Congress's Primary Responsibilities

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Questions and Answers

What is the first step in the lawmaking process?

Agenda setting (correct)

Policy formulation and adoption

Policy implementation

Policy evaluation

Which branch of government plays a significant role in policy proposals during the lawmaking process?

Executive branch (correct)

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Administrative branch

What responsibility does Congress NOT have in relation to executive branch agencies?

Appoint agency heads directly (correct)

Assign program responsibilities

Create or abolish agencies

Provide or withhold funding

Which action demonstrates Congress's legislative oversight?

Confirming presidential appointments Signup and view all the answers

What role do representatives play in Congress?

Acting on behalf of constituents and addressing their needs Signup and view all the answers

How does Congress influence policy evaluation after laws are enacted?

By conducting reviews and inspections of implemented laws Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a way that Congress can provide oversight of administration?

Abolishing a federal executive agency Signup and view all the answers

What is one primary responsibility of Congress in responding to citizens?

Informing the public and addressing their needs Signup and view all the answers

What does the legislative process primarily involve when it comes to lawmaking?

Setting priorities, drafting laws, and implementing them Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of the funding power held by Congress?

To set the federal budget and allocate money Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the role of a Delegate in Congress?

To represent constituents' opinions directly in their votes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a responsibility of Congress regarding impeachment?

Initiating impeachment within the House of Representatives Signup and view all the answers

What role does the Majority Leader in Congress primarily serve?

Controlling the legislative agenda Signup and view all the answers

Which committee classification is considered the most prestigious in Congress?

Prestige Committees Signup and view all the answers

What method allows senators to extend debate on a bill to delay consideration?

Filibustering Signup and view all the answers

Which option best describes Service Responsiveness in the context of Congress?

Assisting constituents with their needs and issues Signup and view all the answers

In the legislative process, which step comes immediately after a bill is introduced?

It is referred to a House or Senate committee. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives?

To manage the legislative calendar and set rules for debate Signup and view all the answers

How many votes are required for cloture to end debate on a bill in the Senate?

60 votes Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the conference committee in the legislative process?

To reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Congress' Primary Responsibilities

Congress's main responsibilities are lawmaking, representation, and oversight of the executive branch.
Lawmaking: The process of creating laws involves agenda setting, policy formulation and adoption, policy implementation, and policy evaluation. Congress plays a key role in all stages, with the executive branch also actively involved in agenda setting.
Legislative Oversight: Congress ensures the executive branch effectively carries out laws through oversight. Their power to create and abolish agencies, assign program responsibilities, control funding, and confirm or reject presidential appointments is essential for this.
Representation: Congress members act as representatives for their constituents, responding to their needs and demands while also informing the public.
- Trustee: Representatives use their own judgment, considering national interests first and constituents' needs second.
- Delegate: Representatives prioritize constituents' views and act as their voice, even if it conflicts with the broader national interest.
- Politico: Representatives combine elements of both trustee and delegate approaches, adjusting their stance based on the issue and public opinion.

Congress' Secondary Responsibilities

Impeachment: The House can impeach officials (including the president), and the Senate conducts the trial. A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is needed for removal from office.
Seating and Disciplining Members: Congress determines the validity of congressional elections and can exclude members who do not meet constitutional requirements. They can also discipline members through expulsion, censure, or reprimands.
Selecting Leaders: Congress plays a role in filling positions within the executive and judicial branches. This includes resolving presidential elections if no candidate secures a majority of electoral votes, approving a new vice president, and confirming presidential appointments to these branches, including the Supreme Court.

Congress Members

Congress, primarily composed of white males, is heavily influenced by members with legal or business backgrounds.
The House of Representatives has two-year terms, while senators serve six-year terms.
Currently, the Democratic party is the majority party in the Senate.
The vice president (currently Kamala Harris), serves as the president of the Senate and casts tie-breaking votes.
The Senate Majority Leader is the most powerful position in the Senate (currently Chuck Schumer), responsible for setting the legislative agenda.
The Republican party controls the House of Representatives.
The Speaker of the House (currently Mike Johnson) is a highly influential role, presiding over the House, voting, and controlling committee assignments.

Congressional Committees

The committee system is integral to Congress's functioning, with members' influence often determined by their committee assignments.
Standing Committees are permanent and have jurisdiction over specific policy areas.
The majority party holds a significant advantage in committee makeup, ensuring their dominance within legislative processes.

The Legislative Process

A bill starts in either the House or Senate and is referred to the appropriate committee.
The committee reviews and amends the bill, potentially leading to its death or advancement to the floor.
The Floor Debate stage sees further debate and amendment opportunities, governed by the established rules.
The House Rules Committee plays a significant role in this stage, setting open or closed rules, which dictate amendment possibilities during debate.
In the Senate, a filibuster can delay or block a bill's progress by extending debate indefinitely. A cloture vote with 60 out of 100 senators needed to end the filibuster.
If both chambers pass different versions of the bill, a conference committee is formed to create a unified version, which is then subjected to further votes in the House and Senate before being sent to the president.
The president has the power to sign the bill into law or veto it.

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Description

Explore the key responsibilities of Congress, including lawmaking, legislative oversight, and representation. Understand how Congress shapes laws, monitors the executive branch, and acts on behalf of its constituents. This quiz will test your knowledge on the roles and functions Congress plays in government.