American Government and Politics Today, Brief Edition, 2014-2015

CHAPTER NiNE • THE CoNgREss 221

agenda setting 199

appropriation 218

authorization 218

bicameralism 197

casework 199

conference

committee 211

constituent 197

continuing

resolution 219

discharge petition 210

earmarks 198

enumerated powers 200

executive budget 215

fall review 217

filibuster 201

first budget

resolution 218

fiscal year (FY) 217

franking 202

gerrymandering 206

instructed delegate 198

joint committee 211

lawmaking 197

majority leader of the

House 213

minority leader of the

House 213

ombudsperson 199

oversight 199

president pro

tempore 214

reapportionment 205

reconciliation 202

redistricting 205

representation 198

Rules Committee 201

second budget

resolution 218

select committee 211

Senate majority

leader 215

Senate minority

leader 215

seniority system 212

Speaker of the

House 213

spring review 217

standing committee 210

trustee 198

whip 214

keyterms

chaptersummary

1 The authors of the U.S. Constitution believed

that the bulk of national power should be in

the legislature. The Connecticut Compromise

established a balanced legislature, with the

membership in the House of Representatives based

on population and the membership in the Senate

based on the equality of states.

2 The functions of Congress include (a) lawmaking,

(b) representation, (c) service to constituents,

(d) oversight, (e) public education, and (f) conflict

resolution.

3 The Constitution specifies the enumerated,

or expressed, powers of Congress, including the

rights to impose taxes, to borrow funds, to regulate

commerce, and to declare war. In addition, Congress

enjoys the right, under the elastic, or “necessary

and proper,” clause, “to make all Laws which shall

be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution

the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by

this Constitution in the Government of the United

States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.”

4 There are 435 members in the House of

Representatives and 100 members in the Senate.

Owing to its larger size, the House has a greater

number of formal rules. The Senate tradition of

unlimited debate dates back to 1790 and has been

used over the years to frustrate the passage of bills.

5 Members of Congress are not typical American

citizens. They are older and wealthier than most

Americans, disproportionately white and male, and

more likely to be lawyers.

6 Most candidates for Congress win nomination

through a direct primary. Most incumbent

representatives and senators who run for reelection

are successful. Apportionment is the allocation of

legislative seats to constituencies. The Supreme

Court’s “one person, one vote” rule means that the

populations of congressional and state legislative

districts must be effectively equal. Still, district

boundaries are frequently drawn to benefit one

or another of the parties through the process of

gerrymandering.

7 Most of the work of legislating is performed by

committees and subcommittees within Congress.

Legislation introduced into the House or Senate

is assigned to standing committees for review.

Joint committees are formed by the action of both

chambers and consist of members from each.

Conference committees are joint committees set

up to achieve agreement between the House and

the Senate on the exact wording of legislative acts

that were passed by the chambers in different

forms. The seniority rule, which is usually followed,

specifies that the longest-serving member of

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