Chapter 12: Legislative Branch

Define Bill

A proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language. Anyone can draft a bill, but only a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate can formally submit a bill for consideration.

Define Republic

A republic in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies.

Define Seniority System

A simple rule for picking committee chairs, in effect until the 1970s. The member who had served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence.

Define Filibuster

A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, cased on the tradition of unlimited debate. Today, 60 members present and voting can halt a filibuster

What's the Term for A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.

Conference Committees

Define Divided Congress

When one party controls the executive but not both chambers of the legislature.

Define Standing Committees

A permanent committee in Congress that oversees bills that deal with certain kinds of issues.

Define Earmarks

"Hidden" congressional provision that directs federal government to fund specific project or exempts specific people or groups from paying specific federal taxes or fees.

List and *EXPLAIN* five advantages incumbents have over their challengers in congressional elections

*1.* They're well known. *2.*They actually talk to their constituents instead of using ads. *3.*They take credit for things they didn't do, but were involved in. *4.*They've already run before and know what they need to do. *5.*They have more money and support from PACs.

What items may lead to the defeat of an incumbent?

*1.*The way districts are drawn. *2.*People may feel like there needs to be changed. *3.*The incumbent may not have been good in office.

What are the four formal powers of the Speaker of the House?

*1.*They preside over the House when in session. *2.*They Play a key role in committee assignments. *3.*They appoint the party's leadership. *4.*They control which bills go to which committee.

Describe the differences between casework and pork barrel.

*Casework*: When an incumbent Congress member helps an individual constituent in some way. *Pork Barrel*: The lists of funds and projects available to the cities and businesses in the incumbent's district.

What is the difference between descriptive and substantive representation?

*Descriptive*: When a Congress member claims to represent their constituent's beliefs because the constituent's beliefs are the member's exact beliefs as well. *Substantive*: Where the Congress members represent the interests of groups.

List the four types of congressional committees and DESCRIBE each

*Standing Committees:* Standing committees deal with issues of permanent legislative concern *Conference Committees:* For a bill to become law both houses must approve identical versions. When different versions are past the leaders create a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the two bills. *Select Committees:* Deals with temporary issues, investigation. *Joint Committees:* Consist of members of both houses usually created to deal with a specific issue.

List and DESCRIBE three congressional staff agencies

*The Congressional Research Service/CRS:* They provide members with nonpartisan information and provide electronically information about new bills. *The General Accounting Office/GAO:* The major function of this agency is that it watches what the white house does. The GAO also deals with accounting and legal matters. *The Congressional Budget Office/CBO:* The CBO deals with the budget and the economy.

What is the difference between trustees, instructed delegates, and politicos?

*Trustees:* Using best judgment to make policies in the interests of the people. *Instructed delegates:* Mirroring the preferences of constituencies. *Politicos:* Adopting both trustee and instructed delegates roles. Strive to be both representatives and policy makers.

Which of the following is most likely to hurt an incumbent legislator's chances for reelection? *a* The incumbents has gone through a scandalous and public divorce. *b* The incumbent has been in office during economic downturn. *c* The incumbent has spent more money than his challenger on his reelection campaign. *d* The incumbent has supported the president's policy initiatives. *e* The incumbent has spent considerable time claiming credit for his voting record.

A

Define Caucus

A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.

Define Conference Committees

A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.

Define Bicameral Legislature

A legislature divided into two houses The U.S. Congress and every American state legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral.

Define Hold

A tactic by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor. This stops the bill from coming to the floor until the hold is removed.

Define Casework

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have the right to get.

What's the Term for the power vested in the U.S. Senate by the Constitution (Article II, Section 2) to give its advice and consent to the president on treaties and presidential appointments.

Advice and Consent

Define House Rules Committee

An institution unique to the House of Representatives that review all bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full house

Define Speaker of the House

An office mandated by the Constitution. The speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant

All EXCEPT which of the following are true of incumbents in Congress? *a* Most incumbents decide to run for reelection. *b* Most incumbents' views on policy are well known to their constituents. *c* Most incumbents win reelection with more than 60% percent of the vote. *d* Most incumbents have more campaign contributions to spend than their opponents. *e* Most incumbents have higher levels of name recognition than their opponents.

B

Which of the following best describes the president's influence over congressional decision making? *a* Presidential influence in Congress regularly directs congressional decision making *b* Presidential influence in Congress occurs in margins. *c* Presidential influence in Congress is more pronounced in the Senate than the House *d* Presidential influence in Congress is more likely to occur when interest groups oppose the president's position. *e* Presidential influence in Congress is enhanced by the constitutional separation of powers.

