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STUDY GUIDE: CONGRESS
US Gov/Ms. Strong
Format and Resources
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Format - 40-50 Matching, multiple choice questions; 1-2 short essays
Textbook – Magruder’s Chapters 10, 11, 12
Ms. Strong’s Congress Page - http://jstrongadvgov.weebly.com/the-congress.html
Vocabulary - definitions and working knowledge of terms of Congress
Expressed powers
Reapportionment
Party Whip
President pro tempore
Incumbent
Caucus
Bicameralism
Elastic clause
“Necessary & proper” clause
The Speaker
Select committee
Gerrymandering
Wesberry v. Sanders
Closed rule
Pocket veto
Implied powers
Redistricting
Majority leader
Open rule
House Rules Committee
Joint committees
Filibuster
Delegate Role
Pork barrel legislation
Conference committee
Minority leader
Closed rule
Standing committees
Majority-minority districts
Cloture rule
Trustee Role
Franking privilege
Content – Includes important content topics, PowerPoint notes, class handouts, and homework
1.
Congressional Elections
a) Impact of redistricting and apportionment on composition of Congress;
b) Reapportionment Act of 1929; role of state legislators in the process (gerrymandering)
c) Majority-minority districts
d) Supreme Court rulings and their effects on the process (Wesberry v. Sanders and “one person one vote”)
v Class notes from The Politics of Congressional Elections PowerPoint
v Textbook: Ch 10 pages 273-284
2.
Incumbency Advantage
a) How and why do incumbents win over 90% of Congressional elections
b) How does the incumbency advantage effect how Congress works (or doesn’t) as well as the political process)
v Class notes from The Politics of Congressional Elections PowerPoint
3.
Who’s in Congress?
a) Demographic composition; typical biography of a member of Congress
b) Why doesn’t Congress reflect the national population?
c) Are Congressmen/women delegates or trustees or both?
v Class handout Demographic Profile: 114th Congress
v Textbook: Ch 10 pgs. 285-290
4.
The Constitutional Powers of Congress
a) Identify the constitutional powers of Congress (expressed powers and implied powers
b) Also, be able to discuss powers that ONLY the House or the Senate has. Examples:
House: initiate revenue (tax bills); bring impeachment charges; choose President when Electoral College is deadlocked
Senate: treaty ratification; confirm presidential appointments; impeachment trials
v Class handout The Constitutional Powers of Congress
v Textbook: Ch 11 pgs. 296-324
5.
The Structure and Organization of Congress – How Congress Works PowerPoint
a) Differences between the House and Senate both Constitutional (ex: term length, powers, representation) as well as the
rules of each chamber (ex: Senate filibuster v. House limits on floor debate; House Rules committee (open rule/closed
rule) v. none in the Senate.
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b) Majority Party Privileges in House and Senate; growing power and influence of caucuses
c) Roles/Responsibilities, and Current Leaders of Major Officers in Congress:
I. House - Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Whip
II. Senate - Vice President, President Pro Tempore, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Whip
d) Identify and describe types and functions of legislative
e) Identify the function and purpose of key committees in each house:
I. Key House Committees: Appropriations, Rules, Ways and Means
II. Key Senate Committees: Appropriations, Finance, Armed Services, Judiciary
v Class notes from the How Congress Works PowerPoint
v Class Handouts: House and Senate Leadership of the 114th Congress
v Textbook: Ch 12 pgs. 330-342
6.
The Legislative Process
a)
School House Rock: I’m Just a Bill
b)
Delegate v. Trustee roles; pork barrel legislation
c)
How a Bill Becomes Law (– know all the steps in the process!!!
v Class Handouts: How a Bill Becomes Law graphic organizer
vHomework: Ch 12 pgs. 343-356
Possible Short Essay Questions
1.
The current 114th Congress is the most diverse in American history. Yet this Congress is far less diverse than the
general population.
a) Identify THREE demographic characteristics of the 114th Congress [Examples: age, race, gender, education,
occupation]
b) Explain one reason why Congress isn’t more diverse.
c) How important is it for members of Congress to “look like” (i.e. have the same demographic characteristics)
their constituents in order to serve them well? Defend your answer in a paragraph with at least THREE
supporting sentences.
2.
Congress currently has an overall approval rating of 10% (that’s lower than root-canals, cockroaches and zombies!),
yet 90% of incumbents were re-elected in 2014.
a) Explain two reasons why Congress as an institution has a low public opinion rating.
b) If Americans dislike Congress so much, in a paragraph, explain THREE reasons why voters keep re-electing
the same people to the House and Senate.
c) Do you think there should be term limits on members of Congress like there are with the President (the
President can only serve two terms). Explain why or why not.
3.
Members of Congress play two important roles on a daily basis: delegate and trustee.
a) Define both the delegate role and the trustee role.
b) Which role do you think is the most important? Write a paragraph with at least THREE supporting sentences
to explain why.
c) Identify what you think are the THREE most important qualities of an effective Congressman/woman or
Senator.