POLS 229 Chp 11 – Flashcards

preeminent branch of fed. gov. and granted power to make laws as well as to decide form and function of executive depts. and lower courts

reelection of the incumbent

party leaders, including the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader

its committees, each of which has its own leadership and designated policy jurisdiction

oversight, representation, and lawmaking

professional politicians

make it a career

office holders

90

many congressional districts are so lopsidedly Democratic or Republican that candidates of the stronger party seldom lose

the people residing in the incumbent's state or district

appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district

when incumbents respond to their constituents' individual requests

a privilege given to Congress members allowing them free trips back to their home state and free mailings to constituent households

a race without an incumbent; often brings out a strong candidate from each party and involves heavy spending

every 10 years, after each population census, the 435 seats in the House of Representatives are reallocated among the states in proportion to their population

redrawing House election districts

when the party that controls the legislature redraws the boundaries in a way that favors candidates of its party

disruptive issues, personal misconduct, turnout swings, strong challengers, and campaign money

occur halfway through a President's term

white and male

when party members meet periodically in a closed session

when members of a party band together on legislation and stand against the opposite party

votes on which each member's vote is recorded

major domestic issues

a Speaker (invariably a member of the majority), elected by the vote of its members

Speaker of the House

developing the party's positions on issues and persuading party members in the House to support them

speak first during House debate on legislation, recognize members, chooses chairperson and majority-party members of the powerful House Rules Committee, which controls scheduling of bills

informs party members when critical votes are scheduled

most senior member

permanent committees with responsibility for particular areas of public policy

have a designated responsibility, but do not produce legislation

composed of members of both houses, which perform advisory functions

requires that each bill introduced in Congress be referred to the proper committee

time served on a committee, not on time spent in Congress

minority party's committee and subcommittee leaders

determine when a bill will be voted on and how long the debate on it will last

procedural tactic whereby a minority of senators can block a bill by talking until other senators give in and the bill is withdrawn from consideration or altered to fit opponents' demands

limits debate to thirty hours

formed temporarily for the sole purpose of handling a particular bill; job is to develop a compromise version

to tax, spend, regulate commerce, and declare war

confers a benefit on a particular group while spreading the cost across the taxpaying public

the practice of trading one's vote with another member's so they both get what they want

the public's image of Congress has plummeted

Congress's responsibility to see that the executive branch carries out the laws faithfully; carried out through committee system

spells out each committee's responsibility for overseeing its parallel agency