Congress Quiz

When was Congress established 

1789 by Article I of the US Constitution

How is Congress structured?

Bicamerally

Bicameral

2 houses

What are the 2 parts of Congress?

The House of Representatives

The Senate

Where does Congress operate?

The Capitol building in Washington DC

Total members of Congress

535 (100 senators, 435 + 3 DC reps)

House of Representatives 

Represents general populace

2 year term

Small congressional districts 

Senate

Originally men elected by state legislatures

6 year terms

Represent the whole state

More responsibilities than members in the House

Electoral college

the electoral college is a group of delegates, and that means representatives. So just like you have a congressperson or and a senator who represent you, it’s like a delegate who represents the area where you live. And they’re picked from each state. And when each voter in each state cast their vote, what they’re actually doing is kind of sending information to the delegate saying, all right, this is who you should vote for because this is where our state stands. And since the delegates represent their constituents, which is just another word for voter, they typically follow the popular vote. I think they can go against it in, rare circumstances, but they don’t typically, they go with what that popular vote is.

By state 535 + 3 for DC

First to 270 wins presidency 

Congress v. Parilament

Coming together vs to talk

Independent reps of districts or states v loyal to national party leadership

Candidates elected by voters v. Candidates selected by party

Principal work is representation and action v. Debate on national issues

Voters elect the executive (president) v. Parliament selects the Prime Minister

Powers of Congress

Create national laws

Raise and spend tax $(power of the purse)

Regulating commerce: Congress assumes authority over many issues of interstate and international commerce

Foreign and military affairs: oversee foreign policy, declare war, mandate a draft, regulate military bases, salary for military

Implied powers: necessary and proper clause

Speaker of the House

2nd to President

Decides who speaks on House floor and piece of Legislation brought to House floor

Current speaker of the house

Mike Johnson

Henry Clay

Most influential speaker 

“The Great Compromiser”

Influence over policy

“War hawk” — War of 1812

Ran for prez — lost 3 times

Corrupt bargain (1824)

Clay v Jackson (1832)

Clay v Polk (1844)

Thomas B Reed

Czar reed

Put an end to a filibuster in the house by counting as “present” (for purposes of a quorum ) for members in the house even though they were not voting

Joseph G. Cannon

Enlarges the speakers power by refusing to recognize members ho wished to speak without his approval and by increasing the power of the rules committee which he presided

Stripped of much of his power in 1910

Sam Rayburn

Influence rested more on his ability to persuade than his formal powers

Centralization 

Allows it to act quickly, strong leadership, more bipartisanship

Decentralization 

Individuals have more influence; weak leadership; creates delays

Recent trend 

Representational view 

Members vote to please their constituents 

Organizational view

Members vote to please fellow party members 

Attitudinal view

Members vote on the basis of their own beliefs