what are the 2 houses in congress?
election cycle?
requirements ?
house of representatives and senate
HOR= 2 year term, senate= 6 year term
25, citizen 7 years, 30, citizen 9 years
what are the 4 concurrent powers?
- constitutional amendments
- declaring war
- confirming vice president
- passing legislation
what are the exclusive powers of …
house of representatives? (3)
senate ?(4)
- initiate money bills
- elect president if EC deadlocked(1800/24)
- bring cases of impeachment e.g. bill Clinton 1998
- confirm presidential appointments
- elect vice president if EC deadlocked
- try cases of impeachment
- ratify treaties
What is the significance of incumbency? (5)
- name recognition
- legislative record
- congressional franking privileges
- gerrymandering, manipulated
- house/senate dedicated website
features of congressional elections? (3)
- midterms
- win primary to become candidate for party
- win seat by FPTP on election day
factors effecting voting in congress?(4)
- constituency
- pressure groups and lobbyists
- party and partisanship
- congressional caucuses
what is the legislative process? (8)
- introduction
- committee
- timetabling
- second reading/vote
- third reading/vote
- conference committee (both)
- house/senate approval
- presidential action
strengths of legislative process? (4)
weaknesses ?(3)
- high level scrutiny
- protects state rights
- prevents tyranny of majority
- unanimous consent
- slow
- lack of bipartisanship leads to gridlock
- focus on re-election rather than legislation
what are congress’s oversight powers? (6)
- impeachment
- determining funding
- declaring war
- ratification of federal justices
- ratification of treaties
- investigation of executive action
what are the factors regarding oversight of congress and presidency? (5)
- HOR and senate presided by same party
- when next election is
- which branch has recent mandate
- poll ratings/popularity
- national circumstances
what are the methods congress uses to oversee the supreme court? (5)
- ratification of judicial nominees
- creation of lower courts
- impeachment of justices
- congress’s determination of the no. of justices
- initiate constitutional amendment to overturn supreme court ruling
who does congress represent? (6)
- districts/ states as a whole
- individual constituents
- their party
- congressional caucuses
- interest groups
- descriptive representation
House of representatives is effective ?(4)
- shorter election cycle -responsive
- congressional politicians represent smaller numbers
- party discipline stronger in house
- based on population more populous better represented
the senate is effective? (4)
- represent view as a whole state
- unanimous consent allows power
- unanimous consent allows party discipline weaker
- six year terms ‘get on with it’
changing roles in constitutional powers?
- declaration of war
- passing budget
- passing legislation
- developed weapons, authorisations in use of military
- increased bipartisanship, arguments
- lack of bipartisanship low legislation more executive orders
parties are important? (3)
not important ?(3)
- increase partisan, gov shutdowns, low leg
- diff parties control presidency in congress
- control appointments
- parties ‘broad churches’
- party discipline weak
- unanimous consent gives senators individual power
the legislative function good? (2)
bad (3)
- well scrutinised lengthy process
- increased divided gov, reduces tyranny
- lack of legislative output
- difficult to overturn veto
- presidential bills largely unhindered
