Public Policy and Congress: Key Concepts and Structures

What is public policy?

Government laws, regulations, court decisions, and actions (or inaction) addressing public issues.

What is domestic policy?

Policies addressing issues inside a nation's borders.

Types of public policy?

Distributive, regulatory, redistributive.

Distributive policy example?

Student loans, farm subsidies.

Regulatory policy example?

Land-use regulations.

Redistributive policy example?

Social welfare programs.

Agenda setting?

Government recognizing a problem for action.

Policy formulation?

Identifying solutions to public issues.

Policy adoption?

Formal selection of a policy.

Policy implementation?

Carrying out adopted policies.

Policy evaluation?

Assessing effectiveness of a policy.

Why is Congress bicameral?

Two chambers created as compromise.

Members in House and Senate?

House 435; Senate 100.

Representation differences?

House by population; Senate equal.

House qualifications?

25 years old, 7-year citizen, resident.

Senate qualifications?

30 years old, 9-year citizen, resident.

Unique House powers?

Initiate revenue bills, impeachments.

Unique Senate powers?

Try impeachments, confirm appointments, ratify treaties.

Enumerated powers?

Taxing, borrowing, regulating commerce, declaring war.

Necessary & Proper Clause?

Allows implied powers.

Congress checks executive?

Power of purse, impeachment, veto override.

Congress checks judicial?

Confirm judges, create courts, impeachment.

Apportionment?

Redistribution of House seats.

Redistricting?

Redrawing district lines.

One person, one vote?

Districts equal population.

Gerrymandering?

Manipulating districts for advantage.

Packing?

Concentrating opposition in few districts.

Cracking?

Splitting opposition across districts.

Election cycles?

House every 2 years; Senate staggered 6 years.

Incumbent?

Officeholder running again.

Incumbency advantages?

Name recognition, fundraising, casework.

Delegate model?

Vote as constituents want.

Trustee model?

Vote using own judgment.

Politico model?

Mix of trustee and delegate.

Political polarization?

Growing division between parties.

Effects of polarization?

Gridlock, party-line voting.

Who picks chamber leaders?

Party caucuses.

Majority party advantage?

Controls committees and agenda.

Speaker's role?

Controls floor and House agenda.

House Majority Leader role?

Plans schedule and strategy.

Whips role?

Track votes and enforce discipline.

Senate presiding officer?

Vice President.

Senate Majority Leader role?

Controls floor schedule.

Why committees matter?

Divide workload, specialization.

Standing committees?

Permanent committees.

Select committees?

Temporary investigations.

Joint committees?

Members from both chambers.

Conference committees?

Resolve bill differences.

Powerful House committees?

Rules, Appropriations, Ways and Means.

Powerful Senate committees?

Appropriations, Finance, Judiciary, Foreign Relations.

Mark-up?

Debating and amending bills.

Rules Committee role?

Sets debate limits.

Filibuster?

Unlimited debate to block action.

Cloture?

60 votes to end debate.

Conference process?

Match identical bill versions.

Presidential bill options?

Sign, veto, ignore, pocket veto.

Veto override?

2/3 vote both chambers.

Oversight?

Monitoring executive agencies.

Oversight tools?

Hearings, subpoenas, funding power.

Mandatory vs discretionary spending?

Mandatory required by law; discretionary set yearly.

Deficit vs debt?

Deficit yearly shortfall; debt cumulative.

CR (Continuing Resolution)?

Temporary funding measure.

Reconciliation?

Budget process avoiding filibuster.

CRS role?

Policy research.

CBO role?

Budget projections.

GAO role?

Audits and evaluations.

Library of Congress role?

Research collections.

Fiscal policy?

Government taxation and spending decisions.

Who controls fiscal policy?

Congress and the President.

Budget process steps?

President proposal, Congress review, resolution, appropriations, fiscal year.

Mandatory spending examples?

Social Security, Medicare.

Discretionary spending examples?

Defense, education.

Budget shares?

~60% mandatory, 30% discretionary, 10% interest.

Balanced budget?

Revenues = spending.

Surplus?

Revenue > spending.

Social welfare policy?

Protects against income loss.

Social Security Act 1935?

Created federal welfare role.

How Social Security funded?

FICA payroll taxes.

Entitlement program?

Guaranteed benefits.

Means-tested program?

Based on income.

SNAP?

Food assistance.

TANF?

Cash aid for families.

Unemployment Insurance?

Temp income for jobless.

SSI?

Aid for elderly/disabled.

WIC?

Nutrition for women/children.

Representation question?

How reps act for constituents.

Delegate model?

Follow constituents' wishes.

Trustee model?

Use own judgment.

Politico model?

Mix of delegate and trustee.

Polarization?

Partisan ideological division.

Evidence of polarization?

More party-line votes, fewer moderates.

Causes of polarization?

Gerrymandering, primaries, media, sorting.

Gerrymandering & polarization?

Creates safe seats, reduces compromise.

Primary effects?

Partisan voters dominate.

Effects of polarization?

Gridlock, less trust.

Polarization and representation?

Reps reflect party base.

Ideal committee role?

Hearings, evidence-based revisions.

Ideal floor debate?

Amendments and compromise.

Original intent of process?

Open and deliberative.

Who decides bills today?

Party leadership.