US Presidency- Relationships between the Presidency and Congress

Which bill was vetoed by George W. Bush and then had its veto overridden?

The 2008 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act

How did Congress essentially force the end of the Vietnam War?

Through power of the purse: The Foreign Assistance Act 1974 cut off spending for the Vietnam War- forces the President to hurry up and negotiate peace

What checks does congress have on the President?

Power of the purse, overriding vetoes, rejecting appointments, ratifying treaties, impeachment & removal, declare war

What did Obama achieve while he had a unified Democratic government?

The Affordable Care Act 2009, Passing the stimulus bill 2009

Example of Obama struggling with a Republican majority in both houses?

Reid having to bring in the 'nuclear option' in 2013 (reducing the threshold for appointments) so Obama can make appointments, Obama fails on gun reform following Sandy Hooks school shooting, the Senate Judiciary Committee refusing to vote on Garland's appointment to SCOTUS

What is Bush able to do with his unified Republican government?

Congress authorises the 2003 Iraq War allowing lots of military power through a very vague AUMF which allows military action against anyone perceived as related to terrorist groups

How many Authorisations for the Use of Military Forces have there been?

Eleven (small)

Example of Congress refusing a Presidential nomination of a SCOTUS justice?

Obama attempts to nominate Garland and Republicans refuse to vote on any judges until the next President

Has a President ever been impeached AND removed from office?

No-- there have been successful impeachments but not removals

Example of (semi) successful impeachment and removal:

Nixon faces impeachment charges and knowing it will be successful he resigns from office (basically successful) 1973

How many years into his Presidency did Bush veto and why did it take this long?

5 years into Presidency Bush vetoes the Stem Cell Research Act, he doesn't veto before as there's a Republican unified government

Trump Government Shutdown 2019:

Congress does not fund Trump's wall, there's disagreement over appropriations so the longest government shutdown occurs which is 35 days long

Obama's successful Presidential Veto:

In 2016 Obama vetoed a bill which aimed to repeal the Affordable Care Act

Trump attempting to pass the American Healthcare Act 2017:

Despite having UNITED government, Trump struggles immensely with passing the American Healthcare Act 2017 which would've partially repealed the ACA- he is never able to pass this bill and opts for an executive order instead (ineffective considering ACA still stands)

Important legislation passed by Congress under Biden/in partnership with Biden:

2021 Inflation Reduction Act, 2022 Safer Communites Act, 2022 Respect for Marriage Act, 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, 2021 American Rescue Plan Act

Trump veto override:

Trump's veto of defence spending in 2021 was overridden by Congress

How many acting cabinet secretaries did Trump appoint in his first three years? What does this show?

28 acting cabinet secretaries-- this is the President appointing without Senate scrutiny and unilaterally-- argues AGAINST power of persuasion

How did Sanders attempt to use the power of the War Powers Resolution and what happened?

He attempted to pass a bill in 2018-2019 to invoke the WPR in relation to Yemen and Trump vetoed it

Obama veto override:

His veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act was overidden by Congress

How did the WPR fail in Yemen?

Biden and a group of supporters failed to evoke the WPR to stop American military activity in Yemen

How did Trump abuse the 2002 AUMF in 2020?

The assassination of Qasem Soleimani in Iran in 2020-- without Congressional consent, Congress attempts to check him on this through Sanders introducing a defunding resolution and attempts to use the WPR BUT Trump justifies it with this AUMF and commander in chief powers