Congress

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Of the 435 members in the 113th Congress, how many were women?
98
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How many members of Congress were women in 1991-2?
30
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What are the 3 exclusive powers of the House?
Begin consideration of all money bills, impeach any member of the executive or judicial branches of the federal govt, elect the president if the Electoral College is at a deadlock
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Who was famously impeached in 1998?
Bill Clinton
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What are the 4 exclusive powers of the Senate?
Ratify treaties, confirm appointments, try cases of impeachment, elect VP is there is a deadlock
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Which treaty was banned by the Senate in 1999?
Test Ban Treaty
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What are the 5 joint powers shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Pass legislation, conduct investigations regarding the actions of the executive branch, initiate constitutional amendments, declare war, confirm newly appointed VP
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Evidence that the two chambers share equal power in passing legislation?
All legislation must pass both houses, both scrutinise legislation in committees, both can amend legislation, conference committees have members of both to make 1 bill, presidents veto needs 2/3 from both houses to be veteod
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When was the last time Congress declared war?
1941 on Japan
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When was the last time Congress confirmed a VP?
1974 - Nelson Rockefeller
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Reasons why the Senate is considered more prestigious?
Represent a whole state, serve 6 year terms, 1/100 not 1/435, more likely to chair a committee, name recognition, house members seek to become a senators, more likely to be presidential candidates + VP, more significant exclusive powers
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Arguments that the two are equal?
All bills have to go through all stages of both houses, both have standing committees (separate hearings), conference committee has members from both houses, both must agree to the compromise, 2/3 needed from both to veto a presidents veto
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What are the main party leadership posts in Congress?
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Majority and minority leaders of both houses, standing committee chairmen
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What powers does the Speaker of the HofR have?
Chairs debates, interprets and enforces the rules of the house, refers bills to the committees, appoints select and conference committee chairs, appoints majority party members of the House Rules Committee, influence flow of legislation
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When do Minority and Majority leaders elected in both houses?
Every 2 years
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What do Minority and Majority leaders do?
Act as directors of operations on the floor of their respective houses, hold press briefings to talk about their party's policy agenda, act as liaison between the House/Senate and the White House
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What are the most important committees in both houses of Congress?
Standing committees, House Rules Committees, conference committees
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What rule is used to draw chairmen?
Seniority rule
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What are the 2 functions of the House standing committees?
To conduct the committee stage of the legislative process, conduct investigations within the committee's policy area
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What is the 3rd function of the House standing committee which only applies to the Senate?
Begin the confirmation process of presidential nominations
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What are the functions of the House Rules Committee?
Timetables bills, deals with getting bills from the committee stage to the second reading, prioritises the most important bills, sets rules on bills (what can and can't be changed)
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What is the only function of conference committees?
Reconcile the differences between the 2 versions of the same bill
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Roughly what percentage of bills are passed?
3%
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What is the process of a bill?
First reading, committee stage, timetabling, 2nd and 3rd reading, conference committee, presidential action
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What are the 4 options a president has on a bill?
Sign it into law, leave it (becomes law after 10 congressional days), veto, pocket veto
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What are the 4 factors that effect how members of congress vote?
Political party, constituents, the administration (executive), pressure groups
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Why are constituents such an important factor?
Members are residents of the area (know what the people want), up for re-election (house every 2 years)
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Why is the executive important in deciding how members of congress vote?
President can offer support and cooperation in return for their help
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How does their party effect how congressmen vote?
Ideology - if something controversial likely to vote in favour of what you believe in
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Is congress representative? (yes)
Represents its constituents (primaries make sure they stick to the majority and they live in the local area)
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Is congress representative? (no)
Other factors sway decision making, make up of congress is nothing like that of American society
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Is congress more or less partisan now?
More
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What causes gridlock in Congress?
Complicated and lengthy process, divided government, divided congress, filibusters, need for super-majorities, increased level of partisanship, 2 year terms in House leaves little time to do anything
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How does Congress exercise oversight of the executive?
Standing committees (hold hearings about the conduct of government policies, call executive officials to appear before them for questioning),
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Is the oversight effective (yes)?
Can pull the plug on any activity, confirm appointments, questioning executive officials
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Is the oversight effective (no)?
When the president and both houses of Congress are controlled by the same party, Congress acts more as a lapdog
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Is Congress effective in legislation (yes)?
All bills must pass both houses (scrutiny), scrutiny by committees, timetabling means priority given to big bills, more bills fail than pass, major legislation passed (healthcare 2010)
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Is Congress effective in legislation (no)?
Process is long and complicated, need for super majorities, too many bills fail, divided party control adds to ineffectiveness, gridlock
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Is Congress effective in representation (yes)?
Members attentive to constituents views (especially House), primaries add incentive to representation, members often local people
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Is Congress effective in representation (no)?
Members consider other factors not just constituents, unrepresentative in terms of gender, race, age, etc
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Is Congress effective in oversight (yes)?
Prestigious - powerful - well-resourced policy-specialists committees, hearings are frequent - lengthy and well-publicised, power to subpoena people and documents
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Is Congress effective in oversight (no)?
President's party tends to act as lapdogs, opposition acts in a highly partisan fashion
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

How many members of Congress were women in 1991-2?

Back

30

Card 3

Front

What are the 3 exclusive powers of the House?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Who was famously impeached in 1998?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What are the 4 exclusive powers of the Senate?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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