POL-111 Congress

Standing Committee

permanent, legislative authority

Select Committee

temporary, no legislative authority, investigatory

Joint Committee

can be temporary or permanent, study issues that impact both chambers

Conference Committee

temporary, legislative authority, reconcile differences between House & Senate versions of a bill

gerrymandering

purposeful drawing of districts to advantage a political party or some other group

pork barrel

public works projects and grants for specific districts paid for by general revenues

the four types of Congressional committees

1. standing committees

2. select committees

3. joint committees

4. conference committees

two major roles of members of Congress are:

representation and lawmaking

redistricting

the reallocation of congressional seats among the states every ten years, following the census

Congressional oversight

congressional committee’s monitoring of the executive branch and of government agencies to ensure they are acting as Congress intends

Congress finds it difficult to make policy that solves national problems because…

constituents reward them for taking care of their individual interests

It is generally more difficult to win the nomination of your party but easier to win the general election when…

the seat is open