Chapter 7 - Congress at Work

Government Chapter 7

What is a Party Caucues?

A closed meeting between 1 party.

What are Public Bills?

Apply to general public policy that can be introduced by any member of Congress. (Ex: Taxes, Violent Crimes, Voting Rights)

What are Private Bills?

Apply to specific individuals or organizations rather than the general public. (Ex: Citizenship, Veteran Benefits, Property Rights)

What are Simple Resolutions?

Considered by either house alone, Deals with chamber rules, reates a select committee.

What are Joint Resolutions?

Closest thing to a bill/law, Agreed by both houses, Carry the force of law when signed by the President.

What is a Rider?

Unpopular legislation that gets attached to a bill that’s certain to pass.

Most bills originate from where?

Citizens, Committees, President, Special Interest Groups

More than 10,000 bills are introduced each term, what percentage becomes law?

10% become law.

What is Congress Convenes?

3rd day of January every odd numbered years following the November elections. This came in place after the 20th Amendment

What are Open Rules?

House members can propose amendments to the Bill

What are Closed Rules

No markup of the Bill during floor debate

5 ways to Report a Bill

• Refused to report the bill

  • Pigeonhole

• Report a bill favorably

• Report the bill in an amended form

• Report a committee bill

  • An entirely new bill

• Report a bill unfavorably

Whats a Junket?

Short trips by Congressmen to areas affected by the Bill (ex: border, & drillings)

What committee does the House have that the Senate doesn’t?

Rules Committee

What happens if the President signs a bill?

The Bill becomes a Law.

Whats a Veto Override?

Congress can Override in both houses, with a 2/3 vote, this is difficult to obtain

What happens if the President takes no action for 10 days?

The Bill gets passed through automatically

Whats a Veto?

President doesn’t sign & rejects the Bill.

Whats a Pigeonhole?

Die in committee or blasted out by Discharge Petition

Discharge Petition

An attempt to force a Bill onto the floor for consideration

How can a Bill be introduced?

An idea or problem by citizens, special interests groups, or by anyone.

For the House, what is the Bill put in?

The Hopper, on the desk of the Clerk

How is a Bill introduced by the Senate?

The Senator introduces it, NO HOPPER.

What is a Authorization Bill?

• sets up a federal program or action and specifies how much money can be used for 

  • (ex- approving the development of the space program)

What is a Appropriation Bill?

• approves the money to be spent or given to a federal agency 

  • (ex: approves of $20 million to construct satellites and rockets for the space program)

What are Entitlements?

• Items that the Government is required to spend $ on every year

  • (ex- Debts, Social Security, funding to Vet, etc)

What is Mandatory Spending?

• Items for which the Government must budget and spend $ on

What is Discretionary Spending?

• Spending approved by Congress and the President during the appropriations process each year

  • (ex-Military, New Tank, Education, Public Transportation)

What are Earmarks?

• Part of a funding bill that designates $ for very specific purposes 

What is the Way and Means Committee?

• is mostly responsible for tax and revenue bills

What are Closed Rules?

• only the ways and means committee has a say on the bill

What are Open Rules?

• any member of the house can propose an amendment to the bill 

What may Congress spend money on?

• General Welfare 

• Defend the US

• Debt

Congress has the power to

• Create and Collect 

  • Taxes

    • Majority of the US Revenue

  • Duties

  • Imposts

  • Excises

• Borrow money

What are Whips?

An assistant to a majority or minority leaders

What is a Quorum?

# of people needed to do business 

Why is Opening Day of Congress long for the House of Representatives than the Senate?

Day is longer for the HoR than the Senate because more rules, more people, etc

What is the Second Reading?

Speaker or Senator read it twice so everyone understands the bill so it can be sent to the right committee

What is Engrossed mean?

a bill is complete and the final form

What is the Discharge Petition?

An attempt to force a bill onto the floor for a vote 

What is the Appropriations Committee?

  In congress they are responsible for writing legislation setting money aside for discretionary spending.