Flashcards AP U.S. Government Unit 2: Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy & Courts

What does Article I of the Constitution establish?

The legislative branch of the U.S. government.

What is the structure of the U.S. Congress?

A bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What is the age requirement to serve in the House of Representatives?

At least 25 years old.

What is the age requirement to serve in the Senate?

At least 30 years old.

What is the term length for a member of the House of Representatives?

2-year terms.

What is the term length for a member of the Senate?

6-year terms, divided into three classes.

What is apportionment in the context of congressional elections?

The process of determining how many House seats each state gets based on the census.

What is gerrymandering?

The intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest, group, or political party.

What was the holding in Baker v. Carr (1962)?

Malapportionment is unconstitutional; federal courts have jurisdiction to review district boundaries.

What did Shaw v. Reno (1993) determine about redistricting?

Redistricting based predominantly on race violates the Equal Protection Clause.

What is incumbency advantage?

The structural advantages that incumbents have over challengers in elections.

What is the role of committees in the lawmaking process?

Committees hold hearings, debate, and amend bills before issuing a report.

What is a filibuster?

Unlimited debate used by senators to delay or prevent a vote on a bill.

What is required to invoke cloture and end a filibuster?

A 3/5 vote (60 senators) is required.

What happens if the President does nothing with a bill for 10 days?

It becomes law automatically if Congress is in session; otherwise, it results in a Pocket Veto.

What is mandatory spending?

Spending required by pre-existing laws, such as entitlement programs.

What is discretionary spending?

Spending controlled through annual appropriations bills at the discretion of Congress and the President.

What is the difference between a deficit and national debt?

A deficit occurs when spending exceeds revenue in a single year; national debt is the accumulation of yearly deficits.

What is the 'Necessary and Proper' Clause?

It gives Congress broad implied powers to carry out its enumerated powers.

What is the purpose of the House Rules Committee?

To control debate rules and time limits in the House of Representatives.

What is the significance of the 17th Amendment?

It changed the method of electing senators from state legislatures to direct election by voters.

What is casework in the context of incumbency advantage?

Helping individual constituents navigate federal agency services.

What is the fiscal year for the federal budget?

Runs from October 1 to September 30.

What is the role of the President's Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?

To propose a budget framework for the federal budget process.

What is the purpose of a conference committee?

To resolve differences if the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill.

What does the term 'constituency' refer to?

The body of voters in an area who elect a representative or senator.

What powers does Congress have regarding foreign policy?

Declare war, raise/support armies and navies, regulate foreign trade, ratify treaties (Senate), and confirm ambassadors (Senate).

What is the primary function of Congress?

Lawmaking: Passing national policies.

What is meant by 'Power of the Purse'?

Congress's control over government spending, including Pork Barrel Spending and Logrolling.

What is the purpose of Congressional Oversight?

To investigate executive branch agencies and ensure laws are faithfully executed.

What is the Delegate Role in voting?

Voting strictly according to constituent preferences.

What does the Trustee Role involve?

Using independent judgment, expertise, and knowledge to make decisions.

What is the Politico Role?

Balancing constituent interests, party loyalty, and personal judgment.

What is gridlock in governance?

A slowdown or halt in the legislative process caused by severe political polarization and divided government.

What is the difference between descriptive and substantive representation?

Descriptive representation mirrors demographics, while substantive representation fights for policy interests of underrepresented groups.

What are the constitutional qualifications for the presidency?

Natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident within the U.S. for 14 years prior to running.

What is the term of office for the U.S. President?

4-year terms, with a limit of two terms established by the Twenty-Second Amendment.

How is the President selected?

Indirectly elected through the Electoral College.

What are the five key roles of the President?

Chief Executive, Cabinet Overseer, Chief Diplomat, Chief Legislator, Commander in Chief.

What are expressed powers of the President?

Powers explicitly granted in Article II, such as commander in chief and vetoing bills.

What is an executive order?

A policy directive issued by the president to executive agencies that does not require congressional approval.

What is executive privilege?

The claimed right of presidents to keep internal communications confidential from outside scrutiny.

What is the purpose of signing statements?

Written comments issued by the president upon signing a bill, detailing their interpretation of the law.

What is the Federalist No. 70 about?

Written by Alexander Hamilton, it defends the necessity of a single, energetic executive.

What is the Bully Pulpit?

A strategy where the president uses their public platform to appeal directly to the electorate.

What is the Honeymoon Period in a presidential term?

The early months when public approval ratings are typically highest.

What is the definition of the federal bureaucracy?

The network of executive branch departments, agencies, and commissions tasked with executing national laws.

What are Cabinet Departments?

15 major executive units responsible for broad policy areas, led by Cabinet Secretaries.

What are Independent Executive Agencies?

Agencies operating outside executive departments to perform specific narrow missions.

What are Independent Regulatory Commissions?

