PSCI Exam 2 Review The United States Congress Congress is the House of Representatives and Senate Currently in the 2nd session of the 113th congress Enumerated powers given by the constitution ex coin money Congress makes laws that provide for collection of taxes regulate Implied powers necessary and proper clause commerce etc Minimum Age Citizenship Term Length Geographic Redistricting Method of Election House 25 7 2 District Every 10 years Direct Senate 30 9 6 State Direct 1914 Filibuster NOT IN HOUSE Mostly silent filibusters Cloture requires 60 votes 51 100 in Senate to get anything done Parties groups of likeminded people that seek to influence government Committees legislative sub organizations that specialize in particular policy policy areas House of Representatives Majority Party Republicans 1 Speaker of the House John Boehner Decides committee to bills recognizes people to speak on floor interprets house rules 2 Majority leader Kevin McCarthy Helps speaker schedule legislation main spokesperson for party Minority Party Democrats 3 Majority whip Steve Scalise Enforce party discipline vote counter 1 Minority leader Nancy Pelosi Coordinates minority party members 2 Minority whip Steny Hoyer Senate Not powerful positions 1 President of the senate always the vice president of the U S Joe Biden Not a senator cannot debate votes in the case of tie 2 President pro tempore of the senate Patrick Leahy Longest member can vote Majority Party Democrats 1 Majority leader Harry Reid 2 Majority whip Richard Durbin Minority Party Republicans 1 Minority leader Mitch McConnell 2 Minority whip John Cornyn Majority party leaders have more power in the house Standing committees are permanent legislative panels Have legislative jurisdiction and oversight responsibility Conference committees when bills are agreed but are different from house and senate Standing committees 1 Allow members of congress to secure pork benefits for their district 2 Provide expertise to their chamber 3 Serve as party agents 4 Screen legislative proposals 5 Provide oversight of executive branch Majority party controls the standing committees Permanent includes members from one chamber have legislative and oversight authority stable membership and jurisdiction Conference committees temporary members from both chambers have legislative authority A bill is a proposed law Must be introduced by a congressman 1 Referred to full committee 2 Referred to subcommittee 3 Subcommittee hearing mark up vote 4 Full committee hearing mark up vote 5 Unanimous consent agreement in senate similar to rules committee in If a majority of committees votes in favor of bill it is reported to the chamber house Senate All House simple majority for rules of debate Worry about bulls dying in committee holds in the senate filibusters in senate veto 2 3 majority in each chamber The Presidency Natural born citizen 35 years old 14 years residency Succession VP speaker of the house president pro temporary of the senate secretary of state Popular vote determines what electors go to vote in electoral college electors in congress 538 electoral votes 270 votes to win 22nd amendment 2 term limit 12th amendment separate votes for president and vice president Expressed powers in constitution Delegated powers given by congress Implied powers not expressed but suggested Executive powers 1 Executive laws expressed 2 Organize federal bureaucracy implied 3 Issue executive orders implied Legislative powers 4 Appoint department heads expressed 5 Exercise executive privilege implied Executive order directive to executive agency establishing new policies or indicating how an existing policy is to be carried out Can be ruled unconstitutional Senate approval needs an majority vote for departmental heads The prerogative of the president to decline to supply the other branches of government with information regarding his activities executive privilege 1 Veto legislation expressed 2 Recommend legislation expressed 3 Deliver state of the union expressed President has ten days to veto or sign legislation If he signs it it becomes law If he vetoes it it must be re passed by 2 3 majorities in both chambers to become law If congress is still in session and the president does not sign the bill it becomes law without his signature If congress adjourns during the 10 day period and the president does not sign the bill it does not become law This is a pocket veto Judicial powers 1 Appoint judges to federal courts expressed 2 Grant pardons and reprieves expressed Diplomatic powers 1 Act as chief of state implied 2 Appoint and receive ambassadors expressed 3 Make treaties expressed 4 Make executive agreements implied Military powers 1 Serve as commander in chief of the armed forces 2014 midterm elections house and senate republican Greg Abbott Texas Governor Fracking ban denton was passed Federal bureaucracy Bureaucracy collection of executive departments agencies boards commissions and government offices that implement government policies Purpose of bureaucracy is to improve efficiency Bureaucracy has hierarchical organization specialized division of labor and formalized rules Spoils system system of government employment in which workers are hired on the basis of party loyalty Progressive movement 1880 s decrease rule of political party Wanted to change from spoils system tot the merit system Pendleton act changed to merit system employment based on merit 15 executive branch departments 60 70 independent agencies 30 40 government corporations Agencies exist within departments Administrative discretion the ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional Senate confirms presidential appointments Bureaucracy implements law by issuing rules regulations Agencies have administrative discretion Congress can reorganization of agency Congress controls budget oversees the bureaucracy President has an office dedicated to overseeing the other offices Devolution give state local governments more power growth Privatization government out and private sectors in Courts Courts interpret laws between a dispute of two parties Courts make public policy Courts can shift government power Adversarial system two sides that are equal judge is for legal procedures are followed Criminal case government prosecution of an individual for breaking the law Civil suit lawsuit by a person organization or government against another person organization or government