Gov Semester 2

Congress

  • Bicameral: House of Reps. & Senate

  • Legislative Branch: Article 1

  • Congressmen: 535 ppl- 100 senators & 435 reps

  • 4 roles:

    • 1) Legislate

    • 2) Represent by voting: delegate, trustee, partisan, politico

    • 3) Committees

    • 4) Sevant of ppl

  • Apportion: distribute, as in seats in a legislative body

  • House of Reps: 435 in country

    • based on state pop

    • 2 yr term, no limit on # of terms

      • can be a prob bc of old age

  • Reapportion: redistribute seats in legislative body (congress) after each census (10yrs)

    • citizens move states/die so pop changes

    • effects how many reps each state has

  • Gerrymandering: when the gov draws district lines to the advantage of a political party (constitutional)

  • Senate: upper house gov

    • 100 ppl (2 per state), elected by citizens

    • 6 yr term, no limit on # of terms

  • Continuous body: only 1/3 of senate runs each election yr

    • each state has senior & junior senator


Congressional Power

  • 1) Stated in Constitution

    • “Expressed”

    • Article 1

      • Commerce Power: regulate interstate, international trade, min wage

      • Money Power: borrow money, levy taxes, control currency, spend money, print money

      • Domestic Power: regulate immigration & naturalization (becoming a citizen), public schools, health insurance, natural disasters, law enforcement

      • War Power: declare war, authorize military force, support armies

  • 2) Suggested by Expressed Powers

    • “Implied”

    • Ex:

      • Expressed- levy & collect taxes, borrow money

      • Implied- punish tax evasion, est national banks

    • Necessary & proper clause: gives congress power to make all laws “necessary & proper” for executing its powers - Elastic Clause

  • Strict Constitutionalist

    • Congress can only exercise its expressed power & implied powers that are necessary

    • Limited gov

    • Thomas Jefferson

  • Liberal Constitutionalist

    • broad interpretation of congressional powers

    • Powerful gov

    • Alexander Hamilton

  • Other powers: Senate, House, Both

    • Senate: confirm appts, ratify treaty

    • House: electoral duties (tiebreaker)

    • Both: investigate, impeach, propose amendments

Bill Becomes Law

  • steps

    • 1) idea introduced to congress

    • 2) discussed by committees

    • 3) house votes- capital hill (either order)

    • 4) senate votes- white house (either order)

    • 5) pres can sign or veto

  • Appropriations (money): bill has to start in House of Reps

  • Gatekeeping authority: when a bill is sent to a committee, they can choose to kill it before it goes to anyone else

  • when given to pres has 10 days to sign/veto

    • if Congress adjourns before the pres signs a bill-killed

    • if Congress is in session and the pres doesn’t sign it w/in10 days-law

  • Pocket veto: when a bill is sent to pres w/ 10 days left in session & pres waits 10 days to kill bill

  • Filibuster: a strategy used by senators to delay/prevent vote by speaking for a really long time

  • Pork Barrel Spending: request for gov funds to be spend on improvements in a politician’s local district

  • Pigeonhole Bill: committee sets aside bill to prevent its passing into law