Congress: Representation & Structure
Congress is composed of two chambers, making it what kind of legislature?
Bicameral legislature
The committee that decides how and when bills will be debated in the House of Representatives
The House Rules Committee
The president’s constitutional role as the highest military authority
Commander in chief
The practice of presidents appealing directly to the public to gain support for their policies
Going public
The two broad categories of law in the U.S. legal system
Criminal law and civil law
The two models of representation in Congress—acting on behalf of constituents’ wishes or using independent judgment—are known as what?
Delegate and trustee models
A tactic in the Senate used to delay or block legislative action by refusing to yield the floor.
Filibuster
The president’s power to forgive individuals for federal crimes
The power to grant reprieves, pardons, and amnesty
The 1973 law intended to limit presidential war powers, often ignored by presidents
The War Powers Resolution
Courts that hear a case first have this type of jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
When representatives share demographic traits with their constituents, such as race or gender, it’s called what?
Descriptive representation
The vote threshold needed in both chambers to override a presidential veto
Two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate
Powers granted to the president by Congress are called what?
Delegated powers
Executive actions that have the force of law without congressional approval
Executive orders
The Supreme Court case that established judicial review
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
The manipulation of district boundaries to favor one group or party
Gerrymandering
The “regular order” of lawmaking has increasingly been replaced by this modern, leadership-controlled process
Unorthodox lawmaking
The president’s claim that communications with advisers should remain confidential
Executive privilege
The president’s formal rejection of a bill passed by Congress
Veto (or pocket veto if unsigned in the final 10 days of session)
The “rule of four” refers to how many justices must vote to hear a Supreme Court case
Four justices
The percentage of incumbents who typically win reelection is very high, largely because of advantages such as this
Incumbency advantage (resources, name recognition, and constituency service)
Congressional power to conduct hearings and investigations into how the executive branch enforces laws
Oversight
The group of key agencies and offices that help manage the executive branch, including the OMB and Council of Economic Advisers
The Executive Office of the President (EOP)
Two main ways modern presidents have expanded their power
Popular mobilization (“going public”) and expanding administrative power
The judicial philosophy that emphasizes following the original intent of the Constitution
Judicial restraint (or originalism)