AP Government: Chap 6-Module

Composition of the Senate:

• Congress is made up two legislative houses
  
  • House of Representatives and the Senate
    
  • 100 senators, two from each state
    
  • Less than 1/4 the number of seats as the House
    
  • Senators represent a larger base of constituents than House members do
    
    • Senators must be at least 30 years of age
      
    • Must be resident of the state they're representing
      
    • Must have been US resident for at least nine years
      
    • Only 1/3 of the senate is up for reelection at a time
      
  • In the early years the senate thought they were superior to the House and they even snubbed Washington when he tried to use them for an advisory board
    
  • The House has often viewed the Senate as snobbish
    
    • House was designed to directly represent the will of the people and was therefore chosen by popular election
      
    • Senators were expected to represent the will and interest of those in power in a given state
      
    • Since the system for electing senators became corrupt, the 17th amendment was added in 1913 stating that senators shall be elected by the people through popular election
      
  • House members and senators tend to be white, male, wealthy, and have a law or business background
    
  • Congressional representation is described as substantive rather than descriptive representation
    

     
     

  Power, Committees, and Debates
  

• Power in the Senate is not as clearly defined as it is in the House, and it's more widely dispersed
  
• Constitution makes the VP the president of the Senate
  
  • The real power is held by the majority and minority leaders who dictate legislative agenda
    
  • The party whips are the senators who ensure good communication among party members and work with the party leaders to urge members to vote with the party on key issues
    
  • Committee and sub-committee chairpersons also command significant power
    
• Constitution delegates specific powers to the senate
  
  • Power gives the Senate particular authority and influence over the president and executive department
    
  • Senate has power to confirm the most important presidential appointments
    
  • "Senatorial courtesy" is the practice whereby the president before making a judicial appointment in a particular state
    
  • When a candidate has made it through senate approval a simple Senate majority is required to confirm the appointment
    
  • Also has the right to confirm treaties and try impeached officers
    
  • 2/3 votes is required for a treaty confirmation
    
• Senate committees operate similarly to the House committees
  
  • 16 standing committees
    
  • Senators try to serve on committees that will allow them to affect legislation that will impact their home state
    
• Senate is different in how it conducts business and determines legislation
  
• Senate has held itself out to be a contemplative body that is willing to spend more time discussing
  
• Senate has opened and unrestricted debate on bills
  
• Filibuster: Strategy used to lock legislation
  
  • Occurs when opponents of a proposed piece of legislation debate the topic as long as possible to prevent senate from voting
    
  • Filibuster can be deterred
    
    • Motion for cloture (vote to limit debate and end a filibuster can be entertained in the Senate
      
    • Senators voting usually vote along strict partisan lines and requires 3/5 majority to pass
      

       
       

       
       

  Route of a Bill through Congress
  

• Bill: Piece of legislation that has been proposed, but not passed
  
• Bills can come from many sources, but only the congress have the right to introduce them for consideration
  
• Only pass 5% of bills proposed
  
• Two types:
  
  • Public: affects all citizens and encompass such issues such as taxes and how government money is spent
    
  • Private: Affect small groups, individuals or places. Bills may appropriate money owed to citizens
    
• Congress passes resolutions
  
  • Uses resolutions to state opinions on matters, change the procedures of their individual bodies, and address issues within the houses
    
  • Since resolutions pertain to the house of Congress, they are not laws, and president does not have to sign them
    
  • Joint Resolution: employed to address incidental or short-term matters
    
    • Once passed by both houses of Congress, a joint resolution becomes law, so the pres doesn't need to sign it
      
  • Concurrent Resolutions: Address situations in which the houses of Congress must act together
    
    • Congress issues concurrent resolutions to state its position on matters of foreign policy
      
      • Differ from joint resolutions in that once passed they do not become laws
        
      • Pres doesn't need to sign
        
• After bills have been logged, the Speaker of the House assigns them to committees based on the nature of the bills
  
  • Matches each bill's content to a committee for consideration
    
• Assigning bills to committees can be difficult when bills have overlapping area of concern
  
• Committee assignment can be critical because the committees sort through bills and determine which ones will be considered
  
• Once in committee a bill moves to a special sub-committee for consideration
  
  • Examines the bill, holds hearings, and adds amendments
    
  • The sub-committee votes on the bill
    
  • If approved the bill returns to the full committee for final discussion and approval
    
• Rules Committee: Acts as the legislative clearinghouse
  
  • Assigns calendar date for the bill and rules that will limit how long the bill can be debated
    
  • Also decides not to assign rules for bills
    
• Then passes to the House floor
  
  • Either the House can act as a Committee of the Whole or the House can debate, amend, and put the bill to a vote
    
• Committee of the Whole: members of the House become one large committee
  
  • Accelerate the legislative process because only 100 members need to be present
    
  • When the house converts to the COTW the speaker becomes a member of the committee and a different rep. acts as the committee chair
    
  • COTW cannot pass a bill, so after the Committee finished discussion on a bill, its member disband
    
• There are several methods of voting:
  
  • Voice vote: shouting 'yea' or 'nay'
    
    • Speaker declares outcome, but votes of individuals is not recorded
      
  • Teller vote: walk between two "tellers" appointed by the Speaker
    
    • Those voting in favor of the bill go first followed by those who are opposed
      
  • When one or more members disagree with the tally from voice vote the house holds another vote by division or standing
    
  • Roll-call vote: when one 1/5 of the house is present
    
    • Members respond individually with "yea" or "nay" when their names are called -Recorded
      
• If the whole House approves a bill, the bill moves to the Senate
  
• Senate acts on the bill like the house does
  
  • Assigned to a committee (uses same vote methods)
    
• Four differences:
  
  • Senate does have a Speaker of the house, so the Majority Leader confers with the Minority Leader to decide which committee will handle a bill
    
  • Senators can add unlimited amendments to a bill including ones that do not relate to the context
    
  • Reps can serve on only one major committee at a time
    
  • Senate does not have a Rule Committee to limit debate time
    

     
     

  Veto Power and Judicial Review
  

• After both the House and the Senate approve a bill it moves onto the president for his action
  
• Four actions the pres can take
  
  • Pres can sign the bill into law
    
  • Veto the law
    
    • If he vetoes the bill it returns to its origin along with an explanation for the veto
      
    • Congress can accept the veto or it can vote to override the president's decision
      
      • Needs 2/3 vote
        
  • The bill sits on the president's desk for ten days excluding Sundays at the end of which it becomes law
    
• Pres might choose to let the bill be law if it is highly controversial and contrary to his campaign promises
  
• Constitution provides that the pres can use a pocket veto
  
• Although the Congress can pass a bill and the pres can sign it into law
  
  • Judicial branch has final word
    
  • Judicial review provides that the Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional
    
  • Many laws have failed judicial review
    
  • Many groups lobby heavily for and against bills during all stages of the legislative process
    
  • Additionally the public can act as lobbyists by sending letters and e-mails and by making phone calls to legislatures
    
• Congress members can also be called lobbyists by making deals with their fellow legislators
  
  • Sparring and deal making can be frenzied in cases of port-barrel legislation