Congress (6) - American Government
How many votes does cloture require?
60 (3/5)
What are joint committees?
A committee composed of members from both the House and the Senate with jurisdiction over specific issues of mutual interest.
What is cloture?
A legislative procedure used in the Senate to bring an end to debate/filibuster.
What is a standing committee?
A permanent committee of the House or Senate that reviews and reports legislation to the full chamber.
What is a "delegate" member of Congress?
A representative who follows the will of his or her constituency.
What is a trustee representative?
A representative who relies on their own judgement to do what he feels is best for his constituency, even if they do not agree with the decision.
What member of Congress would represent the greatest number of constituents?
A senator from California
When might a conference committee form?
At the end of the legislative process
What is most likely to influence whether a member is selected for a committee assignment?
Demographic profile
Who is the minority whip in the Senate?
Dick Durbin, D, Illinois
Who is the majority whip in the Senate?
John Cornyn, R, Texas
Who is the Majority leader in the House?
Kevin McCarthy, R, California
What is the most common professional background among members of Congress, and what percentage is it?
Law, and roughly 36% of reps hold a law degree and 50% of Senators do.
Why was Congress slow to act on President Obama's health care reform?
Members faced conflicting pressures when evaluating the proposed reforms.
What would be considered an institutional norm developed in Congress?
Reciprocoty, or courtesy, requiring members to refer to each other in an overtly formal and polite way. "Speak to others how you would like to be spoken to"
What category is Congress most representative of in the U.S. population at large?
Religious affiliation: 51% of Americans are Protestant, while 60% of the House is Protestant and 51% of the Senate is Protestant.
What are special committees often called?
Select committees and ad hoc committees
What are the term lengths for the members of each house of Congress?
Six years for senators and two years for representatives.
What are the four types of committees?
Standing committees, conferance committees, joint committees, and special committees.
Who is the minority whip in the House?
Steny Hoyer, D, Maryland
Approximately what percentage of Congress is female?
19%
When did Congress pass a bill to limit its size?
1929
What would the Rules Committee be considered?
A standing committee
What is a filibuster?
A tactic used to delay or prevent action on a bill by extending the debate on it.
What is a conference committee?
A temporary committee composed of members from both the House and the Senate responsible for working out the differences between chamber versions of a bill.
What is a special committee?
A temporary committee organized around a specific purpose, which is usually investigative in nature and lacks the authority to review legislation.
What is a pocket veto?
A type of veto that does not require the president's signature, where the Congressional period adjourns before his 10-day signing period ends, actively killing the bill.
How does the majority party exercise more power than the minority party in congressional proceedings?
By controlling the referral of legislation to committees
In what way do congressional committees exercise authority over the workings of the federal bureaucracy?
By holding committee oversight hearings.
How is the Speaker elected?
By the full House.
Who is the minority leader in the Senate?
Charles Schumer, D, New York
The deliberate manipulation of district lines for electoral advantage is known as what?
Gerrymandering
Who is Matt Gaetz?
He is a freshman representative in the House, representing the 1st congressional district in Florida.
What values must Representative Gaetz balance?
He must balance his constituents' ideological opposition to spending, but support for spending in day-to-day governing.
Once a bill has been introduced, where does the Speaker of the House send it?
He sends it to the appropriate committee for review and discussion.
Where do we find the roots of political parties?
In the debate between the Federalists and the anti-Federalists.
What is the only time that the vice president votes?
In the event of a tie.
What is the best way to describe interest groups and lobbyists?
Interest groups supply legislators with position papers and memos.
How did the state of California attempt to overcome the problem of incumbent gerrymandering?
It established an independent commission composed of regular citizens.
What do parties and committees do for the Congress's ability to function?
It improves their ability to function productively and efficiently
What is the Decennial Census?
It provides the basis for proportional representation in our national legislature?
What is the best way to describe the Committee on Homeland security?
It was a special committee that later became a standing committee.
What would be an accurate statement regarding women in Congress?
Membership in the U.S. congress reflects the average membership of women in parliaments around the world.
Who is the majority leader in the Senate?
Mitch McConnell, R, Kentucky
Membership in Congress can be generally described as what?
Mostly "old white guys."
What is the minimum age for serving in the House of Representatives?
Must be 25, a citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state he or she wishes to represent.
What are the requirements for serving in the Senate?
Must be 30, a citizen of the U.S. for at least nine years, and a resident of the state he or she wishes to represent.
Who is the minority leader in the House?
Nancy Pelosi, D, California
Who is the current President Pro Tempore?
Orrin Hatch, R, Utah
Who is the current Speaker of the House?
Paul Ryan, R, Wisconsin
What is unique about the Senate bill review process?
Potential for filibuster
Who is the majority whip in the House?
Steve Scalise, R, Louisiana
What is incumbent gerrymandering?
Takes place when state legislators draw district lines in a way that guarantees that the current officeholders will win reelection.
What is Partisan Gerrymandering?
Takes place when state legislators draw district lines to guarantee that a political party will win seats in Congress.
What state gained the most seats in the House as a result of congressional reapportionment following the 2010 census?
Texas
Who is the first to see a bill after it is proposed?
The Clerk of the House
What portion of the Constitution gives Congress the power to make laws?
The Necessary and Proper Clause
What powers are unique to the senate?
The power to approve major presidential appointments and to ratify treaties.
What is "home style" ?
The representational dynamic that representatives develop in order to meet the unique expectations of his or her constituency.
Who is the institutional leader of the Senate?
The vice president?
What powers are unique to the House?
They are granted the sole power to originate revenue bills by introducing tax legislation and the power to initiate impeachment proceedings.
What did the anti-Federalist worry about in regard to Congress and why?
They were worried about the small size of the Senate because they felt it would limit the ability of the assemblies to represent the diverse interests of the nation as a whole.
What is a primary function of whips within Congress?
To enforce party discipline and ensure the presence of other members of the party when votes are taken on the floor of each chamber.
At what point is a bill sent to the Senate for approval?
When it has been passed by the full House following debate and amendment.
What would generally be considered the Primary personal goal of most members in Congress?
Winning re-election
What states have only one member in the House of Representatives?
Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska.
Who is the president pro tempore and how is he chosen?
he is the senator who constitutionally serves in the vice president's absence and is usually the most senior senator of the majority party.
Who is the institutional leader of the House?
the Speaker of the House.
