Unit 4: Legislative Branch, Interest Groups

What are the age, citizenship, and residency requirements for the House of Representatives?

25 years old, U.S. citizen for 7 years, inhabitant of the state elected from (not necessarily the district).

What is the term length for members of the House of Representatives?

Two years.

What are the age, citizenship, and residency requirements for the Senate?

30 years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, inhabitant of the state elected from.

How long is a senator’s term?

Six years, with 1/3 up for re-election at a time.

Before 1913, how were senators chosen?

By state legislatures.

What did the 17th Amendment (1913) change about Senate elections?

It allowed citizens to directly elect senators.

What happens every 10 years to determine population for House seats?

The Census.

What is reapportionment?

Dividing the 435 House seats among states based on population.

What is redistricting?

Drawing new district lines by state legislatures.

What is gerrymandering?

Drawing district lines based on characteristics other than population (often political advantage).

How long is a congressional term and how is it divided?

2 years, divided into 2 sessions.

What are typical congressional work days and hours?

Tuesday to Thursday, noon to around 5–6 PM.

What is a congressional recess?

A temporary break in the session.

What is a special session of Congress?

A session held outside regular hours.

What is a joint session of Congress?

When both the House and Senate meet together.

What is the “State of the Union”?

An address given by the President in a joint session of Congress.

How many congressional districts does Georgia currently have?

14

What congressional district is Allatoona in?

The 11th District.

Name 3 administrative positions in Congress.

Clerk (admin tasks), Parliamentarian (keeps debate rules), Chaplain (prays before debate).

What does the Sergeant at Arms do?

Maintains order.

What does the Official Reporter do in Congress?

Writes down every single word said.

Who handles internal mail in Congress?

The Postmaster.

What does “loyalty to chamber” mean as a congressional expectation?

Members are expected to prioritize and respect their own chamber (House or Senate).

What does “civility to each other” mean in Congress?

Members are expected to treat one another respectfully, even during disagreements.

What is seniority in Congress?

More experienced members get better assignments and more influence.

What does specialization mean in Congress?

Members are expected to become experts in a specific policy area.

What is reciprocity (logrolling) in Congress?

Trading votes—“I’ll support your bill if you support mine.”

What is the delegate theory of representation?

Representatives follow the will of their constituents.

What is the trustee theory of representation?

Representatives vote based on their own judgment.

What is the politico theory of representation?

Representatives switch between delegate and trustee roles based on what’s politically beneficial.

What is the current salary of a member of Congress?

$174,000 per year.

What is the Speaker of the House’s salary?

$223,500 per year.

What’s the President Pro Tempore’s salary?

$193,400 per year.

What is the 27th Amendment and why is it considered "useless"?

It says Congress can’t give itself a pay raise mid-term—delays the raise until after the next election. Considered “useless” because it doesn’t stop raises, just delays them.

What is the “franking privilege”?

Members of Congress get free mail (stationery and postage) for official business.

What is an incumbent?

Someone already holding office—has an advantage in re-election.

What are Congress’s sovereign powers?

Declare war, run armed services, provide defense, make citizenship rules, supervise D.C.

What are Congress’s financial powers?

Raise and spend money, tax, pay bills, fund programs, regulate trade.

What are duties and excises?

Duties = taxes on imports; Excises = taxes on specific goods.

What are Congress’s commerce powers?

Coin money, run the Post Office, build postal roads, issue copyrights and patents.

What powers does Congress have over the courts?

Establish lower federal courts and set the number of Supreme Court justices (currently 9).

What is the Senate’s role in “Advise and Consent”?

Approving presidential appointments and treaties.

What is the impeachment process?

Step 1: House brings charges (majority vote); Step 2: Senate holds trial (2/3 vote to convict).

What happens if no presidential candidate wins 270 electoral votes?

House picks the President (by state vote); Senate picks the Vice President (individual vote).

What non-legislative powers does Congress have?

Admit new states, amend the Constitution, count electoral votes, investigate the government.

What do congressional committees do as watchdogs?

Hold hearings, conduct investigations, call witnesses, and make recommendations.

When and why was the Capitol burned?

Burned by the British in 1814 during the War of 1812.

How tall is the Capitol and the statue on top?

300 feet total; Freedom statue is 19 feet 6 inches.

How big is the Capitol?

Building sits on 3.5 acres; 168 surrounding acres designated for Capitol use.

What’s special about the Capitol rotunda’s acoustics?

You can whisper on one side and be heard clearly on the other side (95 ft across).

