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Unit 4 Overview

The document provides an overview of concepts, topics, and readings related to the institutions of the US national government including Congress, the presidency, bureaucracy, and federal courts. It outlines major goals and objectives for understanding the legislative branch and its organization and powers as established by the Constitution. Key terms, definitions, and Supreme Court cases are also listed.

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15 views

Unit 4 Overview

The document provides an overview of concepts, topics, and readings related to the institutions of the US national government including Congress, the presidency, bureaucracy, and federal courts. It outlines major goals and objectives for understanding the legislative branch and its organization and powers as established by the Constitution. Key terms, definitions, and Supreme Court cases are also listed.

Uploaded by

jackhongksp
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 4 Overview of Concepts, Topics and Readings

Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the


Bureaucracy and the Federal Courts

You will become familiar with the organization and powers, both formal and informal, of the
legislative branch. Take a look at the Congress Powerpoint as there is some good info in there as
well

Major Goals and Objectives:


1. Understand the roots of the legislative branch as outlined by the U.S. Constitution.
2. Know the functions that Congress performs and does not perform, as well as the powers that
they do and do not possess.
3. Understand the competing demands on a member of Congress and how those demands can
influence their decisions.
4. Be familiar with the demographic attributes of members of Congress.
5. Be aware of the linkages between Congress and public opinion and voters, interest groups,
political parties and the media.
6. Understand the role of the committee system, political parties, and congressional leadership
in organizing Congress.
7. Know the major similiarities and differences between the House of Representatives and the
U.S. Senate and how the differences impact each chamber’s ability to legislate.
8. Understand the process of how a bill becomes a law as laid out in the Constitution v. how it
often happens in practice.
9. Be aware of the criticisms of Congress and how they impact the institution’s ability to
legislate.

Readings:
Abernathy and Waples, Chapter 4
Required Court Cases
Shaw v. Reno
Baker vs. Carr

Important Definitions/Terms/Identifications:

Appropriation
Authorization
Baker vs. Carr
Bicameral legislature
Bill
Budget Defecit
Budget Surplus
Caucus
Cloture
Committees: conference committee, standing committee, Rules Committee, chairmen, ranking
minority members
Congressional review
Constituency
Discharge petition
Discretionary Spending
Divided Government
Earmark (pork barrel legislation)
Entitlement Programs
“Elastic clause”
Filibuster
Germane Amendments
Gerrymandering
Gridlock
Hold
House Leadership: speaker, majority and minority leader, majority and minority whip
House v. Senate differences
House Rules Committee
Impeachment
Incumbency Advantage
Lame Duck period
Logrolling
Majority-minority districts
Malapportionment
Mandatory Spending
Markup
Minority Leader
Newt Gingrich
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Oversight
Partisan Gerrymandering
Party caucus
Pigeonholing
Pocket veto
Pork Barrel Spending
Redistricting
Riders
Rules Committee
Senate leadership: president, president pro tempore, majority and minority leader and majority
and minority whip
Speaker of the House
Shaw vs. Reno
Term limits
Trustee Role
Theories of representation: delegate, trustee, politico
Veto
Votes: teller, voice, division, roll call, electronic
Whip

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