AP Gov Unit 3 Legislative Branch

Gerrymandering

Political group attempts to change voting district to create result to favor one political party.

Either by:
Crack: Dilute strength of opposition voters by separating them apart.

Pack: Put opposition voters into smallest # of district possible

Power of House of Representative

All bills dealing with raising revenue (tax) start here

Can impeach president, cabinet members, federal judges

Can elect president if no majority in electoral college

Power of Senate

Ratify treaties

Confirm presidential appointments (federal judges, cabinet members, ambassadors)

Can remove them from office

Power of both House and Senate

Pass legislation

override veto

initiate amendment

declare war

confirm newly appointed VP

Partisanship

Strong loyalty to one party regardless of issue

Speaker of the House 

Most important person in HOR 

Chosen by party majority in HOR

2nd in line for president

Senate President Pro-Tempore

President of Senate in absence of VP

Usually longest serving member of majority party

3rd in line for POTUS

Vice President role in Senate

President of Senate

Senate Majority/minority leader

Serve as party spokesperson

Work with and pick committee chairs and ranking members

Enforce party discipline on vote 

Majority leaders has power to be called on 1st

Perfect bill process

1. Bill introduced in 1st chamber

2. Pass committee and goes to chamber 

3. Pass 1st chamber

4. Goes to 2nd chamber (referred to most related committee

5. Passes committee and goes to 2nd chamber

6. Same bill passed in 2nd chamber 

7. POTUS sign

Reality bill process

1. Bill introduced in 1st chamber and referred to most directly related committee (most bill die at committee)

2. Passes committee and goes to full chamger (most bill passed by committee never get vote on floor). '

3. Pass 1st chamber

4. Goes to 2nd chamber, referred to committee (most bills that pass 1st chamber never get taken up by other chambers committee)

5. Pass committee with amendments and goes to full chamber (most bill passed by committee never get vote on floor)

6. Pass 2d chamber (often with more amendment)

7. Bill goes to conference committee to reconcile differences 

8. Both chambers must pass conference committee bill with no amendment

9. POTUS sign bill or veto bill, can be overturn by Congress with 2/3/rd vote both chamber.

Congressional committee

Where real work of Congress happens

Standing committee

Permanent committees that represent major area of government

House Committees

Decide whatever (and what condition) full HOR will debate on a bill

Mostly on taxes

Decides where money goes and how much

Pork Barrel Legislation

Bill include funds that goes to certain part of area to secure representative vote/support from that area.

Senate committee

Judiciary approving - judges 

Foreign relations

Finance 

Appropriation

Select committee

1 chamber to investigate and reporting finds

Only information, not legislation

Joint committee

Members from both chamber, investigate and report finding

Conference committee

Type of joint committee, temporary for 1 bill only

Only job is to negotiate final form of bill

Subcommittee

Further Divide work of congress

Committ

Committee assignment

lobby for assignment based on:

Own interest

Help prospect for reelection

Influence on national policy

Committee chair

Person from majority, usually has longest uninterpreted service on committee

Decide when to meet, legislation to consider 

Ranking member 

Committee chair but from minority party 

Discharge petition

If majority HOR wants to discuss a pigeonhole bill

Only way to get around speaker of HOR

Trustee 

Vote based on own knowledge and judgement 

Delegate

Vote based on interest of constituents

Politico

Use combination of both

House Vs Senate floor debate

Formal Vs Informal 

Germane

Any amendments in HOR must be directly related to bill or issue, doesn’t apply to senate

Unanimous consent agreement

Any agreement to set aside rules of procedure to expedite proceeding

If no UCA exist, no way for majority to limit debate 

Filibuster

Senator can never end debate (talk bill to death)

Cloture motion

3/5th Senate approval to end debate (filibuster)

POTUS options with bill

Sign it

Veto it (overturn by 2/3rd vote in both chamber of congress)

Do nothing-after 10 days become law

Pocket veto- POTUS does nothing, Congress adjourns during 10 day waiting period, bill dies