Im GONN|A PASSW!!!

Q: What is the difference between a bill and a joint resolution?

Bills require approval from both chambers and the president, while joint resolutions are used for constitutional amendments and emergencies.

Q: What is cloture, and how many votes does it require?

A procedure to end a filibuster; requires 60 votes.

Q: What is a filibuster, and how can it be stopped?

A tactic to delay/block legislation; stopped by cloture.

What do unanimous consent agreements do in the Senate?

Set terms for debate and streamline procedures.

What is the role of the Rules Committee in the House?

Determines how bills are debated/amended and blocks legislation that could divide the majority party (negative agenda control).

When is the suspension of the rules used?

To quickly pass non-controversial bills with a two-thirds majority.

What does the spatial model suggest about congressional voting?

Legislators vote based on ideological proximity to policy proposals.

Name the four types of congressional committees.

Standing, Select, Joint, Conference.

What is negative agenda control?

The majority party blocks legislation from reaching a vote (e.g., the Hastert Rule).

Why is leadership stronger in the House than in the Senate?

The House has stricter rules and centralized power, while the Senate allows more individual influence.

What is the key difference between authorization and appropriations bills?

Authorization bills create programs; appropriations bills fund them.

Name three strategies the president uses to influence Congress.

Bargaining, going public, unilateral actions (executive orders).

How do party leaders control the legislative process?

By setting the agenda, influencing committee assignments, and enforcing party discipline.

According to Sarah Binder’s “Dysfunctional Congress,” why is passing legislation difficult?

Rising partisanship, procedural hurdles (filibuster, cloture), and negative agenda control.

Name a major procedural difference between the House and Senate.

The Senate allows filibusters, while the House has a Rules Committee that controls debate.

What does David Mayhew argue about Congress members' motivations?

They are primarily focused on reelection.

What is Keith Krehbiel’s theory on party alignment?

Members align with their party because of shared ideological preferences.

How do Gary Cox and Mathew McCubbins describe party power in Congress?

Parties act as legislative cartels controlling the agenda.

What is the main idea of Pivotal Politics Theory?

Supermajority pivots, like the filibuster pivot (short for pivotal, actually fucking stupid), determine policy outcomes. Also grid locking is a major part of this.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees responsible for specific policy areas such as Appropriations, Judiciary, and Energy & Commerce. They handle legislation, conduct oversight, and allocate funding.

Select/Special Committees:

Temporary committees created for specific investigations or issues (e.g., Benghazi Investigation, January 6th Committee). They lack legislative authority but provide critical oversight.

Conference Committees

Temporary, bicameral committees formed to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill before final passage. Their goal is to produce a compromise bill.

Electoral Committees

Oversee policies related to federal elections, regulate campaign finance laws, ensure voting rights and election security, investigate election integrity, and supervise the Federal Election Commission (FEC). These committees may also address allegations of election interference and propose legislative reforms.

Joint Committees

Include members from both the House and Senate to address administrative matters or research-based issues (e.g., Joint Committee on Taxation, Joint Economic Committee). They do not legislate but analyze policy matters.