AP U.S. Government: Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and Bureaucracy

A comprehensive review deck containing detailed question-and-answer flashcards on the U.S. Congress, the presidency, and the federal bureaucracy based on lecture notes.

How is representation structured in the U.S. House of Representatives compared to the Senate?

The House allocates seats to states proportionally based on population size, whereas the Senate grants each state equal representation with $2$ senators.

What are the term lengths for members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and why do they differ?

Representatives serve $2$-year terms to remain closely tied to public opinion, while Senators serve $6$-year staggered terms to insulate them from immediate shifts in public mood.

What is the fixed membership size of the House of Representatives and the Senate?

The House of Representatives has $435$ members, and the Senate has $100$ members.

What is the core difference between republicanism and popular sovereignty?

Republicanism is a system where elected representatives exercise power on behalf of citizens, whereas popular sovereignty is the principle that government authority is created and sustained by the consent of the people.

What are the primary roles and constitutional standing of the Speaker of the House?

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the House, leader of the majority party, and second in line to the presidency, holding immense power over bill scheduling and committee assignments.

Who serves as the President of the Senate, and what is their constitutional duty?

The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and holds the constitutional role of casting tie-breaking votes.

What responsibilities do party leaders, including Majority/Minority Leaders and Whips, hold in Congress?

They coordinate legislative strategy, whip up votes, and manage floor debate for their respective parties.

What role do committee chairs play, and from which party are they always selected?

Committee chairs control committee agendas, hearings, and bill markups; they are always chosen from the majority party.

What constitutional change was established by the 17th Amendment?

It established the direct popular election of United States Senators by citizens rather than state legislatures.

What exclusive constitutional powers are granted solely to the House of Representatives?

Initiating all tax and revenue bills, bringing impeachment charges against federal officials, and choosing the president if there is an Electoral College tie.

What exclusive constitutional powers are granted solely to the Senate?

Confirming presidential appointments (judges, cabinet members, ambassadors), ratifying treaties by a $\frac{2}{3}$ vote, and trying impeached officials.

Which legislative powers are shared by both the House and the Senate?

Passing legislation, overriding presidential vetoes, declaring war, regulating commerce, and coining money.

What distinguishes expressed/enumerated powers from implied powers in Congress?

Expressed powers are explicitly stated in the Constitution (e.g., Article I, Section 8), while implied powers are not explicitly stated but deduced through the Necessary and Proper Clause.

What is the function of the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3)?

It grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate and international commerce, providing the foundation for vast federal regulatory power.

What is the function of the House Rules Committee?

It reviews all bills before they reach the House floor and sets debate rules, such as time limits and whether amendments are allowed.

What is the distinction between an open rule and a closed rule in House floor debate?

An open rule permits amendments to a bill during floor debate, whereas a closed rule forbids any amendments from being added.

What is the Committee of the Whole, and what quorum does it require?

A procedure in the House where the entire membership acts as a committee to accelerate consideration of major bills, operating with a quorum of $100$.

How does a discharge petition function in the House of Representatives?

It is a petition signed by a majority of House members ($218$) to pry a bill out of a reluctant committee and bring it directly to the floor for a vote.

What is a filibuster, and what vote threshold is needed for cloture to end it?

A filibuster is a procedural tactic in the Senate where a senator prolongs debate to delay or prevent a vote; ending it requires a cloture motion supported by $60$ votes.

What is a Senate hold?

A notice given by a senator to their party leader indicating they do not want a bill or nomination to reach the floor for consideration.

What is unanimous consent in the Senate?

An agreement by all senators present to set aside formal rules to expedite business or debate.

What is the difference between pork barrel legislation and logrolling?

Pork barrel legislation directs federal spending to local projects to benefit constituents and win votes, whereas logrolling is the reciprocal trading of votes between legislators for each other's bills.

What is the difference between discretionary spending and mandatory spending?

Discretionary spending requires annual congressional approval through appropriations bills (e.g., defense, education), whereas mandatory spending is required by ongoing law without annual approval (e.g., Social Security, Medicare).

What are entitlement programs?

Government-funded programs (such as Medicare and Social Security) that guarantee benefits to any citizen meeting specific legal criteria.

What key reforms were established by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974?

It reasserted congressional budgetary control, created the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and limited the president's ability to impound (withhold) funds.

How do categorical grants differ from block grants in fiscal federalism?

