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American Government
Legislative Branch, its Powers, and Congress in Action, for PIB American Government
92
Political Studies
9th Grade
10/16/2010

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Cards

Term
Historical Reason for Bicameral Congress
Definition
The Parliament had a bicameral legislature, so Americans chose to keep it
Term
Practical Reason for Bicameral Congress
Definition
It is the "middle" of the Virginia and New Jersey Plan
Term
Theoretical Reason for Bicameral Congress
Definition
To keep the Houses in line with the law
Term
Term of Congress
Definition
2 years
Term
Session of Congress
Definition
1 year
Term
Adjournment
Definition
When a session ends
Term
Recess in Congress
Definition
A short break
Term
Date for a session in Congress to start
Definition
January 3rd
Term
Prorogue
Definition
When President ends a session
Term
Special Session
Definition
Emergency session called by President
Term
# of times a special session called for both Houses
Definition
26
Term
# of times a special session called for only Senate
Definition
46
Term
(Re) Apportion
Definition
(Re) Distribute
Term
Reapportionment Act of 1929
Definition
Act that set # in House of Reps. at 435 and seats are redistributed throughout the states
Term
House of Reps. Term
Definition
2 years
Term
Off Year Elections
Definition
Elect Congressmen on every even # year that does not have President on ballot
Term
Districts
Definition
There are 435 districts in the US, 1 representative per district
Term
Gerrymandering
Definition
Redrawing district lines to exclude people from voting or get more votes for your party
Term
Laws for districts
Definition
Have to be in one piece, contiguous and not based on color
Term
Formal Qualifications for House
Definition
  1. 25 years old or older
  2. Live in the State you are representing
  3. Have a citizenship for 7 years
Term
Informal Qualifications for House
Definition
Factors of how to get votes
Term
Senate Term
Definition
6 years
Term
Elections
Definition
Every two years, 33 or 34 Senators are put up for reelection to keep it continuous
Term
Size of Senate
Definition
100 seats, 2 per State
Term
Qualifications for Senate
Definition
  1. 30 years or older
  2. Citizen for 9 years
  3. Live in State you are representing
Term
Jobs of Congressmen
Definition
  1. Representative of People
  2. Committee Members
  3. Servants to their Constituencies
  4. Politicians
  5. Legislators
Term
Representatives of the People
Definition

This is by voting. 4 ways of voting are

  1. Trustee
  2. Delegates
  3. Partisans
  4. Politicos
Term
Trustee Voting
Definition
Checks how good it is for the people, the economy, the government, how it has done in other countries, etc.
Term
Delegate Voting
Definition
Voting how the people want
Term
Partisan Voting
Definition
Voting how your party wants, #1 style of voting
Term
Politico Voting
Definition
A mix of trustee, delegate, and partisan voting
Term
Committee Members
Definition

Congressmen are also Committee members. They form committees to add details to specific laws. Each committee is made for certain areas of laws like agriculture or business.

 

Term
Servants to the People
Definition
They must help people with various problems involving the government. If they don't help, they do not get elected again.
Term
Compensation
Definition
Congressmen get it from salary and compensation
Term
Salary
Definition

Regular member-158,000

Speaker of the House-192,000

Vice President-192,000

Floor leaders-171,900

Term
Non Salary Compensation
Definition

1. Tax Deduction

2. Travel Allowances

3. Lower Healthcare

4. Retirement Plan

5. Funds for hiring Staff

6. Franking Privilege

7. Free Printing

Term
Expressed Powers of Congress
Definition
Powers directly written in the Constitution
Term
Implied Powers of Congress
Definition
Powers implied by expressed powers
Term
Inherent Powers of Congress
Definition
Powers for being a soveriegn nation
Term
Strict Constructionalists
Definition
People who believed government should have the expressed powers and implied powers which are need to carry out the expressed powers
Term
Liberal Constructionists
Definition
People who wanted government to have all expressed, implied, and inherent powers
Term
Consensus
Definition
A General Agreement
Term
Congress Power to Tax
Definition
Can Tax to get money, has 4 limits
Term
4 Limits to Taxing
Definition

