the senators represent. Significant because senators are supposed to be less concerned with the interests of some particular small locality and more focused on the "big picture" of national concerns.

What is the oversight function?

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

How does the Senate differ from the House?

The senate's members are chosen from an entire state, House members are chosen from local districts. Senate members have a 6 year term, House members have a two year term. Senate members originally elected by state legislatures, House members originally elected by voters. There are 100 members in the senate, there are 435 voting members in the house. The senate is national leadership, while the house is local or narrow leadership.

How do the different terms of office for the House and Senate allow each house of Congress to make a unique contribution to national decision-making?

The two year term of the house encourages its members to base their decision making on current events and the people's passions of the moment. The six year term of the senate gives its members job security and allows them to not be pressured by public opinion. This encourages senate members to make decisions based on the "big picture" of national concerns.

What does the profile of the average member of Congress tell you about the informal qualifications for the office?

tells us that the informal qualifications for the office does not require the individual to be a perfect representation of his/her people. The average member of congress is a white male in is late 50s, so congress is not an accurate cross section of the nation's population.

Continuous body:

the seats are never up for election all at the same time. Significant because staggering the terms of members achieves stability and prevents more than a minority of seats from changing in a single election

Why do most senators receive more public attention than their colleagues in the House?

they are more publicly involved and they have more influence in their state's politics. They are the prime source of contenders for the presidential nomination.