What was the original rule about the Capitol's height?

Nothing could be taller than the Freedom statue—except the Washington Monument`

What is a bill?

A proposed law.

Who is the sponsor of a bill?

The person who introduces the bill.

What’s the difference between public and private bills?

Public bills affect everyone; private bills affect individuals or specific groups.

How is a bill introduced in the House?

It’s dropped into a box called the “Hopper.”

How is a bill introduced in the Senate?

A senator motions from the floor.

Who assigns bills to standing committees?

The Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader (with help from the Steering Committee).

What is a standing committee?

A permanent committee that handles bills related to specific topics.

What is a select committee?

A temporary committee created for investigations.

What is a joint committee?

A committee made up of members from both the House and Senate.

What does a standing committee do with a bill?

Researches it, hears testimony, checks for loopholes.

What does it mean to “pigeonhole” a bill?

To set it aside and not discuss it—effectively killing it.

What’s a “clean bill”?

A new version of the bill rewritten to replace the original.

What does it mean to “mark up” a bill?

To make changes to the bill during committee review.

What does it mean to report a bill favorably?

The committee sends the bill to the floor with approval.

What does it mean to report a bill unfavorably?

The committee disapproves the bill but sends it to the floor to avoid blame.

What is a discharge petition?

A way to force a bill out of a House committee after 30+ days with a majority vote.

What is a legislative calendar?

A schedule that determines the order bills are voted on.

Name the 4 House calendars and their purposes.

• House: Revenue bills

• Union: Public bills

• Private: Private bills

• Consent: No debate needed

What does the House Rules Committee do?

Places bills on the calendar and sets rules for debate and amendments.

What are the 3 amendment rules the House Rules Committee can set?

• Open Rule: Unlimited changes

• Closed Rule: No changes

• Modified Rule: Limited changes

What is the “Committee of the Whole”?

A faster, relaxed House meeting format (needs 100 members); all decisions must be approved by the full House.

What are the House debate rules?

One bill at a time, debate must be on-topic (germane), and time is limited.

What are the Senate debate rules?

Debate is unlimited, not required to be germane, and multiple bills can be debated.

What is a filibuster?

When a senator speaks endlessly to delay a vote.

What is cloture?

A vote to end a filibuster—requires 16 senators to propose and 3/5 (60) to approve.

What are the floor action choices for a bill?

Pass it, table it, amend it, or send it back to committee.

What are riders and where are they allowed?

Unrelated amendments added to bills—only allowed in the Senate.

What is a voice vote?

Members shout “aye” or “no”; fastest way to vote.

What is a standing vote?

Members stand to show their vote.

What is a roll call vote?

Names are called and votes recorded—mandatory for veto overrides

What is an electronic vote?

House uses it to create an official record of votes.

What happens if both chambers pass the same version of a bill?

It goes straight to the President.

What happens if the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill?

A conference committee works out the differences, then both chambers vote again.

What are the 3 ways a bill becomes law after reaching the President?

1. Signed – becomes law

2. No action for 10 days – becomes law if Congress is in session

3. Vetoed – can be overridden by 2/3 vote in both chambers

What is a pocket veto?

If the President does nothing for 10 days and Congress adjourns, the bill dies.

What is an interest group?

A group of people with shared views working to influence government policy.

What is the main goal of interest groups?

To help get officials elected who support their cause.

What is a PAC (Political Action Committee)?

The money-raising arm of an interest group that supports candidates and educates lawmakers.

Where do PACs usually send most of their money?

To incumbents—people already in office running for re-election.

What is lobbying?

When interest groups try to influence lawmakers to pass policies that benefit their cause.

Name 3 things lobbyists do to help their cause.

1. Provide public opinion data

2. Offer statistics and expert testimony

3. Give info to lawmakers to support bills

What are economic interest groups?

Groups based on how people earn a living (business, labor, agriculture).

Give 3 examples of economic interest groups.

• NAM (National Association of Manufacturers)

• AMA (American Medical Association)

  • NEA (National Education Association)

What are social action interest groups?

Groups formed based on identity—gender, race, age, etc.

Give 3 examples of social action interest groups.

• NOW (National Organization for Women)

• NAACP

• AARP

What is a single-issue interest group?

A group focused on one specific policy area.

Give 2 examples of single-issue groups.

• MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)

• NRA (National Rifle Association)

What are public interest groups focused on?

Issues that benefit the public like environment, voting rights, or consumer protection.

Give 2 examples of public interest groups.