Congressional Membership
What two groups make up the Congressional Bicameral Chambers?
House of Representatives & Senate
Tell me one of the 4 main taxing powers of Congress.
Collect Taxes
Borrow Money
Coin/Print Money
Punish counterfeiters
Who can propose a law and who has to sponsor it?
Anyone.
A member of Congress.
Who is this? ___________ __ ___ ________
Job: Presiding Officer of the House
Power: Decides which committee a bill goes to.
Speaker of the House
In class we discussed 3 Congressional Resolutions. Tell me the name of one.
Simple Resolution: matters affecting only one house. Rules and procedures.
Concurrent Resolution: passed by both houses, but is not a law.
Joint Resolution: passed by both houses and signed by President. Force of law.
Reapportionment – Congress divides the 435 House seats between states based on ______________.
Tell me any one of the other legislative powers of Congress regarding Foreign Policy Powers or Other Powers we mentioned in class.
Foreign Policy Power
Declare War
Raise/Support Military
Other Powers
Establish Naturalization Laws
Establish Post Office
Grant Copyright/Patent
Weights and Measures
Judicial Powers – creating federal courts
Provide Necessary and Proper Laws
Tell me any one of the first steps in a bill becoming a law.
A member of the House or Senate drafts a bill.
They submit the bill to the House or Senate.
House uses the Hopper, Senate must present
The bill is assigned a number that begins with
H.R. for House of Representatives
S. for Senate
The bill is then sent to the appropriate committee.
Who is this? ____________ ___________.
Job: Support legislation for party and get it passed
Majority Leader
(Minority leader leads opposition against the Majority)
Historically, there have been 3 main types of committees. Tell me one of them.
Standing
Select
Joint
Constituents – the ________ and ________each House member represents
Tell me any one of the Congressional non-legislative powers we discussed in class.
-Admit New States to the Union
-Amend the Constitution
-Count Electoral Votes
-Serve as a Government “Watchdog”
-Advise and Consent (Senate approval of items)
-Impeach federal officials
What is the name of the permanent committee in the House or Senate that studies bills related to a general topic, such as education, agriculture or science.
This committee's chair assigns the bill to the appropriate subcommittee.
The Standing Committee
Who is this? ________.
Job: Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips.
WHIP (Majority/Minority Whip)
A provision on a subject other than the one covered in the bill.
Rider
What is the purpose of a census and how often is it taken?
Census – Every 10 years to determine population
Name any one of the Congressional support agencies we discussed in class.
Library of Congress
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
General Accounting Office (GAO)
Government Printing Office (GPO)
After a bill is debated on the House or Senate floor it is put to a vote. In class we named 4 of the types of votes. Tell me 2.
Voice Vote, Standing Vote, Roll-Call Vote, Electronic Vote
Who is this? ___________ ______ ___________?
Job: Presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent.
Selected by majority party. Usually most senior member of the Senate majority party
President Pro Tempore
The majority party always holds more seats on a committee and though political parties determine which members will serve on what committee it is the ___________ that determine the agenda and control the budget.
Chairpersons
_________________ – drawing district lines based on some characteristic other than just population
Gerrymandering
When it comes to matter of war Congress can do a few things. Tell me about one of the requirements or powers of Congress surrounding war.
Only Congress can declare war.
They have the power to raise and support armies, provide and maintain the navy, make rules about the governing of land, can call forth the militia, can make rules concerning captures on land and water.
War Powers Resolution of 1973- President must notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.
What is the name of this Committee?
The __________ committee includes members of both the House and the Senate.
The committee discusses the differences between the two bills.
They re-write the bill in a form that they think will pass in both the House and the Senate and vote on it.
After they pass the re-written bill, the committee writes a report that contains:
The re-written bill
An explanation of how they worked out the differences between the two bills
The CONFERence Committee
Who is this? ________ ___________
Job: President of the Senate
Power: Breaks tie in legislation. Otherwise does not vote.
The Vice President of the United States of America
A group of people who hold common views and who work together to influence what the government does about those things they have in common.
GOAL = Lobbying for their Cause by
1. Provide public opinion information
2. Provide data and statistics to support the cause
3. Find experts to testify in favor of laws
Interest Group