APUSGOV (MON 24)

Steps in the Bill Process

Idea → Draft → Introduced → Committee → Floor → Other chamber → Conference → Final vote → President signs/veto → Congress can override

General Powers of Congress

Taxing/spending, regulating commerce, declaring war, creating courts, necessary & proper clause

House-Specific Powers

Start revenue bills, impeach officials, choose President if no Electoral College majority

Senate-Specific Powers

Hold impeachment trials, confirm appointments, ratify treaties, filibuster/cloture

Filibuster

Unlimited Senate debate to block or delay a vote

Cloture

Senate vote to end a filibuster; requires 60 senators

Trustee Legislator

Votes based on personal judgment

Delegate Legislator

Votes based on constituents’ wishes

Politico Legislator

Mix of trustee and delegate behavior

Partisan Legislator

Votes with party line

Casework

Helping constituents solve problems with federal agencies

Pork-barrel Spending

Securing government funds/projects for a legislator’s district

Standing Committee

Permanent committee for bills on specific topics

Select Committee

Temporary committee for special investigations

Joint Committee

Committee with members of both House and Senate

Conference Committee

Reconciles differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

Rules Committee

House committee that controls flow of bills, debate time, and amendment rules

Apportionment

Dividing House seats among states based on population (census every 10 years)

Redistricting

Redrawing congressional district lines after apportionment

Malapportionment

Unequal populations in districts → unconstitutional (Reynolds v. Sims)

Gerrymandering

Drawing districts to favor a party or group; racial gerrymandering limited (Shaw v. Reno)

Majority-Minority District

District where a minority group is the majority; can increase minority representation

Current Speaker of the House

Mike Johnson

House Majority Leader

Steve Scalise

House Minority Leader

Hakeem Jeffries

Senate Majority Leader

Chuck Schumer

Senate Minority Leader

Mitch McConnell

President of the Senate

Kamala Harris

President Pro Tempore

Patty Murray