Chapter 12
Seniority System- A simple rule for picking committee chairs; the member who had served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence
Ex: seen as unfair
Ex: seen as unfair
Bill- A proposed law, drafted in legal words. Anyone can write a bill. however only a member of the Senate or House of Representatives can formally submit it for consideration.
Ex: A bill was proposed so insert separate bike lanes on major streets so as to prevent further bicycle accidents.
Ex: A bill was proposed so insert separate bike lanes on major streets so as to prevent further bicycle accidents.
Bicameral Legislation- A legislature divided into two houses.
" BI " - Two
Ex: The United States has a Bicameral Legislation. ( WELL DUHH!! )
" BI " - Two
Ex: The United States has a Bicameral Legislation. ( WELL DUHH!! )
(Congressional) Caucus - A group of members of Congress sharing the same legislative goals with regard to their personal interest. Members are from both the Senate and House of Representatives, also from both political parties.
Ex: The Black Caucus & Hispanic Caucus & Sunbelt Caucus
Ex: The Black Caucus & Hispanic Caucus & Sunbelt Caucus
Committee Chairs- The most important influencers of the Congressional agenda.
Ex: They schedule hearings , hire staff, appoint subcommittees, and manage committee bills when they're brought before the House
Ex: They schedule hearings , hire staff, appoint subcommittees, and manage committee bills when they're brought before the House
Conference Committee- Is a congressional committee that is formed when the Senate and the house pass a particular bill in different forms.
Ex: Members of the House and of the Senate go and argue and fix the bill so that it comes back as one.
Ex: Members of the House and of the Senate go and argue and fix the bill so that it comes back as one.
Filibuster- A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislature use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill.
Ex: Strom Thurmond has the record for the longest filibuster in history with 24 hours and 18 minutes straight.
Ex: Strom Thurmond has the record for the longest filibuster in history with 24 hours and 18 minutes straight.
House Rules Committee- The committee in the House of representatives that reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.
-They usually set amendments that the bill can use, they also schedule the bill on a calendar.
-They usually set amendments that the bill can use, they also schedule the bill on a calendar.
Legislative Oversight- Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed usually through hearings.
Ex: When an agency wants a bigger budget, all the necessary committees review the current budget and all other committees monitor how the laws are being applied to solve this demand.
Ex: When an agency wants a bigger budget, all the necessary committees review the current budget and all other committees monitor how the laws are being applied to solve this demand.
Incumbents- Those already holding office
Ex: Obama is considered an Incumbent, because he was reelected to the presidency in 2012
Ex: Obama is considered an Incumbent, because he was reelected to the presidency in 2012
Majority Leader- The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House, or the party's manager in the Senate.
Ex: The current Majority Leader is Republican Eric Cantor.
-Responsible for scheduling Bills, influencing committees assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions
Ex: The current Majority Leader is Republican Eric Cantor.
-Responsible for scheduling Bills, influencing committees assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions
Select Committee- Congressional Committees appointed for Specific Purposes,
Ex: There was a select committee for the investigation of the Watergate Scandal.
Ex: There was a select committee for the investigation of the Watergate Scandal.
Joint Committee- Congressional committee on a few subject-matter areas drawn from both houses.
Ex: They preside over things such as the economy and taxation
Ex: They preside over things such as the economy and taxation
Minority Leader- The principal leader of the minority party in the House or Representatives or in the Senate.
Ex: Nancy Pelosi is the Democratic Minority Leader of the House.
Ex: Nancy Pelosi is the Democratic Minority Leader of the House.
Pork Barrel- Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district.
Ex: Congress giving State governments the funds to repair highways and maintain their sewage treatments plants.
Ex: Congress giving State governments the funds to repair highways and maintain their sewage treatments plants.
Casework- Activities of Members of Congress that help constituents as individuals, particularly cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.
Ex: If an individual has trouble getting their social security check on time, by calling their congressman/congresswoman they can handle that business and later on take credit for it if they need to.
Ex: If an individual has trouble getting their social security check on time, by calling their congressman/congresswoman they can handle that business and later on take credit for it if they need to.
Speaker of the House- An office mandated by the Constitution. Is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant
Ex: John Boehner is the current Speaker.
Ex: John Boehner is the current Speaker.
Standing Committees- Separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas
Ex: areas such as education, childhood, etc.
Ex: areas such as education, childhood, etc.
Whips- Party leaders who work with the majority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party
Additional Key Terms- Congress
Baker V. Carr- Supreme Court ruled that malapportionment violates the equal protection clause
Ex: district lines have to be redrawn so that votes aren't diluted
Ex: district lines have to be redrawn so that votes aren't diluted
Cloture- Rule used by Senate to end or limit a debate to prevent filibusters; for a bill to pass in the Senate, three-fifths of the entire Senate membership (or 60 senators) must vote for it
Ex: If senate wants to end a filibuster because it is taking forever, then 60 senators must agree to end it.
Ex: If senate wants to end a filibuster because it is taking forever, then 60 senators must agree to end it.
Commerce Clause- Congress can regulate trade between nations, between states, and among Indian tribes.
Ex: Enumerated power
Ex: Enumerated power
Congressional Caucus- An association for members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional or economic interest
Ex: Congressional Military Family Caucus
Ex: Congressional Military Family Caucus
Constituents- people within a district or state-government official represents them.
Ex: I am a constituent of Barbara Boxer.