B

Define Franking Privlege

Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free

What's the Term for A legislature divided into two houses The U.S. Congress and every American state legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral?

Bicameral Legislature

How does Congress and members' interests affect the scope of government?

Big government helps members of Congress get reelected and even gives them good reason to support making it bigger. However, Congress does not impose programs on a reluctant public; instead, it responds to the public's demands for them.

What's the Term for A proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language. Anyone can draft a bill, but only a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate can formally submit a bill for consideration.

Bill

When the House and the Senate pass different versions of a bill, these versions are to be reconciled by a *a* standing committee. *b* joint committee. *c* conference committee. *d* select committee. *e* reconciliation committee.

C

Which of the following is NOT a reason for the current under-representation of women in Congress? *a* Women are less likely than men to run for office if they feel their chances of winning are poor. *b* Women are less likely than men to become major party nominees. *c* Women are less likely than men to win races they enter. *d* Women are less likely than men to run for office because of childcare responsibilities. *e* All of the above are reasons for the under-representation of women in congress.

C

What's the Term for Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have the right to get?

Casework

What's the Term for A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.

Caucus

What's the Term for mechanism requiring sixty senators to vote to cut off debate

Cloture

What's the Term for The most important influences of the congressional agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

Committee Chairs

Define Joint Committees

Committees on which both senators and representatives serve.

How do the committees and subcommittees work?

Committees review and modify bills as well as decide if they should be reported to the floor for a vote. Subcommittees do much of the work in reviewing and researching bills.

Define Legislative Oversight

Congress' monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

What's the Term for

Congressional Leadership

Define Select Committees

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.

What's the Term for servicing the constituency through casework and pork barrel?

Credit Claiming

The filibuster may be considered undemocratic because *a* it is used in the Senate but not in the House of Representatives. *b* it is used to prevent logrolling in Congress. *c* it is used to undermine the power of the Speaker of the House *d* it is used by the minority to defeat the majority. *e* it is used by the majority to defeat the minority.

D

Which of the following statements is true? *a* The background of members of Congress are representative of the American people. *b* Members of Congress find it easy to know what their constituents want. *c* Representation and effective policymaking are generally compatible. *d* Congress is responsive to a wide range of interests in America. *e* Because of its responsiveness to organized interests, Congress is incapable of passing major reforms.

D

Who's Role is it to speak or act on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level.

Delegate

What's the Term for the people govern themselves by voting on issues individually as citizens.

Direct Democracy

What's the Term for when one party controls the executive but not both chambers of the legislature.

Divided Congress

What's the Term for "hidden" congressional provision that directs federal government to fund specific project or exempts specific people or groups from paying specific federal taxes or fees.

Earmarks

*True or False:* Approximately 25 percent of membership in the House of Representation is African American.

False

*True or False:* Congressional committee oversight has declined as federal policy responsibilities have increased over time.

False

What's the Term for A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, cased on the tradition of unlimited debate?

Filibuster

What are the requirements to be a member of the House? Senate?

For House, you must be at least 25, been a citizen for at least 7 years, and live in the state you represent. For the Senate, you must be at least 30, have been a citizen for at least 14 years, and live in the state you represent.

What's the Term for benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free

Franking Privlege

What's the Term for The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent?

Gerrymandering

What role does the President play with Congress?

He acts as the chief legislator in a way because of how they help create the constitutional agenda.

What's the Term for a tactic by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor. This stops the bill from coming to the floor until the hold is removed.

Hold

What's the Term for An institution unique to the House of Representatives that review all bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full house?

House Rules Committee

What are the basic differences between the House and Senate?

House represents based on population, while senate is equal.

What's the Term for Individuals who already hold office?

Incumbents

Define Incumbents

Individuals who already hold office.

What's the Term for Committees on which both senators and representatives serve.

Joint Committees

What's the Term for Congress' monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

Legislative Oversight

What impact do lobbyists have on Congress and how can Congress frustrate the lobbyists?

Lobbyists can bring new issues/perspectives to Congress' table and influence policy makers through offering information, political intelligence, and financial support. But they can also get a representative's citizens to pressure them to do certain things, which annoys congressmen.

What's the Term for The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's manager in the Senate. The majority is responsible for scheduling bills, influence committee assignments, and rounding up votes in be half of the party's legislative positions?

Majority Leader

Define Cloture

Mechanism requiring sixty senators to vote to cut off debate

What's the Term for The principle leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate?

Minority Leader

Describe a "typical" member of Congress in terms of each of the following categories: Sex, Race, Age, Religion, Prior Occupation, and Wealth.

