Congressional Structure
The structure of the legislative branch in the United States
What is bicameral?
Extension: What created the two chambers?
The set of individuals who serve in the executive branch
What is the presidency?
Extension: What is the difference between "president" and "presidency"
Groups of representatives with a specific focus; equivalent to bureaucratic departments.
What are legislative committees?
Extension: What are the permanent committees called?
The model of representation in which the representative votes purely based on constituent wishes
What is the delegate model?
Extension: What is the other main model?
Presidential powers explicitly given in the Constitution.
What are expressed powers?
Extension: How are they different from inherent powers?
The chamber that requires members to be older than 30 and citizens for longer than 9 years.
What is the Senate?
Extension: What are the requirements in the House?
Collection of the chief administrators of major departments in the bureaucracy/executive branch
What is the cabinet?
Extension: What is the kitchen cabinet?
The final step after passing in both the House and Senate
What is Presidential approval?
Extension: What happens if the President vetoes?
The main goal of congressional members
What is reelection?
Extension: What does incumbency mean?
Adding local, personal projects to a larger bill to help reelection chances
What is pork-barrel legislation?
Extension: What can this often cause?
The process of allocating House seats to states
What is apportionment?
Extension: What is the process of creating new legislative districts?
An informal treaty between the President and a foreign government
What is an executive agreement?
Extension: When do these expire? How are they different from official treaties?
"Talking a bill to death"; preventing a vote from happening in the Senate, essentially killing it
What is a filibuster?
Extension: How is a filibuster overcome?
Term that describes the privilege of a current member of congress seeking reelection
What is incumbency advantage?
Extension: What are the four sources of incumbency advantage?
Directives from the President that carry the force of law but do not require congressional approval
What are executive orders?
Extension: How are they limited?
The President of the Senate, even if they are often not present.
Who is the Vice President of the United States?
Extension: What is the one situation in which the VP is needed?
The unconstitutional ability of the President to selectively veto sections of a bill
What is the line-item veto?
Extension: What is it called when presidents negotiate with Congress for favorable legislation?
A committee temporarily formed when the House and Senate pass slightly different versions of a bill
What is a conference committee?
Extension: What is a joint committee?
The second inner ring in Fenno's concentric constituency model
What are primary constituents?
Extension: What are the other three?
Statements from the President that often accompany the approval of a bill
What are signing statements?
Extension: What do they include and what is the purpose?
The three types of gerrymandering
What is partisan, incumbent, and racial gerrymandering?
Extension: What are majority minority districts?
The inherent power associated with receiving ambassadors
What is recognizing other countries?
Extension: What does this mean for foreign affairs?
The special committee in the House of Representatives
What is the Rules Committee?
Extension: How does this affect legislative debate in comparison to the Senate?
The three reelection techniques used by members of congress
What is advertising, credit-claiming, and position-taking?
Extension: How are these beneficial/used?
The Supreme Court case that established "one person, one vote"
What is Reynolds v Sims?
Extension: What does this mean for legislative districts?