Chapter 12 Study Guide (PART 1)
What are some of the benefits in being a member of Congress:
annual salary of $174,500 (almost 5 x national avg income)
generously funded retirement plan
office space in DC
govt run health care plan -- for life
sizeable staff
franking privileges-- free use of US mail to communicate w/ constituents
travel allowance and discounted air fares
Which of the Congressional perks might be most useful to getting re-elected ? franking
Which one is probably most subject to abuse ? travel allowance
How does the cultural diversity of the Senate compare to that of the House ? Senate is much LESS diverse
Why is this significant ?
Senate is the UPPER house-- they serve longer terms & have more significant powers-- treaties, confirm judges and exec appointments
What’s the difference between descriptive representation & substantive representation ?
desc- the members mirror the personal traits of their constituents
sub- members represent the interests of various groups & society as a whole
Which would be more prevalent in each house ?
House -- maybe somewhat descriptive
Sen -- strictly substantive (not descriptive at all)
What is an incumbent & what advantage do incumbents have at election time ?
person already holding office -- biggest advantage is a 90% re-election rate
Why is this less true for the Senate ?
elected by entire state- not just a small district -- larger & more diverse population -- more expensive; less personal contact w/ constituents
What are some of the practical advantages of being an incumbent ?
having a known record, influence of party (& pres or pres candidates) also-- ads, weak opponents, credit claiming, spending (by party)
Identify: casework-when a congressman personally helps an individual constituent
pork barrel-(today referred to as ‘earmarks’)-funds in a bill set aside for a project in a congressman's district/state
How strong is party identification as a factor in elections ?
still relatively strong-- many voters still vote along party lines (although not as high a % as 30-50 years ago)
What are some factors that may lead to the defeat of incumbents ? scandal, corruption, redistricting, party alienation
What is the function of the House Rules Committee ? Does the Senate have one ?
decides which bills will be debated on (& voted on ) on the House floor -- the Senate does NOT have one
How can it be used in a partisan manner ? (i.e. favoring a particular party)
usually has a majority of members from the majority party in the House -- simply withholds the other party's bill proposals
What are the different powers/responsibilities of each house in Congress ?
House-- initiate revenue bills, file impeachment charges
Senate-- ratify treaties, confirm appointments (judicial, cabinet, and other exec), conduct impeachment trials
Why is power in the Senate less centralized & structured than in the House ?
longer terms & fewer Senators-- Senators (even new ones) has more equal standing with each other-- not in House, experience counts more
House is much more influenced by rank & experience
Identify- filibuster-- a tactic in the Senate (NOT in House)- based on tradition of unlimited debate in Senate
--one member can extend debate of a bill beyond its voting deadline and force the bill to expire -- to "talk a bill to death"
what is ‘cloture’ ? a vote to stop or cut off a filibuster -- requires 60 votes (out of 100) (only need 51 to pass a law)
What is the primary role/power of:
Speaker of the Houseonly office Constitutionally mandated-- (sort of like the "commanding General")
presides over House, makes committee assignments,
appoints party leaders & legis staff, has some control over which bills go to which committees
House Majority Leader- schedules bills, rounds up votes ("persuades" members to vote a certain way)
House Minority Leader- leader of the minority party-- usually becomes Speaker w/ a change in majority at election time
what do whips do ? the 'enforcers'- - carries maj. leader's word to members, leans on undecided & counts up votes prior to ballots
How is the House Majority Leader in some ways more important than the Speaker ?
more like the drill sergeant-- more direct contact with the "troops"
How important is the VP’s role as president of the Senate ?
not very, unless a tiebreaking vote is needed-- if so, VP will always vote w/ his party (Al Gore = 4, Dick Cheney = 8, Joe Biden = 0)
Name the current- Speaker of the House -- John Boehner (R)-- Ohio
House Majority Leader-- Kevin McCarthy (R)-- Calif.
House Minority Leader-- Nancy Pelosi (D)-- Calif.
Senate Majority Leader-- Harry Reid (D)-- Nev.
Senate Minority Leader--Mitch McConnell (R) -- Kent.
Identify the FOUR different types of congressional committees & what they do:
standing- ongoing, permanent committees; handles bills in specific categories
(agriculture, energy, banking, armed services, budget, judiciary, vet affairs, etc)
joint-members from both houses on certain policy areas (economy, taxation)
conference-a joint committee to reconcile different house & senate versions of a bill into a final draft
select- established for one specific purpose, usually investigative based on a suspicion of wrongdoing (Senate committee on Watergate)
legislative oversight -monitoring the govt's workings & how policy is carried out
What are congressmen’s goals for obtaining committee membership ?
to get on the one's that will enable him to: make important policy, gain influence, gain attention, increase chances of getting re-elected
Why are committee chairs so important ?
they schedule hearings, hire staff, appoint subcommittees, manage committee bills when they go to the full house
How has the selection process for committee chairs changed since the ‘70s ?
no longer strictly based on seniority-- still a factor, but not the only factor
What is a (congressional) caucus & what does it do ?
an informal grouping of members with shared interests--can be mixed among parties & houses-- there are many
Women's Caucus, Black Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, Sunbelt Caucus, Travel & Tourism Caucus, etc
What are the 3 staff agencies that serve congress & what does each do ?
Congressional Research Service- provides research data and non-partisan technical/scientific studies
General Accounting Office (GAO)-reviews activities of the executive branch in implementing the laws
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) -analyzes budget proposals and makes projections on proposed policies, taxes, & spending
What is the restriction on who can draft a bill for Congress ?
none-- anyone can write a bill (most are NOT written by congressmen)-- many by lobbyists & interest groups
What is the restriction on submitting a bill to Congress ? only can be submitted by a member of the House/Senate