Chapter 6: Congress

Article1: Powers of Congress

1. Taxing and spending

2. Declaring War

3. Regulation of Commerce

4. Coining Money

5. Making all laws “necessary and proper”

Constituency

the citizens who reside in the district from which an official is elected

Delegates

legislators who vote according to the preferences of their constituents

Trustees

legislators whop vote according to what they think is best for their constituents

Bicameral legislature

composed of two chambers

House of Representatives

larger chamber, power more centralized, process more organized

Senate

smaller chamber, more deliberate than the house

Incumbent

a current officeholder

How often are house districts redrawn?

Every 10 years

Gerrymandering

drawing districts in particular ways so as to give an advantage to one political party

Ways of Gerrymandering

• Packing

• Cracking

Packing Gerrymandering

clustering votes with some ideological or demogrative characteristics in a single district

Cracking Gerrymandering

separating voters with some ideological or demographic characteristics into two or more districts

Speaker of the House

chief presiding officer of the house, most important party and house leader

Majority Leader

the elected leader of the majority party, subordinate to Speaker of the House

Minority Leader

elected leader of the minority party

Whips

finds out how how parties are voting, may try to convince to vote one way or another

Which leadership position is unique to the House?

Speaker

Standing committees

have permanent status and a designated subject area

Gatekeeping Authority

the right and power of committees do decide if the change in policy will be considered

Ultimate Proposal Power

committees’ capacity to bring legislation before the full legislature

After-the-fact authority

the authority to follow up on the fate of a proposal once it has been approved by the full chamber

Oversight

Committees use hearings and investigations to monitor the implication of legislation

Seniority

the priority or status given on the basis of how long an individual has served on a congressional committee

Median Voter Theorem

the median voter is the decisive vote in committees

Agency Loss

a situation in which those to whom authority has been delegated may not do exactly what the principle would like

Tools the legislature uses to keep committees in check

1. Committees make recommendations, not final decisions

2. Reputational Costs

3. Discharge Petition

Rules Committee may choose

1. Closed Rule Debates

2. Open Rule Debates

Closed rule debates

limits debates and restricts the introduction of amendments

Open rule debate

permits debate and the addition of amendments

Cloture

3/5s of the senate (60 votes) must vote to end debate

Filibuster

delaying tactic in which Senators do not allow debate to end

Conference Committee

appointed by members of each chamber in order to edit the bill; bill must then pass both chambers

Veto Power

held by the president

What vote from Congress can override a President’s Veto?

2/3 in each chamber

Agency Representation

representatives are held accountable to their constituents if they fail to represent them properly - constituents have the power to hire and fire their representatives

Descriptive Representation

the idea that elected officials should share the demographic traits—such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, language, or socio-economic background—of the people they represent. [1, 2]

What advantages come with being an Incumbent?

1. Pork-Barrel Legislation

2. Casework

3. Patronage

4. Franking Privilege

Pork-Barrel Legislation

funding for local projects

Casework

personal services to constituents

Patronage

Direct services and benefits that members of Congress provide to their constituents

Franking Privilege

members of Congress may send mail to their constituents free of charge to keep them informed of governmental business and public affairs

majority-minority districts

an electoral district where racial or ethnic minorities make up more than half of the population.

Party caucus

A nominally closed meeting to select candidates or leaders, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters. - Democrats

Party conference

A nominally closed meeting to select candidates or leaders, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters. - Republicans

Agenda Power

the authority to decide which policy proposals, bills, and nominations reach the floor for debate and a vote, and which ones are kept from advancing.

Decisiveness

Median Voter Theorem?

Discharge petition

allows a majority of members to force a bill out of a stalled committee and onto the floor for a full vote

Distributive tendency

The tendency of Congress to spread the benefits of a policy over a wide range of members’ districts.

Interest groups

important external influence on the policies that Congress produces

Party vote

A roll-call vote in the House or Senate in which at least 50 percent of the members of one party take a particular position and are opposed by at least 50 percent of the members of the other party.

Roll-call votes

Voting in which each legislator’s yes or no vote is recorded.

Committee Assignments

members may feel indebted to party leaders of leaders arrange for them to get favorable Committee Assignments

Whip System

A party communications network in each house of Congress. Whips poll their party’s members to learn their intentions on specific bills and also convey the leadership’s views and plans to members.

Advice & Consent

the president has the power to make treaties and appoint top executive officers, ambassadors, and federal judges, but only “with the Advice and Consent of the Senate”

Impeachment

The process of charging a government official (president or other) with “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors” and bringing that person before Congress to determine guilt.