Old, White, Protestant, Upper class Men who worked in Law

What's the Term for principle meaning that election districts would have to be redrawn to provide equal representation for all of states citizens.

One Person, One Vote

Define Whips

Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party

How do Party, Constituency, and Ideology help shape domestic policy?

People of the republican party tend to lean overall more towards more conservative policies, like lower minimum wage, less welfare/medicare, while democrats tend to be more liberal.

Why do people have a general distrust or low approval rating of our political institutions including Congress?

People tend to do this because of events like Watergate, which cast a negative light on politicians. This is also because people don't really know a lot of congressmen, which leads to a more faceless feel to the members of congress.

What role does party identification play in voting?

People tend to vote with their party instead of voting based on the person.

What is the difference between the personal staff and the committee staff?

Personal staff deals directly with the Congress person that they are employed with and manage things that deal with the Congress person's constituencies. The committee staff deal only with committees, they help take care of the paper work and keep the members up to date on the issues the committee deals with.

What's the Term for role played by elected representatives who act as trustees or as delegates, depending on the issue.

Politico

What's the Term for The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district?

Pork Barrel

Define One Person, One Vote

Principle meaning that election districts would have to be redrawn to provide equal representation for all of states citizens

What's the Term for a republic in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies.

Republic

What's the Term for tax bills (must originate in the House) to raise money for the government.

Revenue Bills

What are the main functions of the House Rules Committee?

Reviewing bills before the bills go to the entire house, along with creating rules for that specific bill such as how long the bill has until it's approved.

Define Politico

Role played by elected representatives who act as trustees or as delegates, depending on the issue.

What's the Term for Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.

Select Committees

What's the Term for A simple rule for picking committee chairs, in effect until the 1970s. The member who had served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence.

Seniority System

Define Credit Claiming

Servicing the constituency through casework and pork barrel

What are the positives/negatives of being in Congress?

Some positives are a high salary, good retirement plan, and a lot of time off. Some negatives are being unpopular with people, having to make tough decisions, and not being able to pass laws.

What's the Term for An office mandated by the Constitution. The speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant?

Speaker of the House

What's the Term for a permanent committee in Congress that oversees bills that deal with certain kinds of issues?

Standing Committees

Define Revenue Bills

Tax bills (must originate in the House) to raise money for the government.

What are term limits and why are they supported/criticized?

Term limits are limits to how many times a person can hold office. Some support it because it means that 1 person doesn't gain too much power. Some criticize it because it risks losing a good president/senator and getting a bad one.

What are the limits to Congressional leadership? How does the leadership's power differ in the House and Senate?

The Senate's leader is the Vice President, and the House's leader is the Speaker of the House. The Speaker of the House assigns bills to committees and appoints select conference committee members. The Vice President can't participate in Senate debates, but can vote in case of a tie.

Define Gerrymandering

The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.

How does the seniority system work in Congress? How has this changed in Congress?

The seniority system gives people who have served a committees the longest and has their party in charge, control of their committee. Because of it's oversights in regards to experience and ability, this lead to poor leadership in a lot of committees.

Define Pork Barrel

The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district.

Define Committee Chairs

The most important influencers of the congressional agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

Define Direct Democracy

The people govern themselves by voting on issues individually as citizens.

Define Advice and Consent

The power vested in the U.S. Senate by the Constitution (Article II, Section 2) to give its advice and consent to the president on treaties and presidential appointments.

Define Majority Leader

The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's manager in the Senate. The majority is responsible for scheduling bills, influence committee assignments, and rounding up votes in be half of the party's legislative positions

Define Minority Leader

The principle leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate

Compare and contract incumbents in Senate and House elections.

They are both elected by the people at the end of a term.

What is congressional (legislative) oversight? How does it serve as a check & balance? What factors determine whether oversight is aggressive or not?

Through oversight, Congress can pressure agencies and, in extreme cases, cut their budgets in order to secure compliance with congressional wishes. It can also provide an opportunity to refine existing policies, like reimbursements under medicare, or respond to new problems, like regulations regarding offshore drilling for oil.

What is a Delegate's Role

To speak or act on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level.

*True or False:* The vast majority of people are more likely to votes based on party identification than on the candidate's personal characteristics and/or policy platform.

True

True or False: Only a member of the House or Senate can officially propose a bill.

True

Who's Role is it to vote on the behalf of others, but mainly makes their own decisions independently.

Trustee

What is a Trustee's Role

Vote on the behalf of others, but mainly makes their own decisions independently.

What's the Term for Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party?

Whips

Why aren't there more women in Congress?

Women with children run for office less than men because of child care responsibilities. Also, Women are less likely than are men to run when they perceive their odds to be poor.