1. must be for public, not private, benefit

2. Can not tax exports

3. No taxing polls or religious establishments

4. Direct/ Indirect taxes

Term
Direct Taxes
Definition
Taxes paid directly to the government, only one is income tax, no other one coincides with wealth
Term
Indirect Taxes
Definition
Taxes paid to another person then to the government, Sales tax
Term
Congress Power of Borrowing
Definition
Congress can borrow money on the credit of the United States
Term
Deficit Financing
Definition
Spending more money than you bring in
Term
Public Debt
Definition
Money the government borrowed and hasn't paid back
Term
Congress Power to Regulate Commerce
Definition
Power to Regulate interstate and foriegn commerce
Term
Gibbons v. Ogdens, 1824
Definition
Ogden and Gibbons both have steam boats on the Hudson for tourism. New York tells steam boats not from New York to buy a permit to sail. Gibbon's didn't pay for a permit and he got sued. US sued for Gibbon's and US won in Supreme Court.
Term
Limits on Commerce Power
Definition
1. Cannot tax exports
2. Cannot favor ports
3. Cannot make ships pay a fine at starting and stopping port
4. Cannot interfere with slave trade until 1808
Term
Congress Power of Currency
Definition
Congress can coin money and regulate the value thereof
Term
Legal Tender
Definition
Currency which as creditor must take for payment of debts
Term
Congress Power for Bankruptcy
Definition
Can establish uniform laws on bankruptcy
Term
Bankruptcy
Definition
Legal proceeding where the bankrupt's assets are given to people who he owes debts
Term
Congress Power for Foriegn Relations
Definition
Comes from power of foriegn commerce and war powers and inherent powers
Term
War powers
Definition
1. Declare War
2. Raise and support an army
3. Raise and maintain a navy
4. Describe rules for land and naval forces
5. Call upon the militia
6. Organize, arm, and discipline the militia
7. Grant letters of marque and reprisal
8. Can not send troops to a place where a state of war is not present
Term
Eminent Domain
Definition
Power of the Government to take your land and give you just compensation
Term
Implied Powers
Definition
Come from the Necessary and Proper Clause, Art. 1, Sec. 8, Clause 18
Term
Battle over Implied Powers
Definition
To build a National Bank, necessary and proper for the government to do it because of the tax power, currency power, commerce power and borrowing power
Term
First National Bank
Definition
Kept for 20 years after 1791, built a Second National Bank in Maryland in 1816
Term
McCulloch v. Maryland
Definition
Maryland created a tax on nots not chartered by the state, McCulloch created notes without tax, McCulloch was sent to jail, US sued on his behalf, Maryland was found guilty, US could create the National Bank
Term
Nonlegislative Powers of Congress
Definition
Impeachment, Constitutional Amendments, Electoral Duties, Executive Powers, and Investigatory Powers
Term
Constitutional Amendment
Definition
Must be started by Congress, changes constitution
Term
Electoral Duties
Definition
From 12th and 25th amendments, The House chooses a President and Senate chooses a VP. 25th amendment says that if there is a vacancy in VP position, President chooses VP and Congress confirms it.
Term
Impeachment
Definition
House accuses, Senate is jury, Two Presidents have been accused, both acquitted,
Term
Perjury
Definition
Lying under oath
Term
Subpoena
Definition
Court order to bring in evidence
Term
Executive Powers
Definition
To confirm all appointments to Cabinet and confirm all treaties, only given to Senate, For treaties, Senate can Accept, Reject, or offer amendments
Term
Investigatory Powers
Definition
Can investigate anything in their scope, used to expose people, gather information for bills, check the exec. branch, etc.
Term
Standing Committee
Definition
Permanent committee, 19 in House, 17 in Senate
Term
Select Committees
Definition
Special Committees, made in each house, to investigate something,
Term
Joint Committees
Definition
Committees with members from both chambers, there are four permanent ones
Term
Conference Commitees
Definition
Temporary joint committees, made to fix bills that are not the same in both chambers
Term
1st step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
First Reading, numbered and titled, distributed, introduced to whole chamber
Term
2nd step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Sent to Committee to work out flaws, Committee breaqks into subcommittees to work out things, come together to discuss changes
Term
3rd step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Committee Action, can do 1 of 6 things
1. Report it favorably
2. Report it favorably with amendments
3. Report it unfavorably
4. Report a Committee Bill
5. Pigeonhole the Bill
6. Kill the Bill
Term
4th step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Goes to floor for Debate, Led by Committee Chariman
Term
5th step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Bill is engrossed and written in its final form, voted on, needs 2/3 of votes
Term
6th step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Does Steps 1-5 in the other chamber, If both Houses cannot figure out a compromise, create a conference committee to work out flaws in both
Term
7th step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Goes to President, President can:
1. Sign
2. Veto
3. Pocket Veto
4. Take no Action
Term
8th step for a Bill to become a Law
Definition
Bill Becomes a Law :)
Term
Pigeonholing
Definition
Putting a bill off to the side to win votes
Term
Committee Bills
Definition
An entirely different version of the bill, but on the same topic
Term
Debate in the Senate
Definition
Unlimited, Can talk about anything
Term
Debate in the House
Definition
30 minutes each person, Speaker of House tells you when to stop
Term
Pocket Veto
Definition
When the President doesn't sign the bill after 10 days and Congress is adjourned, the bill dies
Term
No Action for President signing Bills
Definition
President doesn't sign the bill for 10 days and Congress is in session, bill becomes a law
Term
Filibuster
Definition
When people try to kill a bill or change a part of it by delaying it for a long time
Term
Cloture Rule
Definition
Rule that says if 60 people sign a petition to get you to stop talking, you must stop, In the Senate
Term
Rolling Filibuster
Definition
When multiple people take turns to filibuster and it lasts a long time
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