House
How many years do representatives serve?
Two years.
How many years do senators serve?
What is the difference between Coalitions and Committees?
Coalitions are INFORMAL and TEMPORARY alliances from the same or different parties to vote together.
Committees are FORMAL and more PERMANENT.
Define Enumerated Powers.
Powers explicitly stated in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution.
Define Polarization.
The process by which political views become more extreme → groups (often political parties) to move farther apart.
Who is the most powerful leader in the House of Representatives, and what does he or she do?
Speaker of the House:
- Leader of the majority party
- Controls debates
- Assigns bills to committees
Senator stalls a bill by talking for a very long time.
Name all four types of Committees.
Standing Commitee, Select Committee, Joint Committee, Conference Committee.
Define Implied Powers.
Congress can pass legislations (laws) even if not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution in order to carry out its Enumerated Powers.
Define Divided Government, and give an example of how it affects Congress efficiency.
When the President and Congress are from different parties → gridlock occurs.
- E.g., In 2016, Obama (Democrat) nominated a liberal Supreme Court Justice, and Republican Senate refused to confirm. BUT, in 2020, Trump (Republican) nominated a conservative Supreme Court Justice, and Republican Senate confirmed quickly.
Number of representatives per state is ______ by the population of each state.
Apportioned.
What role does the Vice President of the U.S. play in the Senate, and what power does he or she have?
The Vice President is the President of the Senate, he or she votes only to break ties.
Senate Budget Committee and House Judiciary Committee are examples of what type of Committee?
Standing Committee.
Name five examples of Enumerated Powers.
Federal Funding: Raise revenue through tax, coin money, pass federal budget.
Foreign Policy: Declare war, raise army, fund the armed forces, pass draft laws.
Name and define all three types of Models of Representation.
Trustee: Representatives vote according to their own judgment.
Delegate: Representatives must vote with the will of the people, even if it goes against their better judgment.
Politico: How representatives vote depends on the situation.
What is a defining characteristic of debate in the House of Representatives?
Unlimited Debate.
Who is the most powerful person in the Senate, and what does he or she do?
Senate Majority Leader: Decides which bills reach the debate floor.
Which Special House Committee has the power to kill a bill?
House Rules Committee.
How is the Necessary and Proper Clause related to Implied Powers?
Congress can pass legislations (laws) even if not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution in order to carry out its Enumerated Powers → Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause).
Explain Baker v. Shaw in detail.
Racial Gerrymandering was a way of drawing districts to make sure that a certain race constituted a majority in those districts.
Shaw v. Reno (1993): Two districts in North Carolina were drawn in strange shapes → majority-Black district.
- Supreme Court ruled that drawing districts based on race - even if it increased minority representation - is unconstitutional.
Who directs debates and guides party members in policy making?
Majority & Minority Leaders.
Name and describe the two ways that the Senate could end a Filibuster.
Cloture Rule: Three-Fifths vote (60 votes) which ends a filibuster and brings a bill to vote.
Unanimous Consent Agreements: Acting Senate President asks if all Senators agree to limit debate in order to avoid filibusters, BUT if one Senator objects (Hold), then filibuster continues.
What is Committee of the Whole?
It is a Special House Committee that allows for more relaxed and quick debate.
How did Alexander Hamilton utilize the Necessary and Proper Clause?
In Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution, it does NOT say: “Congress can create a national bank.” BUT it does say: Congress can raise revenue through tax (Enumerated Powers). Alexander Hamilton’s argument: To do those things effectively, it is “necessary and proper” to create a National Bank to store and manage money.
Explain Baker v. Carr in detail.
The Constitution states that every 10 years, a census must be taken to find out the U.S. population.
- The number of representation for each state is apportioned to reflect the new population (Reapportionment).
- Congressional districts are redrawn (Redistricting).
Baker v. Carr (1962): Tennessee had not redrawn its district for other 60 years even though urban population exploded while rural population grew slower → rural citizens had more voting power.
- Supreme Court ruled that such a situation violated the 14th Amendment.
- “One person, one vote”: Districts must be drawn to evenly distribute voting power.
- Apportionment became Judicial: Supreme Court could rule on apportionment issues because it’s a constitutional issue, not political.