AP US Gov/Pol Unit 2: Congress

Explain the primary institution associated with the legislative branch and its main function?

The United States Congress -- the main lawmaking branch of the U.S. government

What does it mean that Congress is considered bicameral?

It is made up of two houses

House of Representatives

• Apportioned by population

• More connected to their voters

• 2 year terms

• 435 members

• at least 25 years old, must be citizen for 7, must live in state district is located

Senate

• Apportioned by state

• Less connected to their voters

• 6 year terms, staggered terms where 1/3 of the senate is elected every 2 years

• 100 members (2 from each state)

• at least 30 years old, must be citizen for 9, must live in state

House (Representation)

• Rules allow leaders to have more control

• Specialization

• Represent public opinion in a timely manner.

• Represent local issues

• Less inclined to compromise

• The Cup - the cup of hot legislation; Represents the House's role as a more immediate, popular chamber that can generate "hot" legislation based on the will of the people

Senate (Representation)

• More deliberative

• Bigger Picture

• Represent large heterogeneous constituencies

• Provide balance to the House

• The Saucer - the saucer that cools the cup down; Represents the Senate's function as a cooling-off point. By having a different structure (e.g., longer terms, equal representation for states), it is designed to provide a more dispassionate and careful review of bills passed by the House

Explain how the concepts of a census, reapportionment, and redistricting are related?

The Constitution requires a population count called the census every 10 years. Then based on the census data congressional seats are redistributed to the states. Once states are awarded a number of House seats states will redistrict by drawing new boundaries to reflect these new seats.

• Article 1, Section 2

Census

An official count of a population, used to determine political representation

Apportionment

Giving unfair advantage to one party

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating the number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states, based on population changes recorded by the decennial census

Redistricting

Changing lines based on new data

Incumbency

holding a polticial office or position

• Incumbent is a candidate who currently holds an office and is running for re-election

Advantages of Incumbency

• High re-election rates

• Ability to raise money

• Scare off challenges

• Sophomore Surge - an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection

Disadvantages of Incumbency

• Harder for women and other minorities to take office

• Argument for term limits

• Fall with the party

Constituency

The people in a district or represented area (Different for each position in government) who elect a representative

• HOR - People of District

• Senate - People of State

Constituent

an individual person in the district

• Constituents are ALL the people of a district

Delegate

A delegate in government is an individual authorized to act and vote on behalf of a larger group of people

• The role of delegates varies, but they primarily represent their constituents' interests in a limited, specified manner. 

Partisan

an individual or group that adheres strongly to the values and perspectives of a specific political party or cause, often exhibiting uncritical allegiance to it

• However the party plans to vote, they follow (loyal party members)

Trustee

an elected official who uses their own judgment to make decisions for the good of their constituents, rather than just reflecting public opinion, or a member of a governing board (like a village board of trustees) that manages an organization on behalf of others

• Each question they face must be decided on its own merits

Politico

a model of political representation where a representative acts as a hybrid of a delegate, partisan, and a trustee

• tries to keep everyone happy and thus is a true politician

Gerrymandering

Apportioning voters in such a way that it gives some voters an advantage over the other

Baker v. Carr and how is it related to concept of redistricting?

• Apportionment matters

• States must adjust based on census and population shifts

• “One man, one vote”

• Districts must be apportioned well

• Basically saying that during the redistricting process districts must be drawn in order to evenly distribute voting power

How is Shaw v. Reno related to the concept of gerrymandering?

• Illegal to Gerrymander based on race

• Basically saying that drawing districts based on race, even if it helped historically discriminated people, was an unconstitutional process

Explain how the houses of Congress are required to work together in order to pass legislation.

Congress is required to pass on identical versions of bills and in order to do that legislators must create coalitions

How does the difference in the length of legislative terms affect the durability of coalitions in Congress?

Because Senators have longer terms, their coalitions tend to last longer than the coalitions in the HOR, making the coalitions more durable for Senate

Define the enumerated powers

Specific Powers of Congress spelled out in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution

What are the enumerated powers of Congress?

• Right to impose and collect taxes

• Right to borrow and coin money

• Right to regulate foreign and interstate trade

• Right to declare war

• Right to create post offices and federal courts below the Supreme Court

• Right to raise and maintain army and navy

Explain how the implied powers of Congress allow the institution to carry out its enumerated powers?

The necessary and proper clause gives Congress implied powers and allows them to pass any law that is required by the enumerated powers

• Essentially allows Congress to make all “necessary and proper” laws for executing its powers

Power of the Purse

• Most effective Congress power

• Congress controls the purse strings for the Federal Government

• Congress sets the budget for: Every branch of gov’t, Federal Agency, Federal Program, Military Action, and Federal Project

• Important because if Congress wants a specific agency or program to stop, they can take away the funding for that agency or program

Speaker of the House

• Elected leader of majority party in house every Congress

• Doesn’t have to be a member of congress as per Constitution 

• Presiding officer / Leader

• Power thought to rival the President’s 

• Decides which bills reach floor, which goto committee, sets legislative agenda, appoints committee chairs (Rules Committee) 

• Current is Mike Johnson

Explain how party leadership impacts the work of the House of the Representatives.

• Agenda setting:

  • The majority party leadership, particularly the Speaker of the House, controls which bills reach the floor for a vote.

• Legislative process management:

  • The Majority Leader schedules floor business and decides the order of legislation.

• Party unity and discipline:

  • Leaders promote party unity and can influence members' votes.

• Minority party leadership:

  • The Minority Leader serves as the opposition's spokesperson and works to develop a strategy to gain the majority.

• Public and inter-branch communication:

  • Leaders act as public spokespeople for their party, explaining its agenda and goals to the public and media.

Vice President

• The Vice President is the President of the Senate

• A Constitutional duty

• Has power to break a tie

  • Recently done for cabinet positions 

• Not allowed to speak or debate

• Current is JD Vance

Who is the president pro tempore and what is their role?

A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the vice president

• Elected by Senate

• Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service

• Largely ceremonial, little power

• Current is Chuck Grassly

Who is the Senate Majority Leader and what is their role?

the most powerful position in the Senate as they set the legislative agenda by deciding which bills reach the floor for debate

• Current is John Thune