Agencies that enforce rules within specific economic sectors, insulated from direct political influence.

What are Government Corporations?

State-owned enterprises structured like private businesses that provide public services for a fee.

What is the Spoils System?

The practice of filling administrative positions as political rewards for party loyalty rather than competency.

What legislation established the Merit System?

The Pendleton Act (1883)

What does the Hatch Act restrict?

It restricts federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities while on duty or using their official position.

What is Delegated Discretionary Authority?

The latitude given to bureaucratic agencies by Congress to make decisions and determine how laws are implemented.

What is Rulemaking Power?

The process where agencies draft legally binding regulations to enforce general statutory directives.

What is Administrative Adjudication?

When bureaucratic agencies act like courts to settle compliance disputes and issue fines or penalties.

Define Iron Triangle.

A longstanding, mutually beneficial relationship between a Bureaucracy Agency, a Congressional Subcommittee, and an Interest Group.

What is an Issue Network?

A broader, more temporary coalition of academics, media members, think tanks, and interest groups that form to debate specific public policy matters.

What is Congressional Oversight?

The process of Senate appointee confirmations, committee hearings, program investigations, and legislative funding control.

What role does the Government Accountability Office (GAO) play?

Acts as an audit watchdog for government spending and operations.

What powers does the President have over the bureaucracy?

Appointing/removing top leaders, issuing executive orders, and altering agency budget proposals.

What is Original Jurisdiction?

The authority to hear a case first, conduct trials, and establish facts.

What is Appellate Jurisdiction?

The authority to review, affirm, or overturn legal rulings made by lower trial courts.

Who authored Federalist No. 78?

Alexander Hamilton.

What is the main argument of Federalist No. 78 regarding the judiciary?

The judiciary is the least dangerous branch, lacking the power of the purse and the sword, possessing only judgment.

What is the significance of Marbury v. Madison (1803)?

It established Judicial Review, allowing federal courts to strike down unconstitutional legislative or executive actions.

What is the Rule of Four in the Supreme Court?

At least 4 of the 9 Supreme Court Justices must vote to grant a Writ of Certiorari to accept a case on appeal.

What does Stare Decisis refer to?

The legal doctrine directing courts to adhere to precedents established in previous judicial rulings.

What are Amicus Curiae Briefs?

Briefs submitted by non-parties to persuade court rulings, often by interest groups or government entities.

What is a Majority Opinion?

The binding legal ruling that sets national precedent.

What is a Concurring Opinion?

An opinion that agrees with the majority decision but presents different legal reasoning.

What is a Dissenting Opinion?

An opinion that disagrees with the majority ruling and carries no legal weight but can inspire future changes.

Define Judicial Activism.

The philosophy that judges should use judicial review to strike down unconstitutional laws and protect civil rights.

Define Judicial Restraint.

The philosophy that judges should defer to democratically elected legislative bodies and exercise caution when overturning established law.

What is the Seventeenth Amendment?

It shifted the selection of U.S. Senators from state legislatures to direct popular election by the people.

What is the Commerce Clause?

It grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce.

What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?

It gives Congress implied powers to execute its enumerated duties.

What is the Power of the Purse?

Congress's control over federal spending, taxes, and borrowing.

What is the War Powers Resolution?

A 1973 law designed to check the president's power as commander-in-chief by requiring congressional approval for long-term troop deployments.

What are the steps in the Bill Passing Process?

Introduction by a member of Congress, committee assignment, hearings, floor consideration, resolution of differences via a Conference Committee, and presidential action.

Who are the key leaders in the House and Senate?

The Speaker of the House, Majority/Minority Leaders, and Whips.

What is pork barrel spending?

The allocation of federal funds to localized projects within specific districts to benefit constituents.

What is logrolling in Congress?

Vote-trading among members of Congress to secure the passage of their respective projects.

What are the three representative models in Congress?

Delegate, Trustee, and Politico.

What does polarization in Congress refer to?

The growing ideological distance between political parties, leading to increased gridlock.

What does Article II of the Constitution establish?

The executive branch, outlining the qualifications and powers of the president.

What are formal powers of the President?

Vetoes, pardons, treaty-making, and command of the military.

What are informal powers of the President?

Executive orders, executive agreements, executive privilege, and signing statements.

What is the lame duck period?

The end of a presidential term when influence wanes due to a successor being chosen.

What does Article III of the Constitution establish?

The Supreme Court and grants Congress the power to create lower federal courts.

What is judicial review?

The power of the judiciary to declare legislative or executive actions unconstitutional.

What is precedent in legal terms?

A legal principle established in an earlier court case that serves as a binding rule for future cases.

What does Federalist No. 51 argue?

For checks and balances and the separation of powers.

What is the presidential appointment process?

Nomination by the president, committee vetting, and Senate confirmation vote.