House/Senate

	House	Senate
Qualifications	-Must be at least 25 -US Citizens for 7 years -Legal resident of the state that elects them	-Must be at least 30 -US Citizens for 9 years -Legal residents of the state they represent
Organization	-435 Members -Based on population	-100 Senators -Two per state
Rules	-Debate is limited to 5 minutes per Representative	-Debate is unlimited
Handling of Bills/Lawmaking Process	-To introduce bills Representatives drop them into the hopper -Committees assigned and work on bill	-Senate control the flow of bills -Two Calendars -Senate leaders try to schedule sessions to fit interests of other Senators
Leadership	-Rules Committee is quite in charge -Majority and Minority Leaders -Speaker of the House	-Vice President is leader -Majority and Minority Leaders
Length of Term/Perks	-2 year term -at least $174,000	-6 year term -at least $174,000

Chapter 13 Section 2 Questions

1. Define:

Constituent – the people represented by House members.

Bill – a proposed law (I thought we’ve been over this already)

Calendar – schedules that list the order in which bills will be considered.

Quorum – the minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action.

Filibuster – to keep talking until a majority of the Senate either abandons the bill or agrees to modify its most controversial provisions.

Cloture – a procedure that allows each senator to speak only one hour on a bill under debate.

Majority Leader – the speaker’s top assistant

Whip – someone who serves as an assistant floor leader in the house

Pro Tempore – for the time being

2. Name the person who wrote the first manual of rules for the senate

Thomas Jefferson

3. Specify how a representative introduces a bill in the House.

By dropping it into the hopper – a [Effie Trinket voice] mahogany box near the front of the chamber.

4. Identify the committee that controls the flow of legislation in the House of Representatives.

The Rules Committee

5. How does the Senate limit filibusters?

If a filibuster starts, the Senate sets aside one time during the day for handling other business. The filibuster then starts up again at the end of such business. Because of this, filibusters can no longer completely stop the work of the senate.

6. What specific duties make the speaker the most powerful person in the House?

-can recognize or ignore members who wish to speak

-appoints the members of some committees

-schedules bills for action

-refers bills to the proper House committee

8. It shows Wright thinks the controlled committee method the House uses is more efficient than the Senate, and thinks the House is better than the Senate.

Chapter 13 Section 1 Questions

1. What are the qualifications for becoming a representative?

-Must be at least 25-years-old

-US Citizen for at least 7 years

-Legal resident of the state that elects them

2. What did congress limit the number of representatives in 1929?
They were afraid it would get too large and thusly difficult to control.

3. What is Gerrymandering?  What did the term come from?
Gerrymandering is when the political party that has the majority in a state legislature draws a districts boundaries to gain an advantage in elections.

The term “Gerrymandering” was created when an artist drew a particularly irregular district created by Governor Gerry of Massachusetts, and made it look like a Salamander.

4. What are the qualifications for becoming a senator?
-Must be at least 30-years-old

-US Citizen for at least 9 years

-Legal Resident of the state that elects them

5. What is a censure?
A vote of formal disapproval of a member’s actions

6. What are the characteristics of congress member?

The general swarm are white, middle-aged men who come from backgrounds in law, business, education, or banking.

Chapter 10 Section 3 Questions 1-8

Chapter 10 Section 3

1. Define:

-Political Action Committees: organizations specifically designed to collect money and provide financial support for a political candidate.

-Incumbent: government officials already in office

Grandfather Clause: a provisions that makes an exemption in the law for a certain group based on previous conditions.

2. Explain the basic purpose of a political action committee.

To provide financial support for a political candidate.

3. List the laws that govern the operations of PACs.

-A PAC must register with the government 6 months before an election

-It must raise money from at least 50 contributors and give it to at least 5 candidates in a federal election

-PACs must also follow strict accounting rules

4. Describe three requirements that the laws place on PACs.

-PACs can give $5,000 directly to each candidate

-See above (because 3 and 4 are pretty much the same question)

5. Why do PACs sometimes give money to candidates who do not always support their views?

So they will have better influence on those candidates and their interests will be protected.

6. In what way is campaign financing by independent and affiliated PACs more democratic than funding by wealthy individuals, corporations, and labor unions?

They show a more personal side of the population and seem to be more in for it for the good of the country than corporations who want the best for their company alone.

7. What was the unexpected result of laws passed in the 1970s to reform campaign finance?

It encouraged the growth of PAC’s.

8. Why do you think Congress has been reluctant to limit the financial contributions of PACs in federal elections?

It allowed house members to leave office with a large chunk of the leftover money from their campaign, but it was outlawed in 1992.

Chapter 10 Section 2 Questions 1-8

Government Chapter 10 Section 2

1. What is a lobbyist?  What do they do?

A lobbyist is someone who makes direct contact with lawmakers or other government leaders. They represent interest groups.

2. What are some potential dilemmas involved with lobbyists?

Different interest groups compete for power and influence, so it’s nearly impossible for any single group to control lawmakers and other public officials. Most organizations struggle to pay small staffs.

3. Identify the kinds of people who become lobbyists.

-Previous government officials

-Have a good understanding of human nature

-Understand the political system

-Many are lawyers or public relations experts

-Aware of  their groups beliefs

4. Describe three methods lobbyist use to influence lawmakers.

-Providing useful information: giving legislators pamphlets, reports, statistics, and other kinds of information.

-Drafting Bills: studies have show that interest groups and their lobbyists draft parts of or entire bills for almost 50% of all legislation.

-Providing Election Support: raising money for political campaigns

5. Explain why Congress asks lobbyists to testify at hearings and to hear draft legislation.

Because they can provide useful information

6. How do interest groups win public support?

Through media campaigns and letter writing. They inform the public of what they’re doing and how it will help them.

7. Why is the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act ineffective in controlling lobbying at the national level?

-Lobbyists only have to report money spent on direct contact with legislatures.

-The act requires only that people or organizations whose principal purpose is to influence legislation need register.

8. Do you believe interest groups have too much influence on the national government?  Why? 

I believe that interest groups are perfectly fine because all they are doing is providing information to the legislature, not completely controlling passed bills or anything like that. All they do is persuade government officials, which is not an illegal thing.