gov chapter 11

how many senators are there?

100

how long is a senator’s term?

6 years

how many representatives are there?

435

how long is a representative’s term?

2 years

How is the number of representatives determined?

based on population

What is the number of senators per state?

2

trustee views of representation

entrusted by the constituents with the power to use good judgement on the constituents behalf

instructed-delegate views of representation

1. empowered merely to enact the wishes of the constituent.

2. not permitted to employ their own judgement while acting as representatives in congress

filibuster

a parliamentary maneuver used to used by the senate to extend debate on a piece of legislation as long as possible, typically with the purpose of obstructing or killing it.

cloture

1. a parliamentary process to end debate in the senate as a measure against filibuster

2. invoked when 3/5s of the senators vote for the motion

reconciliation

1. established by the congressional budget act of 1974

2. allows US senate to pass budget related legislation with a simple majority vote (51 votes)

nuclear option

allows majority party to override a standing rule—most notably the 60-vote threshold needed to end a filibuster—using only a simple majority vote (51 votes) instead of the usual supermajority

main arguments in favor of filibuster

1. protects the minority party

2. encourages bipartisanship and negotiation

3. prevents radical policy swings

4. preserves senate deliberation

5. protects state and regional diversity

main arguments against filibuster

1. promotes gridlock

2. historical ties to racism

3. thwarts majority rule

4. shifts power to the executive branch

5. lacks constitutional foundation

what has nuclear option been used for since 2005?

1. block minority party from forcing votes

2. lower threshold from 60 vote supermajority to simple majority

3. extending simple majority rule to Supreme Court nominations

4. cut post cloture debate time down from 30 hours to 2 hours

formal powers of the senate

1. sole power to confirm or deny presidential nominations

2. must approve all treaties negotiated by the executing branch by a 2/3rds supermajority vote

3. for impeachments, conducts the trial and acts as jury and judge (requires 2/3rd to convict)

4. elect the vp if no vp candidate wins majority of electoral votes

5. confirm presidential appointments

formal powers of the house

1. all bills for raising revenue must originate in the house (though the senate must approve them)

2. formally impeach federal officials

3. elect the president if race ends in a tie

incumbency advantage

the historical difficulty of unseating an incumbent in the house or senate

causes for incumbency advantage

1. financing

2. name recognition

What are reelection rates of members of Congress?

1. 85-98 percent

Which party tends to lose congressional seats in midterm elections?

the presidential party

What has the Supreme Court decided about term limits for members of Congress (MCs)?

individual states cannot impose term limits or add extra qualifications for MCs

demographic characteristics of MCs

1. older

2. wealthy

3. highly educated

4. more religious

5. more men that women

6. more white than not

congressional committees

responsible for screening, drafting, and modifying bills before they are considered by the full house or senate

standing committee

1. permanent

2. established by chamber rules and continue from one chamber to the next

3. review bills, recommend funding, provide ongoing oversight of federal agencies

select committee

1. non-permanent

2. created for a specific purpose and a limited time

3. usually to investigate a particular issue or scandal

4. generally can’t draft a report or legislation

principles according to which committee leadership is selected (majority, seniority)

1. the chairperson of all committees always belongs to the political party of the party that holds the majority in that chamber

2. the member of the majority party with the longest continual service becomes chair

Which party always has a majority in all committees? 

the majority party of each respective chamber (house or senate)

rules committee (house)

act as gatekeeper for legislation before it reaches the house floor for debate

conference committee

1. temporary

2. bicameral committee appointed to reconcile the differences when the house and senate pass 2 versions of the same bill

leadership structure of senate

1. the vp is the president of the senate (but only vote to break a tie)

2. senate majority leader must negotiate with minority leader and all members

president pro tempore

1. held by most senior senator of majority party

2. presides in absence of the vp

leadership structure of house

speaker of house leads

speaker of the house

1. leader of house

2. elected by the majority of its members

3. strongly influences house rules committees

majority leader

1. elected by party caucus/conference

2. serves under the Speaker of the House

minority leader

directs the activities of the minority party on the floor of either the House or the Senate

party whips

assist leadership with rounding up votes

vice president (as president of the senate)

1. oversees the counting of electoral college votes during a joint session of Congress

2. votes to break a tie

3. oversees formal senate meetings

senate majority leader

functional leader and chief spokesperson for the majority party

senate minority leader

directs the activities of the minority party

 main steps through which a bill becomes a law.

1. drafting

2. introduction to either house or senate

3. bill is referred to one or more standing committees with jurisdiction over the subject matter

4. committee and subcommittee review (members debate, amend, and vote on changes)

5. If going to house first, the house rules committee sets the terms for floor debates

6. if going to the senate first, legislation reaches the floor through leadership motion or unanimous consent

7. full chamber vote (simple majority needed to pass)

8. action in the second chamber (repeat committee and floor voting process)

9. bill is sent to president, who can sign it into law, allow it to become a law with out his signature, veto it, or pocket veto it

pocket veto

take no action and kill the bill

how many days does the president have to take action regarding bills?

10 days

bicameralism

political process that results from dividing the legislature into 2 separate assemblies

casework

the practical assistance, services, and advocacy that elected officials and their staff provide to help constituents navigate government agencies and resolve bureaucratic problems

gerrymandering

manipulating voting district boundaries to give one party an unfair advantage

earmarks (pork-barrel politics)

provision in government appropriation bills that direct taxpayer funds to a specific project, organization, or local area, bypassing the competitive, formula driven, or merit based review process managed by federal agencies

majority-minority district

an electoral district where racial minorities make up the majority of the population or voting age population