Legislative Branch Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the legislative branch?

To create laws

What is Congress?

Congress is the legislative, or lawmaking, branch of our national government, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

What is a legislature?

A deliberative body empowered to make, change, or repeal the laws.

What does the legislative branch do?

Creates laws Signup and view all the answers

What does the House of Representatives do?

Makes and passes federal laws Signup and view all the answers

What is the Senate?

An assembly or council of citizens with high deliberative functions in a government. Signup and view all the answers

Which chamber of Congress has the greatest law-making authority?

The Executive Branch Signup and view all the answers

How do people feel about Congress?

The people hate Congress as a whole, but like their individual representatives more. Signup and view all the answers

How hard is it for a bill to be passed into law?

It is extremely hard. Signup and view all the answers

What are the steps a bill must go through to become a law?

A bill must pass in both houses of Congress and be approved by the President. Signup and view all the answers

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

Committes have a final say on pieces of legislation, with standing committees being the most important. Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'conference committee'?

A special joint committee to reconcile differences in bills passed by both chambers. Signup and view all the answers

What are two major functions of Congress?

Law making and representation. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between 'Substantive' and 'Descriptive' representation?

'Substantive' is the voice of the people, while 'Descriptive' reflects the demographics. Signup and view all the answers

What is the number one goal of all elected officials?

To get re-elected. Signup and view all the answers

What are some functions of Congress?

Bicameralism, Lawmaking Function, Representation Function, Service to Constituents, Oversight Function, Public-Education Function, and Conflict-Resolution Function. Signup and view all the answers

What is bicameralism?

The division of a legislature into two separate assemblies. Signup and view all the answers

What are some consequences of house apportionment for elections?

Reapportionment and redistricting. Signup and view all the answers

What are the major differences between the House and Senate?

The House is directly elected every two years, while the Senate has longer terms and is smaller in size. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Legislative Branch Overview

Primary function of the legislative branch is to create laws.
Comprises Congress, which shares power with the president and the Supreme Court, and consists of two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Congress

Congress is the national legislative body responsible for lawmaking.
The House of Representatives is tasked with making and passing federal laws.
The Senate serves as an assembly representing citizens with high deliberative functions.

Legislative Process

Makes it extremely hard for a bill to become law to ensure quality and benefits for the country.
A bill must pass in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and be approved by the president to become law.

Committees in Legislation

Committees, known as "little legislatures," have final authority on pieces of legislation with standing committees being the most important.
Conference committees reconcile differences when bills pass in different forms in both chambers.

Representation

Congress performs two major functions: lawmaking and representation.
The difference between substantive representation (advocating for policy preferences) and descriptive representation (reflecting the demographic make-up of constituents) shows Congress is better at substantive representation.

Incentives for Elected Officials

The primary goal of all elected officials is to secure re-election.

Functions of Congress

Functions include bicameralism, lawmaking, representation, constituent services, oversight, public education, and conflict resolution.

Bicameralism

Refers to the division of the legislature into two separate assemblies.

House Apportionment Consequences

Reapportionment allocates House seats to each state after a census.
Redistricting involves redrawing district boundaries within each state.

Differences Between House and Senate

The House is directly elected every two years and has exclusive authority to introduce tax bills; it is larger than the Senate.
The Senate requires longer terms and is designed for more deliberative governance.

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Description

Test your knowledge of the legislative branch with these flashcards. Learn key terms such as Congress, its functions, and the structure of the legislature. Perfect for students studying government or civic education.