Note Sheets Unit 2: The Legislative Branch – Congress (Flashcards)

A set of Q&A flashcards covering the core concepts, powers, structure, and processes of Congress as described in the notes.

What type of democracy is the United States described as in the notes?

Representatives democracy (a representative democracy)

Which two chambers make up Congress?

The House of Representatives and the Senate

What is Congress meant to translate the public will into?

Public policy

Which article of the Constitution is devoted entirely to Congress?

Article I

What are the primary legislative roles of the House and the Senate respectively?

The House makes legislation and critiques the government; the Senate approves or denies legislation proposed by the House

What does 'bicameral' mean?

Two houses

Name the three reasons the U.S. has a bicameral Congress.

Historical—British Parliament was bicameral; Practical—Senate represents states equally while the House represents the population; Theoretical—two houses diffuse legislative power.

How long are terms of Congress?

Two years

Which amendment mandated that terms begin at noon on the 3rd day of January in odd-numbered years?

The 20th Amendment

What are Sessions in Congress?

The period each year when Congress conducts its business

How often must Congress adjourn for a session?

At least once a year

How did the duration of Sessions change after WWII?

Sessions now last most of the year due to policy divisions

What are Special Sessions of Congress?

Sessions called by the President to deal with emergencies

How many Special Sessions have been held, and when was the last one?

26 sessions; the last was in 1948

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

435

On what basis are House seats distributed?

Based on population

Are there term limits for House members?

No

How often does reapportionment occur?

Every 10 years

In the 1800 census, how many seats did the House have?

142

Since the 1910 census, how many seats has the House had?

435

What Act set the size of the House at 435?

The Reapportionment Act of 1929

Which agency determines the distribution of seats in the House?

The Census Bureau

When does the Census Bureau plan become effective?

60 days after Congress receives it

How many states currently have only one member in the House?

7

Why do those states not have districts in the House?

Because they have only one representative

Who is responsible for drawing districts in each state?

The State Legislature

Which party typically has influence in drawing districts in Mississippi?

The dominant political party

What is Gerrymandering?

Drawing districts to give an advantage to the political party in control

What are the two main types of Gerrymandering?

Concentrating the opposing party in few districts; spreading the opposing party across many districts to dilute votes

Which case established the principle of 'one person, one vote' for districts?

Wesberry v. Sanders

What rule did Wesberry v. Sanders create?

One person, one vote

What are the constitutional qualifications for the House of Representatives?

25 years old; citizen for at least 7 years; must inhabit the state/district

Who is noted as the youngest person elected to the House in the notes?

Madison Cawthorn

How old was Madison Cawthorn when he was elected in 2020?

25

Who is listed as the current Speaker of the House in the notes?

Mike Johnson

When did Mike Johnson become Speaker?

October 25, 2023

Which amendment sets how many Senators there are and ensures representation from each state?

The 17th Amendment (direct election of Senators)

How many Senators are there in total?

100

How many Senators does each state have?

Two

How long are Senate terms?

6 years

Are Senate terms staggered or continuous, and how much is up for election each cycle?

Continuous body; one-third of the seats up for election each cycle

What is the purpose of long Senate terms?

To provide long-term, less politically driven perspectives

What are the qualifications for the Senate?

30 years old; US citizen for at least 9 years; inhabit the state

Who are Mississippi’s U.S. Senators noted in the text?

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith

What is the typical profile of the average member of Congress according to the notes?

White male in his 50s

How many women and how many African Americans are mentioned as members of Congress in the notes?

151 women; 62 African Americans

What fraction of Congressmen are lawyers, according to the notes?

Over one-third

What are the two main philosophical approaches to power mentioned?

Strict constructionists and liberal constructionists

What is the Tax power, and where is it granted?

The power to tax is granted to Congress in Article I

Name four limitations on taxation mentioned in the notes.

Taxes must be for public purposes; cannot tax exports; direct taxes must be apportioned; taxes must be uniform

Can Congress borrow money without any limit?

There are no explicit limits on the amount Congress can borrow or the purpose for which it is borrowed

What is deficit financing?

Spending more money than is taken in, financed by borrowing

Which clause allows Congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade?

The Commerce Clause

What historic case helped define the Commerce Clause and its reach?

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

What is Congress’s currency power?

To coin money and regulate its value; states are excluded from this power

When did Congress establish national paper currency?

1863

What does bankruptcy law do?

Takes assets and distributes them to creditors; most cases are heard in federal district courts

What is the foreign relations and war power of Congress?

Declare war and regulate foreign affairs; maintain the army and navy; call forth the militia

Name two other powers Congress has related to people from other countries.

Naturalization; establish post offices; copyright; patents

What powers relate to weights, measures, and eminent domain?

Fix standard weights and measures; eminent-domain power to take private property for public use

What is the Necessary & Proper Clause commonly called, and what is an early example of its use?

Also known as the Elastic Clause; early use includes the National Bank (Bank of the United States) creation

What are Nonlegislative powers of Congress?

Propose constitutional amendments with a 2/3 vote; impeachment and removal; appoints/approves treaties; executive appointments

What are the three executive powers of Congress related to appointments and treaties?

Approve/deny presidential appointments; approve/deny treaties

What is a joint session, and when does the House typically gather?

Opening day ceremonies in January; the House organizes, elects leaders, adopts rules

What is the President of the Senate and what is unique about their vote?

The Vice President; may not be a member of the majority party and can only vote to break a tie

Who serves as President pro tempore and when?

The leading member of the majority party when the VP is absent

What happens when the Senate is split 50/50?

The Vice President casts the deciding vote

What is a party caucus?

Closed meeting of members of each party before Congress convenes

Who are floor leaders and what do they do?

Spokespersons who steer floor action for their party

What are Whips responsible for?

Assist floor leaders; coordinate support within their party

Who heads committees in each chamber?

Committee chairmen

What is the primary function of standing committees?

Handle policy matters and rely on committee recommendations

What are standing, select, and joint committees?

Standing—long-term; Select—limited time; Joint—members from both houses to handle overlap

What is a bill, a joint resolution, and a concurrent resolution?

Bill—proposed law; Joint resolution—has force of law in special cases; Concurrent resolution—opinions not legally binding

What is a filibuster and who holds the record for the longest filibuster?

An attempt to stall by prolonged speech; Strom Thurmond held the record

What is cloture and how many votes are needed?

A rule to limit debate; typically requires 60 votes in the Senate

What are the four presidential options when a bill is sent to the President?

Sign into law; veto; bill becomes law if the President does not sign within 10 days while Congress is in session; if Congress adjourns and the President does not sign within 10 days, the bill dies

Why is the State of the Union address considered important?

It provides the President’s annual update and policy agenda to Congress and the nation