2.1-2.3

legislate, constituent services, and oversight

the 3 major functions of Congress

legislate

pass policy interests into law through a bicameral legislature with presidential signatures

constituent services

representing concerns by voting, speeches, oversight, and intersession with federal agencies

oversight

review, monitor, and supervision of all federal agencies, programs, and implementation of passed laws

introduce revenue bills, impeach federal officials, determine tax policy

powers of the house of representatives

debate limited to one hour, speaker of house controls who speaks

rules of house of representatives

advise and consent, try and remove federal officials, approve treaties by 2/3 vote

powers of senate

unlimited debate time, cloture rule, add amendments on any subject

rules of senate

liberal

modern, not afraid of change, government should provide basic needs, pro-choice

conservative

christian values, keep traditions, strong military, free market, small government, pro-life

libertarian

small government, individual rights, oppose taxes, support legalization of marijuana

bill introduced into senate, sent to committee for review, debated and voted on by senators, goes to house if approved, if approved goes to conference committee, goes back to both chambers for approval, bill approved or rejected by president

how does a bill become a law

becomes law without president’s approval

what happens if a president does nothing with a bill, but congress is in session

bill dies; pocket veto

what happens to a bill if the president does nothing, but congress is out of session

filibuster

when a senator does not want a bill to be voted on, they call this and can talk until the end of the debate

cloture

used to end filibuster; requires a 3/5 majority vote

pork barrel legislation/spending

funding for local project; provides benefits, jobs, and money to a specific district

gerrymander

draw of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group

standing committee

permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specified subject-matter area are referred

select committee

legislative committee created for a limited time and for some specific purpose; also known as special committee

joint committee

legislative committee composed of members of both houses

conference committee

temporary joint committee created to reconcile any differences between the two houses versions of a bill

house rules committee

set rules for floor debates: time limit, whether amendments are allowed

power of the purse

raise revenue (art 1, sec 7, clause 1)

spend money(budget) (art 1, sec 9, clause 7)

17th amendment

senators elected by popular vote

mandatory spending

required by law; occurs automatically with no action by Congress (entitlements and interest on debt)

discretionary spending

must be approved by Congress annually as part of the budget bills

logrolling

“you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”

germane

must be related to topic/bill

100

how many members are in the Senate

435

how many members are in the House of Representatives

6 years

how long are the terms for the Senate

2 years

how long are the terms for the House of Representatives

30

what is the youngest age one can be in order to be in the Senate

25

what is the youngest age one can be in order to be in the House of Representatives

9

how many years must you be a US citizen in order to be in the Senate

7

how many years must you be a US citizen in order to be in the House of Represenatatives

must live in the state

where you must you live in order to represent that state in the Senate

must live in the district of the state

where you must live in order to represent that state in the House of Representatives

vice president and president pro tempore

leaders of the Senate

speaker of the house

leaders of the house of representatives

majority party

political party that holds the most influence in a country’s politics

minority party

political party that has less influence that the majority party’s

continuous body

all members are not elected at the same time but on a rotating basis; every 2 years, 1/3 of the Senate is re-elected

equal

what is the representation for the Senate

population-based

what is the representation for the House of Representatives

article 1

where in the constitution does it talk about the legislative branch

coalitions

groups of people in the legislative branch that share common interests/values

approval/rejection of president’s nominees for executives/judicals

power that is unique to the Senate

impeach federal officials

what is a power that is unique to the House of Representatives