AP Gov AMSCO 2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives

Overall Job of Congress

Create statutes/laws for the President to decide if they do or do not become laws.

Article 1

First article of the Constitution that defines what Congress can and cannot do.

House of Representatives Qualifications

25+, citizen for the past 7 years, resident of the state they represent when elected.

Senate Qualifications

30+, citizen for past 9 years, resident of state they represent when elected.

Unique Powers of House of Representatives

Originates revenue bills, breaks tie for president in the Electoral college, and initiates impeachment.

What do officials have to do in order to be impeached?

They've committed treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors

Unique Powers of Senate

Advice and consent on treaties and presidential appointments, handles trial of impeached officials, and oversee high-level presidential appointments

Advice and Consent

Power that allows senators to recommend or reject major presidential appointees such as Cabinet secretaries and federal judges.

Trial of Impeached Officials

Senate handles trial of impeached officials with a ⅔ majority vote needed to remove the official from office if found guilty.

How High-Level Presidential Appointments work

Senate oversees high-level presidential appointments; if the appropriate committee approves the nominee, the entire Senate will take a vote (simple majority vote needed).

Members of House of Representatives

currently (as of 2025) 435 members.

Terms of House of Representatives

2-year terms, unlimited terms.

Members of Senate

100 members, 2 senators per state

Terms of Senate

6-year terms, unlimited terms.

Structure of House of Representatives

Centralized and hierarchical, the Rule Committee controlling the agenda (majority party controls the agenda), limited debate time, and powerful speaker of the house

Focus of House of Representatives

Focus on revenue and spending.

Structure of Senate

Less centralized with committees having less authority.

Debate in Senate

Loser debate (filibuster allowed but limited by cloture vote).

Filibuster

Tactic used to delay or block action on a bill through prolonged debate and other delaying procedures.

Cloture Vote

Formal procedure used to end the debate on a bill or motion or other matter and proceed to a final vote.

Focus of Senate

Focus on foreign policy.

Treaty Approval in Senate

⅔ majority approval vote needed for any treaties the president enters, even if they aren't official yet (includes foreign nations).

Leaders in Senate

Leaders less powerful except for the powerful majority leader.

How did the framer's design congress?

To be the most democratic and chief policymaking branch, bicameral, both chambers have checks on each other, more members of the House to ensure the will of the people are being reflected, only 1/3 of the senate is up for reelection every 2 years, both chambers can create bills, and the House of Representatives can have caucuses and the Senate can have coalitions to propose unofficial ideas

Bicameral

Two house legislature

What compromise led to our government having a bicameral legislature?

the Great Compromise

House of Representatives

Representatives represent the entire public and are in charge of creating tax-breaks and revenue laws.

Representatives

Members of the House of Representatives that serve for 2 years and have more intimate constituent-representative relationships with their people.

What do members of the House typically focus on and are responsible for?

They focus on their small geographic area and typically consider popular opinions to potentially serve again in the next election

The Senate

Two members from each state grant the state equal representation.

Senators

Members of the Senate that serve 6 year terms and have more constitutional responsibilities than the House of Representatives.

How did the 17th amendment change how our senators are voted for?

The senators were originally elected by state legislators (example of an elite democracy), but after the 17th amendment they're now voted for by the people

17th Amendment

Broadened democracy by giving the people of the state the right to elect their senators.

Reapportionment Act of 1929

All of the states experience a reapportionment every decade, which may add or remove the amount of seats a state can have in the House of Representatives based on how fast the state is growing.

Checks and Balances

Both houses of Congress have checks on each other; both chambers must approve legislation to prevent rash laws from being passed.

Caucus (in the House of Representatives)

Meeting of likeminded members of a political party or group to discuss and conduct party business.

Coalitions (in the Senate)

Alliance of combinations of individuals, groups, or nations for specific and often temporary purposes.

what powers are given to the President?

title of Commander in Chief of the armed forces, the ability to appoint ambassadors and receive foreign ministers, negotiate treaties with other nations, issue executive orders that can impact foreign policy, make executive agreements with other heads of state, and commission the military officers of the USA

What act expanded the President's power to be the commander in chief of the armed forces?

War Powers Act and the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (focus on the war powers act for now)

War Powers Act

Law that requires the president to inform Congress within 48 hours of committing US forces to combat and requires Congress to vote within 60 days to approve any military force and funding.

What did the War Powers Act do?

it struck a balance between the intended constitutional framework and the need for a strong executive that can manage quick modern military action

Why can the president appoint ambassadors and receive foreign ministers?

because he/she is the face of the country

What steps have to be followed in order for negotiated treaties to be approved?

The treaties need to go to the Senate and receive a 2/3 majority vote

Enumerated Powers

Congress has a limited number of specific powers that allow for the creation of public policy.

Commerce Clause

Article 1, Section 8 allows Congress to assume authority over commerce.

Conscription

The Draft.

Implied Powers

Powers that can be interpreted from the Constitution for the federal government to manage and fulfill the enumerated powers.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Clause in Article 1, Section 8 that gives Congress the power to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers.

Commander in Chief

The President is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces and shares power to decide what to do with the troops in a potential war situation with the legislative branch.