Unit II - Congress

Demographic of Congress

White, old, males

House vs. Senate

Senate:

• six-year term

• represents the state

• according to Founders, should be older and wiser

House:

• two-year term

• represents the people/population

Speaker of the House

the leader of the House

Pro Tempore

the leader of the Senate

The Committee System

splits up to investigate, gather information, meet, and decide which bills will be presents to Congress or recommend legislation

Joint Committee

A type of committee that:

• is created for a purpose/issue

• can be made up of both the House and the Senate

Standing Committee

A type of committee that is permanant and considered legislation in certain places all the time (everyday work of Congress)

• is constant

Conference Committee

A type of committee that:

• is made up of both the House and the Senate

• is used to settle differences between two similar bills in each respective house to make a single bill

• is temporary

Special Committee

a type of committee that is made for a special and specific issue or problem

Law-making, budgetary, and oversight

the three broad powers of Congress

Law-making

reconcilation of bills and creates laws that influence the citizens of the United States

Budgetary

• Power of the Purse

• control money and considers the budgets/funding

• raises the debt ceiling

• Examples: OMB (Office of Management and Budget and CBO (Congressional Budget Office)

Pork Barrel

Politicians spend large amounts of money on projects in their representative district to win reelection

Oversight

Power to Regulate and hold investigations

• impeachment

• War Powers Act - the President is required to have permission from Congress to deploy troops and Congress declares war

Specific Powers of Congress

• Commerce Clause - regulate anything that concerns commerce or economy among states or foreign nations

• Raise taxes

• Elastic Clause - can create laws that are necessary and proper for Congress

Law Making Process

How a bill becomes a law and must be approved by the House and Senate and then passed to be approved by the President

• President can veto it

House Rule Committee/Discharge Petition

decides which bills are presented to the House

• a discharge petition is a petition to have a bill presented after 30 days

senate hold

a senate can prevent a motion from being voted on

filibuster

talking a bill to death so it won’t be passed

Cloture

ending a debate in the Senate with a 2/3 majority

logrolling

voting for a spending package if you vote for mine (mainly used for budgetary)

pocket veto

An indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.

trustee representation

elected representatives decide on their own conscience and choose what is the best option

delegate representation

elected representatives act in the interest of their constituents which usually means considering their respective district/area

politico representation

a mix of trustee and delegate representation where the elected representative may switch from either representation in decision making

partisan representation

elected representatives make decision in line with their party’s interests

Incumbent advantage

an advantage to incumbents (people already in office) where it makes it easier for them to be reelected due to special privileges such as:

• franking - free mail

• casework - services from members given to their constituents

• name recognition

• campaign funding

• experience in campaigning

• gerrymandering - can ensure your own re-election at least more so due to your control already in a legislative body

Redistricting Process

Happens every 10 years and includes:

• Census

• Reapportionment

• Redistricting

• Gerrymandering

Census

government re-evaluates populations and locations

Redistricting

redrawing electoral districts

Reapportionment

how many votes each states get based on the census

Gerrymandering

manipulating the lines of districts to win more seats or be in one’s favor

• packing - concentrating the opposing party’s supporters in as few districts as possible

• cracking - diluting the opposing party’s supporters, lessening their influence

Shaw vs Reno

A case where in North Carolina the question of racial gerrymandering is constitutional arose. North Carolina had created racial-based districts that caused complaints in white voters due to the violation of the Equal Protection Clause.

• Supreme Court Ruling and Effect - no racial gerrymandering

Baker vs Carr

A case in Tennessee where districts were not updated in about 50 years despite drastic changes in population. Voters argued this violated the Equal Protection Clause as districts with greater populations had their votes diluted.

• Supreme Court decision and influence - one person one vote, legislative districts must roughly be the same population