2.1 Congress: The Senate and House of Representatives
These two plans advocated for equal representation and proportionate representation respectively. The compromise between them is reflected in the structure of the legislative branch.
What are the Virginia and New Jersey Plans?
Both chambers send bills to these bodies, which hold hearings and revise legislation before it ever reaches the floor. What are they?
What are committees?
When members of Congress vote based on their party’s position rather than compromise, what type of voting is occurring?
What is partisan voting?
This formal presidential power allows the president to reject a bill passed by Congress, while this related power cannot be overridden by Congress. Name BOTH.
What is a veto and pocket veto?
The Senate checks the president’s appointment power by requiring this process for Cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges.
What is the Senate confirmation?
Designed to represent the people, the 435 members in this chamber are up for re-election every two years.
This House committee controls the schedule and sets debate rules, making it one of the most powerful committees in Congress.
What is the Rules Committee?
When ideological divisions make it difficult for Congress to pass legislation, what term describes this legislative standstill?
What is gridlock?
This group of officials and advisors helps the president develop and carry out a policy agenda. Name ONE part of this group.
What are/is The Vice President, The President's Cabinet, and the Executive office of the President?
A president may face conflict with Congress when nominating these lifetime officials who can shape the law long and preserve the ideology of the President long after they leave office. Who are they?
Who are Supreme Court Justices
This chamber has the sole power to introduce revenue bills, giving it a major role in federal budgeting and taxation.
What is the House of Representatives?
Elected by a majority of House members, this leader controls the House agenda, assigns bills to committees, and presides over debate, making them the most powerful figure in the chamber. Who is this leader?
What is the Speaker of the House?
When one party controls the presidency and another party controls at least one chamber of Congress, what condition exists and often increases partisanship?
What is divided government?
These department heads oversee major executive agencies and advise the president on policy decisions in their areas, helping shape and implement the president’s agenda. What are they collectively called?
What is the cabinet?
When Congress refuses to pass a policy on the president’s agenda, the president may turn to this unilateral tool, directing federal agencies to act without new legislation.
What is an executive order?
This chamber has the exclusive power to ratify treaties and confirm presidential appointments, giving it significant influence over foreign policy and the federal judiciary.
What is the Senate?
This Senate tactic allows senators to prolong debate and delay a vote on a bill, while this informal practice allows a single senator to quietly delay the bill from even reaching the floor. Name BOTH.
Bonus (+200): What is needed to end the first tactic?
What are a filibuster and a hold?
Bonus: A cloture (3/5 of all senators)
A representative who votes based on their own judgment is acting in this role, while one who votes strictly based on constituent wishes is acting in this role. Name BOTH.
What is a Trustee and Delegate?
This unilateral presidential action directs the federal bureaucracy without requiring new legislation.
What is an executive order?
The Senate can block the president’s foreign policy agenda by rejecting nominees to these diplomatic positions, which represent the United States abroad. What positions are these?
What are ambassadors?
This "continuous body" is often seen as insulated from public opinion.
Bonus (+500): Explain how this "continuous body" is insulated from public opinion.
What is the Senate?
Answer: Senators serve 6 year and are up for re-election on a staggered basis. This ensures that a sudden shift in public opinion does not have a immediate impact on the body.
Entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare fall under this category of spending required by law, while defense and education funding fall under this annually approved category. Name BOTH types of spending.
What is mandatory spending and discretionary spending?
One Supreme Court case allowed equal-protection challenges to malapportioned districts, and another prohibited districts drawn primarily on the basis of race. Name BOTH.
What is Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno?
DOUBLE JEOPARDY (+1000): The President has both formal and informal powers. Name one of each.
Formal:
Veto
Pocket veto
Commander-in-chief
Making treaties
Appointing ambassadors
Appointing federal judges
State of the Union (constitutional duty)
Informal:
Executive agreements
Bargaining & persuasion
Executive orders
Signing statements
Bully pulpit / going public
Negotiating with Congress informally
Using the media to influence opinion
During this period after a presidential election, Congress—especially the Senate—often becomes less willing to confirm the president’s nominees, increasing confrontation over appointments. What is this period called?
What is the lame duck period?