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Chap. 11-12
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| With what basic governmental function is Congress charged | Translate public will into public policy |
| Why did the framers of the Constitution establish a bicameral Congress? What are the historical, practical, and theoretical reasons for bicameralism in our government? | A bicameral Congress would serve as a check in the legislative branch. Historically, the Framers knew the British Parliament, which was bicameral since the 1300s. Practically, a bicameral Congress was a compromise between the New Jersey and Viriginia Plan |
| What is the difference between a term and a session of Congress? | A term of Congress lasts two years. A session of Congress is when Congressmen actually meet and discuss. Every term must have at least two sessions |
| What is the present size of the House? How is that number fixed? | 435; Article I, Sec. 2, Clause 3: the ratio of representatives to constituents will not exceed 1 to 30000 and every state is guaranteed at least one representative. |
| How long is the term of office for Representatives? | 2 years |
| Gerrymandering | The drawing of electoral district lines for partisan or other group advantages |
| Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) | James Wesberry (civilian) sued Carl Sanders (Georgia governor) over the gerrymandering of Georgia's Congressional districts. Wesberry won case, showing that gerrymandering diminished a man's vote and was thus unconstitutional. |
| What are the constitutional qualifications for serving in the House? | At least 25 y/o; U.S. citizen for at least 7 years; resident of state represented |
| How many people serve in the United States Senate? How is that number fixed? | 100; Article I, Sec. 3, Clause 1: every state will have two representatives. |
| By whom are Senators chosen? | By voters |
| What is the term of office for Senators? Why is the Senate a "continuous body"? | 6 years; All seats of the Senate are never up for election at the same time. |
| What are the constitutional qualifications for serving in the Senate? | At least 30 y/o; U.S. citizen for at least 9 years; resident of state represented |
| What powers does the Senate have over the election and qualifications of its members? | Senators may judge the qualifications of its members, exclude a member-elect by majority vote, or expel a member by majority vote. |
| What is franking privilege? | Privilege of free postage for official mail |
| What are the five principal roles that a member of Congress plays? | 1)legislators 2)politicians 3) representatives of constituents 4)servants of constituents 5) committee members. |
| Who sets the salary for members of Congress? | Article 1, Sec 6, Cl 1, 27th Amendment: Congress sets its own salary. |
| For what does the Speech and Debate Clause provide? Why? | Article 1, Sec. 6, Cl 1: Provides that legislators cannot be sued for libel and slander uttered in official debate. This protects the freedom of legislative debate. |
| Why is the State of the Union Message so important? | The State of the Union Message reports on the state of the nation, gives legislative recommendations, and outlines the policies of the presidential administration |
| Who presides over the House? How is that officer chosen? | Speaker of the House (John Boehner -R.- OH). Usually is the majority party leader. Elected by party caucus |
| Who presides over the Senate? How is that officer chosen? | President of the Senate. The Vice President of the United States is given the role of President of the Senate |
| Who is the Senate's alternate presiding officer? Why does that post exist? | President pro tempore. Elected by Congress. Presides over Senate during absence of the Vice President. |
| Who selects the floor leaders in each house? The whips? What are their functions? | The respective party caucuses choose the floor leaders. The majority leaders are legislative strategists that try to carry out the decisions of the party's caucus and steer the action of the floor to benefit their party. Whips are assistant floor leaders |
| How are committee chairmen chosen? What is the seniority rule? | Their chosen by majority party caucus and is always a ranking member. Seniority rule is an unwritten custom that says that the most important posts should be held by ranking members, or members with the longest record of service. |
| What is a standing committee? Why are such commmittees called "subject matter" committees? | Standing committees are permanent groups that receive similar bills. They are "subject matter" committees because they deal with bills on a specific subject. |
| How many standing committees are there in the House? In the Senate? | 20; 16 respectively |
| How are members of the standing committees chosen? | The majority party has a majority of the seats on committees. They are chosen by party caucus. |
| What is the role of the Rules Committee | The Rules Committee manages the flow of bills of action in the full House, decides which bills will be discussed, and decides under which conditions a bill will be taken up. |
| What is a select committee? A joint committee? a confernce committee? | Select committee: a group set up for a specific purpose, for a limited time, to investigate a particular matter. Joint committee- one with members from both the House and Senate. Conference committee-joint one formed to iron out differences in bills sent |
| Why is the investigative power so important to Congress? | It is essential that Congress informs itself on matters it is considering and to exercise oversight function (investing executive agencies and bureaucracies) |
| How were Senators originally chosen? What changed that? | Originally, Senators were appointed by state legislatures, but the 17th Amendment changed it so that Senators were elected by voters. |
| Speaker of the House | John Boehner (R.-OH-8) |
| House Majority Leader | Kevin McCarthy (R.-CA-23) |
| House Minority Leader | Nancy Pelosi (D.-CA-12) |
| Senate Majority Leader | Mitch McConnell (R.-KY) |
| Senate Minority Leader | Harry Reid (D.-Nevada) |
| Rank and file pay | $174000 |
Created by:
OcelotKnight
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