Congress & Texas Legislature: Key Concepts and Processes

Constituent

Person in a legislator's district

Agency Representation

Rep acts for constituents' preferences

Trustee Representation

Rep uses own judgment

Delegate Representation

Rep follows constituents' wishes

Incumbency Advantage

Incumbents re-elected more often

Incumbent

the current officeholder

Casework

Services/help to constituents

Franking Privilege

Free official mail

Private Bills

Apply to specific people

Patronage

Jobs/favors for support

Pork-Barrel Legislation

Local projects to benefit district

House Term

2 years; 25 yrs old; 7 yrs citizen

Senate Term

6 years; 30 yrs old; 9 yrs citizen

Apportionment

Seats by population

Redistricting

Redrawing districts

Gerrymandering

Districts for party advantage

Party Caucus/Conference

Meeting of party members

Speaker of the House

Top House leader

Majority/Minority Leader

Guide party legislation

Vice President

Senate presiding officer

President Pro Tempore

Senior majority senator

Senate Majority/Minority Leaders

Real Senate leaders

Standing Committees

Permanent subject committees

Jurisdiction

Policy area coverage

Gatekeeping Authority

Control which bills move forward

Proposal Power

Bring bills for consideration

After-the-Fact Authority

Oversight after passage

Conference Committees

Resolve House/Senate versions

Oversight

Monitoring executive branch

Subcommittees

smaller divisions of standing committees

Seniority

Longest -serving has power

Chair

Majority leader of committee

Ranking Member

Top minority member

House Rules Committee

Sets debate terms

Open Rule

Amendments allowed

Closed Rule

No Amendments

Senate Holds

Delay action

Unanimous Consent

Sets debate rules

Cloture

60 votes to end filibuster

Filibuster

Talking to delay

Amendments

Changes to bills

Distributive Tendency

Spread benefits across districts

Party Discipline

Pressure to vote the party line

Party Vote

Most members vote with party

Roll-Call Vote

Recorded votes

Committee Assignments

Party chooses members

Floor Access

Debate control

Whip System

Tracks votes, enforces unity

Logrolling

Vote trading

Polarization

Parties further apart

Primaried

Challenged within the party

Hearings

Investigations

Subpoenas

Legal demand for info

Advice & Consent

Senate confirms appointments

Treaty Ratification

Senate 2/3 vote required

Bicameral

House & Senate

Biennial

Meets every 2 years

Part-time Legislature

Not full-time politicians

Regular Sessions

140 days in odd years

Special Sessions

30 days, called by governor

Pay

$7,200 + per diem

House

2 years; 21 yrs old; 2 yrs Texas resident

Senate

V4 years; 26 yrs old; 5 yrs Texas resident

Single-Member Districts

One rep per district

Census

Population count every 10 years

One Person, One Vote

Equal population districts

Baker v. Carr

Required equal districts

Shelby Co. v. Holder

Limited fed. oversight

Bills

General, Local, Special

Resolutions

Concurrent, Joint, Simple

Impeachment

Remove officials

Referral

Bill sent to committee

Pigeonholing

Kill bill in committee

Veto

Governor rejects bill

Post-Adjournment Veto

After session, cannot override

Line-Item Veto

Reject parts of spending bills

Lieutenant Governor

Elected statewide; Senate leader

Powers

Recognition, appointments, committees

One -Party State History

First Democratics, now Republicans

Reconstruction

Post-Civil War Republican control