How are amendments made
- 2 STAGE
- PROPOSED by 2/3 of House and Senate
- RATIFIED by 3/4 of state legilatures
Difference between devolution and federalims
- federalism- constitutional
- devolution - statutory
How many bills die at committee stage
90% - due to practices such as pigeon holing
what did the January 6th Committees decide
voted unanimously to refer Trump for criminal persecution
Biden’s 2023 State of Union adress
centered economic record and infrastructure gains
Executive Agreement
2021- Biden executive agreement re-joining the Paris Agreement
Obama signing statements
2014- statement on Ukraine Freedom Support Act
SC case that established Judicial Review
1803 Marbury v Madison
SC case that struck down state law
1810 Fletcher vs Peck
How is SC politicised
- President appointments, Senate Confirmation and media coverage
SC judicial independence
- separation of powers, tenure and salary protection of $274,200 per year
SC striking down exisiting legislation
- Citizens United v FEC 2010 struck down Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002
Case that struck down Roe v Wade 1973
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization 2022
SC court voting rights rulings (2)
- Shelby County v Holder 2013- required states to seek federal approval before changing voting laws
- Evenwell v Abott 2016- reaffirmed principle of 1 vote per person
Affirmative Action SC cases (2)
- Grutter v Bollinger (2003)- AA does not violate 14th amendment
- Fisher v University of Texas (2016)- AA did not violate equality laws
SC judges not following ideology expected of them (2)
- Warren’s court was unexpectedly liberal, 1954 Brown v Board
- Gorsuch unpredictable: (2018) Sessions v Dimaya, joined liberals, ruling that deportation statute was unconstitutionally vague
Senate politicisation (2)
- Amy Caney Barret 52-48, no democrat votes
- Republican held senate denied Merrick Garland appointment due to Obama being a sitting president
Media coverage politicising
Brett Kavanaugh 2018 appointment- media reported past sexual misconduct allegations
when was the 27th amendment
1992
117th congress public laws passed
362
How many bills become laws
4%
Hastert rule defeating bill
- Immigration Reform defeated due to Hastert rule (2013)
Committee on foreign policy
2012 House Select Committee on Benghazi- US diplomatic mission in Benghazi Libya
Partisanship reducing effectiveness of committee
- Congressional oversight hampered by increased partisanship and assertions of executive privilege
- Democrats supporting the Secretary of State and president’s actions
