CH 10
Proportional Representation: a multiple-member district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote
Appropriations: the amounts of money approved by Congress in statutes (bills) that each unit or agency of government can spend
Gerrymandering: drawing legislative districts in such a way as to give an unfair advantage to a political party or one racial or ethnic group
Bicameral: a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses
Pork Barrel Spending: appropriations made by legislative bodies for local projects that are often not needed but that are created so that local representatives can win re-election in their home districts
redistricting: the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives; this happens every 10 years, to reflect shifts in population.
veto: the president’s constitutional power to turn down acts of congress; a presidential veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each house of congress
Pocket veto: a presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 10 days of a legislative session.
Constituency: the residents in the area from which an official is elected
Majority leader: the elected leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate; in the House, the majority leader is subordinate in the party hierarchy to the speaker of the house.
Minority leader: the elected leader of the minority party in the House or Senate
Whip: a party member in the house or senate responsible for coordinating the legislative strategy, building support for key issues, and counting votes.
Oversight: the effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies.
Filibuster: A tactic used by members of the senate to prevent action on legislation they oppose by continuously holding the floor and speaking until the majority backs down; once given the floor, senators have unlimited time to speak, and it requires a vote of three-fifths of the senate to end a filibuster.
Role-call vote: a vote in which each legislator’s yes or no vote is recorded as the clerk calls the names of the members alphabetically
In most states, who controls the redistricting process?: In most states, the redistricting process is controlled by the state legislature, although some states have established independent commissions to oversee this process in order to reduce partisan influence.
Why is redistricting important?:
it is a highly political process to create an advantage for the party with a majority in the legislature; this can significantly impact electoral outcomes and representation, as districts may be drawn to favor one party over another, often leading to gerrymandering.
Additionally, redistricting can influence voter turnout and engagement, as the boundaries of districts can determine the competitiveness of elections and the demographics of represented communities.
Who is the speaker of the house?: the chief presiding officer of the House of Representatives; the Speaker is the most important party and House leader and can influence the legislative agenda, the fate of individual pieces of legislation, and members’ positions within the House.
How is the speaker of the house determined?: The Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House of Representatives, typically from the majority party, and this election occurs at the beginning of each new Congress.
How many people are there in total in Congress?: There are a total of 535 members in Congress, comprised of 100 Senators and 435 Representatives.
Based on the constitution. what are the basic requirements for running for Congress? (know about each different chamber):
House of Representatives: Must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and a resident of the state from which they are elected.
Senate: Must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and a resident of the state from which they are elected.
How long of a term do members of the House of Representatives serve? How many representatives come from each state?: Members of the House of Representatives serve a two-year term, and the number of representatives from each state is determined by the state's population, with a minimum of one representative per state.
How long of a term to members of the Senate serve? and how many come from each state?: Members of the Senate serve a six-year term, with each state having two senators regardless of population.
How representative is the current Congress compared to the rest of the U.S. population, specific to the following groups (note the information provided in the book is outdated and you will need to research his online):
a. Women: 151 (107D, 43R, 1Ind) 28.2% of 535 seats
b. People of Color: Overall, 133 senators and representatives today identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian American, American Indian or Alaska Native, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the Congressional Research Service.
c. Religion: Christians make up 88% of the voting members of the new 118th Congress being sworn in on Jan. 3 – There are 303 Protestants in the new Congress
What profession did the majority of Congress members participate in before being elected to office?: The dominant professions of Members are public service/politics, business, and law. For example, 30% of House Members, and 51% of Senators, have law degrees and have practiced law. Three hundred fifty-two House Members (80% of the House) and 82 Senators (82% of the Senate) have served as public servants or elected officials at the local, state, or federal level before arriving in Congress. CQ data also indicates that at least 136 House Members (31% of the House) and 26 Senators (26% of the Senate) have been owners, founders, or executives of businesses or companies.
What is the difference between a bill and law?
Bill: a proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the clerk of the house or senate.
Law: a bill that has been passed by both houses of Congress and subsequently signed by the President, thus becoming enforceable as a legal statute.
What happens with Unorthodox Lawmaking? How common is this practice today?:
It is a set of legislative procedures that deviates from regular order; reflects a greater level of control from party leaders and less deliberation from members.
Unorthodox lawmaking is when Congress uses unusual shortcuts to pass laws faster. Instead of following the usual steps (like thorough debates or reviews by committees), they might combine many issues into one big bill or limit changes and discussion to speed things up.
This happens more often today because of tight deadlines, urgent issues, and political divisions. While it helps get laws passed quickly, some people feel it makes the process less fair and open.
What usually happens when a bill goes into committee? Why does this happen?:
When a bill goes into committee, a smaller group of lawmakers studies it closely. They review the details, debate it, and might make changes to improve it or address concerns. This step is important because it helps ensure that bills are well-thought-out and actually solve problems. Committees can also decide to stop bills they think aren’t good ideas or aren’t necessary, which helps avoid wasting time on bills unlikely to pass. This process allows Congress to focus on the most important or well-prepared bills.