AP U.S. Government: Key Concepts in Congress, Presidency, and Federal Bureaucracy

Unit 3

gerrymandering

Redrawing a congressional district to benefit one political party

Baker v Carr

Is one person's vote equal to another person's- ( one person one vote)the issue of reapportionment was justiciable

Shaw v Reno

It's okay to gerrymander if it has equal protection-redistrtcing and racial gerrymandering

House- 435

based on pop, impeaches revenu bills, 2 year term

Senate-100

Rep is based on 2 rep, radify treaties, convict pres of impeachment, 6 years

Both senate and house

pass laws, power of purse, commerence clause and elastic clause

Standing committee

A permanent congressional committee that specializes in a particular policy area

Joint committee

Committee composed of the House andthe Senate

Select committee

A temporary congressional committee created for a specific purpose

conference Committee

temp Committee created to work out dif between house and senate

Markup sessions

Subcommittees and Committee actually debate

Speaker of the house

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives

Majority leader

Head of majority party in senate

filibuster

Way to delay a bill/prevent bill used by senators

cloture

how a filibuster is cut off from senate

Trustee

A rep who is obligated to consider the views of consistent but is not obliged to vote according to those views

Delegates

A legislator whose primary responsibility is to represent the majority view of the constituents, regardless of personal views.

gridlock

situation where gov cant act on issues

legislative liaison staff

people who are the communications link between the white House and Congress

Formal (expressed) powers

Commander-in-Chief, Chief Executive, appoint power, treaty, and veto power, pardon, adjourn Congress and state of the union address

Informal (implied) powers

Executive agreement, executive order, executive privilege, bully pulpit, agenda setting, crisis manager, party leader, signing statements

Executive agreement

International agreements with foreign leaders do not require Senate approval

executive orders

Directives to federal agencies that have the force of law- used to implement laws

executive privilege

right to withhold info from congress for national security

inherent powers

implied by A2-executive orders

Congressional delegation of power

powers to initiate the budget process

delegation of power

congress gives executive branch authority to address new problems

foreign relations top 3 for pres

1. national security, 2. fostering a peaceful international environment, 3. protecting u.s economic interests

executive departments in bureacracy

dos, dod, doh+s, fbi, postal

four types of federal agencies

exe department, independent regulatory, gov corporations, independent agencies

monetary policy

policy that infleunces the supply of money in the economy- actions by central bank to manage money supply and interest rate

fiscal policy

gov decision on taxing and spedning in order to strengthen the economy

discretionary spedning

military, nasa

Unitary executive theory

The President has complete control over Executive Branch

fed 70-hamiloton

One person has all the power of the exe branch

house rules committee

how bills move forward- time, how many amendments can be added-open,close,modified