Categorical grants are allocated for specific, narrow purposes with strict conditions attached, whereas block grants provide funds for broadly defined purposes with greater spending flexibility for states.

What is the difference between reapportionment and redistricting?

Reapportionment is the reallocation of the $435$ House seats among states every $10$ years based on the U.S. Census, whereas redistricting is the subsequent redrawing of district boundaries within states.

What are the gerrymandering strategies known as cracking and packing?

Cracking spreads voters of an opposing party across many districts to dilute their voting strength, while packing concentrates them into a single district to limit their influence in surrounding districts.

Why is the Senate described as a continuous body?

Because only one-third ($\frac{1}{3}$) of Senate seats are up for election at any one time, ensuring institutional stability.

How do the delegate, trustee, and politico models of congressional representation differ?

A delegate votes strictly according to constituent wishes, a trustee relies on independent judgment and conscience, and a politico balances both roles depending on the salience and complexity of the issue.

What standard did the Supreme Court establish in Baker v. Carr (1962)?

It established that legislative apportionment is justiciable under the Equal Protection Clause, creating the "one person, one vote" standard.

What constitutional limit did Shaw v. Reno (1993) place on congressional redistricting?

It held that redistricting based entirely on race must face strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause, prohibiting bizarrely shaped racial gerrymanders.

What constitutes an Iron Triangle?

A mutually dependent, three-way relationship between a congressional committee, an executive bureaucratic agency, and an interest group/lobby.

What is the difference between inside lobbying and outside lobbying?

Inside lobbying relies on direct contact with lobbyists and officials (face-to-face meetings, testimony, drafting bills) to influence policy, while outside lobbying mobilizes public opinion and voter action to pressure lawmakers externally.

How do open primaries differ from closed primaries in presidential elections?

Open primaries allow any registered voter to participate in a party's primary, while closed primaries restrict voting strictly to registered members of that specific party.

What electoral reform was enacted by the 12th Amendment?

It required electors in the Electoral College to cast distinct, separate ballots for president and vice president.

What did the 20th and 22nd Amendments establish regarding the presidency?

The 20th Amendment set the start dates for presidential and congressional terms (Lame-Duck Amendment), while the 22nd Amendment limited presidents to serving a maximum of two terms.

What procedures are established by the 25th Amendment?

It clarifies presidential succession and provides formal procedures for addressing presidential disability or incapacitation.

What is the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College?

An electoral system used by most states where the candidate who wins a plurality of the state's popular vote receives all of that state's electoral votes.

What core argument did Alexander Hamilton present in Federalist 70?

He argued that an energetic, single executive is essential for good government, national defense, and decisive administration.

What vote is required in Congress to override a presidential veto?

A $\frac{2}{3}$ vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What is the difference between executive orders and executive agreements?

Executive orders are domestic directives issued to federal agencies that carry the force of law without congressional approval, while executive agreements are pacts with foreign leaders that bypass Senate treaty ratification.

What is the presidential "bully pulpit"?

The president's unique ability to utilize the high visibility and prestige of the office to mobilize the public and shape legislative agendas.

How does Federalist 51 address the prevention of government tyranny?

James Madison explains that separating government powers into distinct branches and equipping each with constitutional checks and balances prevents any single faction from dominating.

What roles do the House and Senate play in the impeachment and removal process?

The House of Representatives holds the sole power to impeach (charge) an official, while the Senate conducts the trial and may convict and remove the official with a $\frac{2}{3}$ vote.

How does the civil service merit system differ from political patronage?

Patronage distributes public offices to political supporters as rewards, whereas the merit system hires and promotes civil servants based on competitive exams, credentials, and objective qualifications.

What is discretionary authority within the federal bureaucracy?

The latitude and power granted to bureaucratic agencies to decide how best to implement and enforce broad or ambiguous statutes enacted by Congress.

What specific regulatory mandates belong to the EPA, FEC, and SEC?

The EPA protects human health and the environment, the FEC enforces federal campaign finance laws, and the SEC regulates securities markets and stock exchanges.

How does Congress exercise control and oversight over the federal bureaucracy?

Through committee hearings, legislative investigations, and budget appropriations (the "power of the purse") to fund or defund agencies.

How can the federal courts check the power of bureaucratic agencies?

Through judicial review, ruling that agency regulations or actions are unconstitutional or violate statutory authority under the Administrative Procedure Act.