APGOV Chapter 4: Congress, Lawmaking, and Supreme Court Cases

Logrolling

Members of Congress trade votes to get their earmarks passed.

Oversight

Ability of Congress to ensure laws are being followed with original intention or to investigate members of executive branch.

Appropriations Committee

Allocate for specific programs.

House Rules Committee

A powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the debate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor.

Pork Barrel Spending

Allocation of monies to projects within districts or states.

Entitlement Program

Program that provide benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income.

Discretionary Spending

Spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president.

Filibuster

Using unlimited debate with the intention of talking a bill to death.

Cloture

60 senators vote to end filibuster and proceed to action.

Gridlock

A slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions.

Speaker of the House

Leader of the House; sets the legislative agenda, assigns bills to committees, controls debate, and is second in line to the presidency.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the U.S.; presides over the Senate and casts tie-breaking votes but rarely participates in debate.

President Pro Tempore

Senior member of the majority party who presides when the Vice President is absent; mostly a ceremonial role.

Senate Majority Leader

Most powerful person in the Senate; sets the legislative agenda, manages floor debate, and represents the majority party.

House Majority Leader

Second-in-command to the Speaker; helps set the party's agenda and coordinates party strategy in the House.

Whip

Counts votes, persuades members to vote along party lines, and ensures party discipline in both chambers.

Committee Chair

Head of a congressional committee (always from the majority party); sets the committee agenda and leads hearings, markups, and votes.

Expressed Powers

Powers clearly listed in the Constitution (e.g., taxing, declaring war, regulating commerce).

Implied Powers

Powers not stated directly but derived from the Necessary and Proper Clause to carry out expressed powers.

Baker v. Carr - Background

A Tennessee citizen, Charles Baker, challenged the state's outdated legislative district boundaries, which hadn't been redrawn since 1901.

Baker v. Carr - Constitutional Clause

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Baker v. Carr - Decision

The Supreme Court ruled that federal courts can hear redistricting cases and that Tennessee's districts violated the Equal Protection Clause.

Baker v. Carr - Impact

Established the principle of 'one person, one vote.' This decision gave federal courts power to review redistricting and required states to make congressional districts more equal in population, increasing fairness in representation.

Shaw v. Reno - Background

North Carolina created two majority-minority districts to increase Black representation in Congress, but one district was oddly shaped, stretching across the state.

Shaw v. Reno - Constitutional Clause

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Shaw v. Reno - Decision

The Supreme Court ruled that race cannot be the main factor in drawing district lines.

Shaw v. Reno - Impact

Limited the use of race in redistricting and set a precedent for future cases. It reinforced that redistricting must be done in a way that treats all voters equally, helping prevent racial segregation in voting districts.