Unit 4 American Gov

house structure

serve two years, must be 20

senate structure

serve six years, 100 members, must be 25

house powers

power of impeachment, bills about taxes and money start here

senate powers

can filibuster, approves presidential appointments

speaker of the house

leadership in house

vice president

leadership in senate

bill is introduced

step 1 of how a bill is processed

bill goes to committee

step 2 of how a bill is processed

bill is debated on the floor

step 3 of how a bill is processed

bill is voted on

step 4 of how a bill is processed

referral of the bill to the other chamber

steps 5 and 6 of how a bill is processed

bill goes to president

step 7 of how a bill is processed

president structure

natural born, at least 35, has been a resident to the 7S for 14 years, dana serve two four year terms

approve or veto bills, propose laws to congrsss, commander in chief, pardon those guilty of crimes against the gov, chief diplomat

roles of the president

supports president, if president is unable to serve this position takes over

roles of vice president

1. supreme court

2. circuit court

3. district court

structure of the judicial branch

highest court in US, 9 justices and life terms free them from political pressures

structure of supreme court

judicial review

the power of courts to examine the actions of legislative, executive, and administrative branches of government to determine whether those actions are consistent w the constitution

apportionment

the distribution of house seats among states based on population

constituents

each member of congress represents the people of a particular geographic area

interest groups

like minded people who join together to influence gov and its policies

impeachment

when congress accuses a president of doing something and decides whether or not they should be removed from office

gerrymandering

the job of creating district boundaries within the states which is a power given to congress (this decides how many seats each state gets)

redistricting

drawing district boundaries for political advantage

speaker of the house

presiding officer of the u.s. house of rep and the leader of the majority party, elected by members every two years

filibuster

a practice of debate when opponents of a measure take the fooor of the senate and refuse to stop talking in an effort to prevent the measure coming to a vote

implied powers

powers only suggested by the constitution

expressed powers

powers stated in the constitution

mcculloch v maryland

a landmark supreme court case establishing that congress has implied powers under the “necessary and proper” clause of article one, section eight, allowing it to create a national bank

article two

executive branch enforcing laws of the constitution

electoral college

the constitutional process established in 1787 for electing the u.s. president and vice president rather than a direct national popular vote

cabinet

members that serve as advisors to the president

executive order

a formal rule or regular instructing executive branch officials on how to carry out their job

advice and consent

supreme court justices, federal judges, cabinet, top military advisors

pardon

an executive act if clemency, granted by a president or governor, that officially forgives a person for a criminal offense

precedent

a court decision or official action that serves as an authoritative rule, guide, or example for deciding future cases with similar facts or legal issues

war powers act

federal law intended to limit the u.s. presidents authority to commit armed forces to hostile foreign conflicts without congressional consent

article three

judicial branch interpreting the meaning of laws

jurisdiction

authority to hear a case

original jurisdiction

the court that first hears a case

appellate jurisdiction

review the procedures and the decisions in the trial court

concurrent jurisdiction

court can hear appealed cases OR cases for the first time