Ex: I am a constituent of Barbara Boxer.
"Cracking"-spreading out voters of a particular type among many districts in order to deny them a sufficiently large voting block in any particular district.
Ex: taking Republican voters and putting them in dominantly Democratic areas so that the Republican votes don't have much value; technique in gerrymandering
Ex: taking Republican voters and putting them in dominantly Democratic areas so that the Republican votes don't have much value; technique in gerrymandering
Credit claiming- enhancing standing with constituents through service to individuals and districts through casework and pork barrel
Ex: doing good things for your district or people such as getting money from government for community projects
Ex: doing good things for your district or people such as getting money from government for community projects
Delegate model- representatives look to their constituents for instruction on what issues to promote and, ultimately, on how to vote
Ex: as a representative, I should be doing everything as my constituents would like it to be, and vote how they would vote; theory of Congressional representation
Ex: as a representative, I should be doing everything as my constituents would like it to be, and vote how they would vote; theory of Congressional representation
Elastic clause- found in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution, it gives Congress the power to make "all laws necessary and proper" to carry out the other defined powers of Congress.
Ex: was used to create the first National bank
Ex: was used to create the first National bank
Franking privilege- benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free
Ex: they are able to respond to their many constituents free of charge
Ex: they are able to respond to their many constituents free of charge
Gerrymandering- The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.
Ex: such as drawing lines so most of the voters in a new area are mostly Republican, which results in Democratic rep being kicked out
Ex: such as drawing lines so most of the voters in a new area are mostly Republican, which results in Democratic rep being kicked out
Additional Key Terms
Impeachment: A formal charge of a criminal law, that is prescribed by the Constitution.
Ex: People wanted to impeach Bill Clinton for having a Monica Lewinsky.
Ex: People wanted to impeach Bill Clinton for having a Monica Lewinsky.
Incumbency Effect: The incumbents have certain advantages when they are running for re-election. The advantages are credit claiming, pork barrel, casework, and PACs donations.
Ex: Nancy Pelosi has been an incumbent for House of Representatives since 1993.
Ex: Nancy Pelosi has been an incumbent for House of Representatives since 1993.
Legislative Immunity: Members of the executive branch are free from any prosecution for the things that they say on the legislative's floor during a debate.
Ex: A member of the executive branch can have sex on the floor and it'll be okay. (example from class)
Ex: A member of the executive branch can have sex on the floor and it'll be okay. (example from class)
Legislative Veto: A vote taken by Congress to override a decision made by the president.
Ex: War Powers Resolution could be vetoed due to how it violates the doctrine of separation of powers.
Ex: War Powers Resolution could be vetoed due to how it violates the doctrine of separation of powers.
New Jersey Plan: A proposal made in the Constitutional Convention that wanted every state obtaining equal representation regardless of the state's size.
Ex: California has 2 senators, just like New york.
Ex: California has 2 senators, just like New york.
"Packing" (in gerrymandering): It is to concentrate the most voters of a political party in a single district, in order to make it easier for the opponent party lo lose.
Ex:
Ex:
President Pro Tempore: It is the high-reanking senator who would take over the senate in case of the absence of the Vice President.
Ex: When Ms. Chew is absent, Mr. Versage takes over the school's responsibility.
Ex: When Ms. Chew is absent, Mr. Versage takes over the school's responsibility.
Reapportionment: Based on the result of the census, occurs every 10 years, the seats in the House of Representatives get reallocated.
Ex: In Ms. Kowalski's advisory, the students often get reallocated due to the fact that many students leave seats empty as time passes by.
Ex: In Ms. Kowalski's advisory, the students often get reallocated due to the fact that many students leave seats empty as time passes by.
Redistricting: When there is redrawing of legislative district lines after the census, in order to make every district equal based on the population.
Ex: There's 10 students in a classroom so they made 2 groups of 5s. But a student left home early, so 3 groups were made with 3 students in each group.
Ex: There's 10 students in a classroom so they made 2 groups of 5s. But a student left home early, so 3 groups were made with 3 students in each group.
Revolving Door: It is when individuals move from a certain position of job with interest groups.
Ex: Ms. X moved from being a French teacher to a substitute.
Ex: Ms. X moved from being a French teacher to a substitute.
Senatorial Courtesy: When a nominee for a judicial seat is not confirmed if their political party opposes the president's party.
Ex: ASPCA will not allow an individual to be a direct member if they believe in animal cruelty.
Ex: ASPCA will not allow an individual to be a direct member if they believe in animal cruelty.
Seventeenth Amendment: Created in 1913, stating that the Constitution calls for direct election of the senators by the people who vote, instead of the state legislatures.
Ex: Instead of the electoral college choosing our president, the citizens of the United States votes for who they want.
Ex: Instead of the electoral college choosing our president, the citizens of the United States votes for who they want.
Trustee model(theory of cong. representation): It is when the representative makes decisions that they believe would be the best for the people.
Ex:
Ex:
Virginia Plan: It was a proposal that was made in the Constitutional Convention that stated that each state should have representation based on the state's population.
Ex: California has 53 representatives when North Carolina only has 13.
Ex: California has 53 representatives when North Carolina only has 13.
Wesberry v. Sanders: This court case resulted in every district obtaining the same amount of people per district.
Ex: Every hot cheeto bag needs to have the same amount of ounces.
Ex: Every hot cheeto bag needs to have the same amount of ounces.