The Legislative BranchTEST REVIEW

ActivatorPick up a notecardTake out your pink Unit 3 Sheet.

Write down 3 questions/terms that you do not understand.

Bicameral Legislature

2 HousesHouse of RepresentativesSenateGreat Compromise

20th Amendment

Congressional Terms begin on January 3rd in odd numbered years

Used to begin in March

Ex. 114th Congress began on January 3rd 2015

CensusPopulation countEvery 10 years since 1790

Next will be in 2020

Reapportionment

Redistricting- state legislaturesBased on censusReapportionment Act of 1929

Limited House to 435 membersStates gain or lose based on population

GerrymanderingPolitical party drawing voting district

boundaries to gain an advantage in electionsPacking- all opposing party in 1 districtCracking- dividing opposing party into other

districts

Baker v. Carr- federal courts decide conflicts over boundaries

Wesbury v. Sanders (GA)- one man , one vote rule (similar sized districts)

27th AmendmentProhibits sitting Congress from giving itself a pay raise

As of 2009, Congressional salary is $174,000/year. More for leadership positions.

CensureFormal disapproval of members

actions

Incumbent

Person currently holding a political office

Historically, 90% win reelection

Constituent

People represented by a politician

House of Representatives435 members

Based on PopulationVirginia PlanComplex RulesCommittees do most of the workLeader- Speaker of the House, chosen by

caucusRules Committee- directs flow of legislation

Majority Leader

Elected by majority partyParty official

Minority Leader Elected by minority party

Party official

Quorum

Minimum number of members who must be present to vote on legislation

House 218

Senate 100 Members2 per state6 year termMore prestigiousMore flexible rulesVP- technically President- only votes to break

tiePresident Pro Tempore-usually most senior

member of majority party

FilibusterUsed to prevent a voteStrom Thurmond- 24 hours & 18

minutesStopped by 60 votes for cloture

(3/5)Cloture- allows senator to speak for only 1 hour on a bill under debate

Standing CommitteePermanent Committee

Agriculture, Appropriations, Armed Services, Budget, Education, Energy & Commerce, Financial Services, Government Reform, House Admin, International Relations, Judiciary, Resources, Rules, Science, Small Business, Veterans’ Affairs, Ways and Means

Subcommittee

Specializes in specific topics of standing committees

Select Committees

Temporary CommitteeMatters of public concernOverlooked problemsProblems of interest groups

Joint CommitteesMembers from House and Senate

Do not propose legislation

Conference Committee

Temporary committee to resolve differences between House and Senate version of bill

Seniority System

Longest serving members of majority party tend to lead committees

Necessary & Proper Clause

Article 1, Section 8Elastic ClauseImplied PowersStrict vs. Loose

Expressed Powers

Taxes, borrow money, bankruptcy laws, coin money, punish counterfeiters, regulate foreign and interstate trade, declare war, raise and support army & navy, regulate National Guard, Punish acts on international waters, naturalization laws, post office, copyrights & patents, create lower courts, govern DC

McCullough vs. MarylandBank of the US

Marshall CourtLoose ConstructionImplied Powers

NaturalizationCongress sets rules for

becoming a US citizen

25th Amendment1. VP becomes President if president dies, resigns or

is impeached

2. President appoints a new VP if office is vacant, Congress must approve

1. VP- Spiro Agnew resigns

2. Nixon appoints Ford

3. Nixon resigns

4. Ford appoints Nelson A. Rockefeller as VP

3. Replacing President with and w/o his/her consent

ImpeachmentHouse calls for impeachment- formal

accusation of misconductIf impeached, Senate holds trial. 2/3 of

Senators must vote to remove. Chief Justice presides if President is being tried. Andrew Johnson- impeach, but acquitted by

one voteNixon- resigned before impeachmentClinton- impeached, but acquitted

National Budget

OMBPresidentCongressPresident

Private vs. Public Bills

Private bills- deal with individuals; often people’s claims against gov’t or immigration problems

Public bill- raising or lowering taxes, Obamacare etc.

Pigeonholing

Committee lets bill die

Hearing

Committee listens to testimony to gather information about a bill

Mark UpAfter committee meetingChanges made to a billAfter mark up, bill must pass

committee with a majority vote

Voice VoteOne of 3 ways to vote on a bill

Veto

President rejects a bill2/3rds of Congress must vote to override veto

Pocket VetoA pocket veto is when the

president does not sign a bill passed in the last 10 days of a Congressional session.

Logrolling“You scratch my back, I’ll scratch

yours”Public works legislation

Pork Barrel LegislationCongressmen and/or

representatives try to bring money to their own districts.

Pork barrel= federal moneyFat= federal project in district