The Legislative Branch
How many people are in the House of Representatives and How many people are in the Senate
House: 435
Senate: 100
What are the requirements to be president?
1. Born in the United States of America
2. 35 or older
3. Need to be a resident of the U.S. for 14 years or more
What is the merit system?
Employment-based upon qualifications not loyalty
What are the three tiers of courts?
Bottom Tier: District Court
Middle Tier: Courts of Appeal
Top Tier: Supreme Court
What is redistricting?
Redrawing congressional districts to reflect the increase or decrease in the number of seats given to a state, as well as population changes
The president can reject any bill that is passed by both houses in Congress
What do independent executive agencies do?
They give people services not regulatory procedures
Example: CIA. NASA
What do the judges who do not agree with the outcome of a case file?
Dissenting Opinions
List the four types of committees
1.Standing
2.Joint
3.Conference
4.Select/Special
How much power does the vice president have?
The amount of power the vice president has depends on the amount of power they are given by the president
What is the Hatch Act?
Federal employees were not allowed to could not work for political candidates directly
What is Judicial Review?
The power courts have to review actions of other government branches and states
What is Pork?
legislation that gives representatives the authority to bring money and jobs into their respective state usually in the form of public works programs
What does the Chief of Staff do?
They make sure the executive branch is running smooth
What is Rule-Making?
quasi-legislative process in which the regulation produced has the same characteristics of a legislative act
What is the Writ of Certiorari?
Supreme Court can get the records of lower courts to review them
How would a trustee make their vote in Congress?
A trustee would listen to all sides of the argument and then based off of the information they are given will make a decision on how they will vote
What is an executive order?
It is a rule or regulation passed by the president that has the power of law but does not require congressional approval
What are interagency councils?
They are working groups that aid the coordination of policymaking and implementation among many agencies
What is Senatorial Courtesy?
Presidents generally will allow senators from the state where a judicial vacancy occurs to block a nomination by registering an objection