Module 9

The process by which the U.S. Senate approves judicial nominees, especially to the Supreme Court.

A person nominated by the President to serve as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

A vote where members of a political party vote consistently along party lines.

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block a vote on a bill or nomination.

Senate procedural maneuver to change rules, reducing the number of votes needed for confirmation to a simple majority.

A vote to end a debate and force a vote on a measure in the Senate.

Republicans used nuclear option for Federal judges nominations, Democrats first used it.

The impact of political affiliations and party stances on choosing judicial nominees

The process by which the Senate approves a president's choice for a Supreme Court judge.

A tactic used to delay or block a vote by prolonged speech or debate.

51% of the votes

Congress's authority to approve presidential appointments and treaties.

Positions within the executive branch requiring Senate confirmation.

The Senate's role in approving treaties with foreign governments.

A higher number of votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

A nuclear arms treaty with Russia.

Congress has ultimate authority to create laws regarding interstate commerce, money supply, and federal crimes.

A bill must start in either the House or Senate; House members introduce to the House, and Senators to the Senate. Bills dealing with money MUST begin in the House.

Specialized congressional units that handle specific policy areas; work year-round, have staff and equipment, and new members are assigned to them.

After introduction, bills are sent to standing committees where they are reviewed and deliberated.

The process for creating laws, from introduction to committee consideration, and finally becoming law

Only members of the House of Representatives can introduce bills into the House and senators into the Senate, except for tax bills, which must start in the House.

Permanent committees in Congress that focus on specific policy areas.

A bill goes through the House and Senate, possibly being reviewed by committees before becoming a law.

House and Senate committees that monitor the president's foreign policy decisions and oversee the State Department and other foreign relations aspects.

Committees responsible for federal spending and overseeing funding for federal agencies.

House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees overseeing tax legislation and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Congress's power to formally charge and potentially remove federal officials (president, vice president, judges, cabinet officials).

Constitutionally valid reasons for impeachment: treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Begins with an investigation, potentially by the House Judiciary Committee, followed by drafting articles of impeachment, debate, and a simple majority vote.

The Senate holds a trial, with senators as jurors, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding (in the president's case).

The system in which different branches of government limit each other, promoting a limited government.

Government spending on projects that primarily benefit a specific region or group, often seen as wasteful.

Pork barrel spending is often hidden within large, complex bills with many sections and items. This makes it harder to identify and remove.

The Appropriations, Ways and Means, and Finance Committees are often associated with pork-barrel spending due to their control over government funds and taxes.

A current example of a select committee in Congress, focused on the competition between the United States and China.

Temporary Congressional committees formed for a specific investigation or issue, with a limited timeframe.

The committee investigates and reports on the strategic competition between the US and China, aiming to provide insights and recommendations to Congress.

Select committees usually conclude their work by issuing a report to the public, outlining their findings and potential policy recommendations.

An additional provision or amendment added to a bill that often has little or no relation to the bill's main subject.

Select committees provide Congress with a focused framework to address urgent or unique issues that require specific investigations and analysis.

A type of rider that directs funds to specific projects in a particular lawmaker's district or state, often unrelated to the bill's main purpose.

Riders can be introduced during committee debates or before a vote in either chamber of Congress. Members of Congress, especially those on committees, have greater access to adding riders.

They are often used to secure passage of less popular provisions by attaching them to important bills that are likely to pass.

Riders can include provisions for funding specific projects, providing tax breaks for certain industries, or changing regulations.

Legislators often feel pressured to support bills with riders, especially if they involve funding for disaster relief or other important projects.

Riders can lead to increased spending and higher taxes, as they often involve allocating funds without proper scrutiny.

Special interests and lobbying groups use various tactics, including contributing money and advocating for legislation, to influence government policy.