Section 1
Who are the people of a particular geographic region represented by their own member in congress?
The CONSTITUENTS are represented by their elected delegate in Congress.
What is a deficit?
Deficit is the expenses or debt incurred by the U.S Government. According to United States Treasury, we as a country are $35 Trillion dollars in debt.
Describe any of the qualifications required for someone to run for the House of Representatives.
1. Be at least 25 years old.
2. Be a U.S citizen for at least 7 years.
3. Be a resident of the state he or she represents.
What is a joint resolution? You got 30 seconds to look in Chapter 5 to get the answer.
They are used to propose amendments to the constitution and certain special situations.
What is the role of Congress in the system of Checks and Balances?
Congress being a part of the legislative branch checks the power of the executive and judicial branches.
Describe how many members are elected in the House of Representatives and how many members are in the Senate?
Members of the House of Representatives consist of approximately 435 members while the Senate has 100 members or 2 representatives from all 50 states.
Describe the "Commerce Clause"
Give an approximate amount of the salary for members of the House of Representatives.
According to your book, a member of the House of Reps receive a salary of around $174,000. However, this occupation comes with a number of benefits as well.
What are some INFORMAL qualifications to becoming a senator?
Really the biggest informal factor for the Senate is wealth. The Senate was nicknamed the Millionaire's Club because many members of the Senate have a large amount of personal wealth.
When a Senator retires, dies, or is expelled from the Senate how is that vacancy filled?
The governor of the state from which the Senator comes from picks a replacement if the state legislature allows. But if it does not then a special election is held.
What determines membership into the House of Representatives or the Senate?
Members of the House of Representatives are elected through APPORTIONMENT, where the number of seats a state gets is determined by population. Senate membership is done through an election by popular vote from the state.
Describe some of the Defense-Related powers of the United States Government.
1. Congress has the Power to Declare War
2. The President can send military forces without the approval of Congress.
3. According to the Constitution, the government can maintain a standing military force in peace and wartime.
Every 10 years the seats of the House of Representatives must be redistributed in response to population changes.
What kind of actions can the president perform on a bill when it reaches his/her desk?
1. Veto
2. Approve
3. Not sign it at all for ten days in the hopes that Congress gives up on passing it. Called a pocket veto.
If the most powerful member of the House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House who is the highest position in the Senate? You got 30 seconds to look in Ch.5 Sec 04
The highest position in the Senate is the Senate Majority leader. This position belongs to the party with the most members.
Describe the "Power of the Purse" Clause. (Hint: Recall Fiscal Federalism from our previous lecture)
Using appropriation or setting aside funding for specific purposes, congress can control federal spending.
When it comes to the election of the president and vice president what is the role of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
If the electoral college cannot reach a majority vote the House of Representatives may choose the president. Also if the electoral college cannot reach a majority vote, the senate may choose the vice president.
What is the Speaker of the House?
Considered to be the most powerful member of the House of Representatives and is usually a part of the majority paper.
Describe any of the qualifications required to be a member of the Senate.
1. Be at least 30 years old.
2. Be a U.S Citizen for at least 9 years.
3. Be a resident of the state they are representing.
Describe the Writ of Habeas Corpus?
This is your right to presented before a judge to face charges. This law was to prevent the government from holding you in secret or without cause.
What is Congressional Oversight?
In the system of checks and balances, oversight is Congress keeping check on the the executive and judicial branches.
Describe some of the other expressed powers held by Congress.
1. The power to print dollars and stamp coins.
2. Creating a national postal service (USPS)
3. Creation of copyrights, patents, and trademarks.
4. Standard system of weights and measures.
5. Naturalization
6. Federal Courts.
7. Congressional Elections.
What is the purpose of Committees in the House of Representatives?
Because the House of Representatives needs a wide range of expertise on different issues, they have committees or teams dedicated to specific areas of public policy.
1. Standing Committees.
2. Select Committees.
3. Joint Committees between the House and the Senate.
1. Tax Deductions
2. Travel allowances
3. Staff
4. Health and retirement
5. Free mail to constituents.
6. Free printing
7. Use of gym facilities at the capitol
8. Legal immunity for statements made while congress is in section.
Describe a Filibuster? Its actually kinda weird but its a part of the legislative process.
Filibuster is essentially a very long speech about a certain issue in the Senate and is used as a tactic to prevent a decision from taking place. If there is no opposition then the Senator make speak for however long they wish. The longest filibuster in U.S history was a Senator who opposed the Civil Rights spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes