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