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29 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Policy
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1. Set of principles or precedents
2. Line of argument rationalizing the course of action of a government |
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Census
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Periodic count of the population
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Constituent
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Citizen who is represented by the government officials for whom s/he votes
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Lobbyist
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Employed to persuade legislators to vote for legislation that favor's the lobbyist's employer
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Congressional district
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Territorial division of a state (by population, about 647,000 people per district) entitled to one representative in the House of Reps
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Bill
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Proposed law
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Special interest group
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Group concerned with a specific part of the economy that tries to influence legislators to act in their favor
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Budget
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Summary of intended expenditures along with proposals for how to meet them
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Pocket veto
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In the last 10 days of a congressional session, the President can leave a bill on his desk until the end of the session, and it will die automatically
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Majority party
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Political party with more members and thus more votes and more influence
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Minority party
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Political party with fewer members and therefore fewer votes and less influence
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Filibuster
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A legislator who gives long speeches to postpone a vote on a piece of legislature they disagree with
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Cloture
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Terminating a debate by calling for a vote
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Elastic clause
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Grants Congress power to pass any law necessary and proper to fulfill its other duties and powers
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Speaker of the House
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John Boehner
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President Pro Tempore
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Patrick Leahy
Presiding officer of the Senate when Vice President is absent (pretty much the entire time, except if the VP is needed for a tiebreaker) |
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Majority Leader
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House: Kevin McCarthy
Senate: Mitch McConnell |
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Minority Leader
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House: Nancy Pelosi
Senate: Harry Reid |
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Floor leader
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Coordinates their party's motions on the floor
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Whip
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Makes sure members of their party vote with the party and follow party policies, often with bribes and threats
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Bill -> Law Steps
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1.) Distributed to rally support and get co-sponsors
2.) Formally introduced 3.) Assigned number 4.) Given to committee for discussion and editing 5.) Debated on floor 6.) Voted on in introductory chamber 7.) Sent to other chamber, repeat #4-6 8.) If discrepancies between chamvers, given to conference committee to resolve 9.) Final vote 10.) Given to President to sign, veto (overturned by 2/3 vote in both chambers), or leave on desk (automatically passed after 10 days) |
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How long is a House term?
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2 years
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A Senate term?
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6 yrs
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House minimum age?
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25 yo
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Senate minimum age?
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30 yo
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How long do you have to have been a US citizen to become a House rep?
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7 yrs
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Citizenship for Senate?
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9 yrs
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Powers of Congress
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Revenue bills (House)
Impeachment (House) Impeachment trials (Senate) Make laws Approve major presidential appointments (Senate) Make treaties (Senate) |
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Powers denied to Congress
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- No suspending habeas corpus (must be accused of a crime before being arrested), except in times of rebellion or invasion
- No ex post facto (accusing of crimes that aren't yet illegal) - Can't tax at different rates - No export taxes - No laws that favor certain states - No spending without congressional approval - No titles of nobility |
