Chapter 2: Congress

Question 1

Congressional oversight

Answer 1

• 2019- Congress declined funding of the Trump wall

Question 2

Democratic Party Caucus (3)

Answer 2

• Congressional Progressive Caucus (most left-leaning faction of the Democratic party)
• New Democrat Coalition (pro-business and moderate approach to fiscal matters but socially liberal)
• Blue Dog Coalition (fiscally and socially conservative, representing the centre-right in the Democratic Party)

Question 3

Republican Party Caucus

Answer 3

Republican Freedom Caucus (fiscal conservatism)

Question 4

example of an emergency act passed by Congress

Answer 4

CARES Act 2020

Question 5

Impeachment (2)

Answer 5

• Donald Trump (2019) charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress
• Trump (2021) impeachment on a charge of incitement of insurrection

Question 6

Congress representation (3)

Answer 6

• 23% of 117th Congress are POC
• 27% of 117th Congress are women
• 94% of 117th Congress are college educated

Question 7

Approval rating

Answer 7

2023- Congress approval rating= 23%

Question 8

Congress gov. shut down

Answer 8

2018-2019, longest government shutdown (35 days). Occurred as Trump and Congress could not agree on an appropriations bills- cost US economy $11 billion

Question 9

Lack of bipartisanship

Answer 9

After Orlando 2016, failure to legislate gun control due to a lack of bipartisan support

Question 10

Example of Bipartisanship legislation

Answer 10

Biden 2022 gun safety “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 2022”

Question 11

Congressional divisions in the House: (policy)

Answer 11

• Pro-Palestinian Democrats- Ilhan Omar, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez
• Pro-Israeli Democrats- Brad Sherman

Question 12

Democrat with highest disapproval ratings

Answer 12

Democrat Senator with highest DISAPPROVAL rate- Joe Manchin (53%)

Question 13

Senator with highest disapproval ratings

Answer 13

Mitch McConnel (64%)

Question 14

2018 midterms key statistics

Answer 14

• AOC- only $300,000 received in funding, won 78% of NYC 14th districts vote
• Joseph Crowley received over $3 million in funding and lost

Question 15

Black Caucus

Answer 15

Congressional Black Caucus- 56 members, representing 82 million Americans

Question 16

bipartisan legislation 2023

Answer 16

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Question 17

Attempts to remove the Filibuster

Answer 17

2022- The Democratic controlled Senate voted to change the filibuster. The vote, however, failed with democrats such as Joe Manchin dissenting from democrats

Question 18

Filibuster example:

Answer 18

2013- Ted Cruz, 21 hour filibuster, trying to block extensions to Obamacare

Question 19

Power of the purse EPA

Answer 19

2018 -Trump requested that the budget for the EPA be cut by ⅓ but the republican house voted to cut it by only 6% instead