US Congress (Edexcel A Level Politics): Flashcards
Exam code: 9PL0
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Define bicameral legislature.
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Cards in this collection (48)
Define bicameral legislature.
A bicameral legislature is a legislature made up of two chambers, which in the case of Congress are the House of Representatives and the Senate.
How many voting members does the House of Representatives contain?
The House of Representatives contains 435 voting members.
Define the power of the purse.
The power of the purse is the House of Representatives' exclusive power to initiate money bills.
True or False?
Each state elects two senators regardless of its population.
True.
Every state has two senators, giving the Senate 100 members in total.
To become a senator, a person must be at least years old and a US citizen for years.
To become a senator, a person must be at least 30 years old and a US citizen for nine years.
Which chamber holds the exclusive power to ratify treaties?
The Senate holds the exclusive power to ratify treaties.
Define concurrent powers in Congress.
Concurrent powers are powers exercised jointly by both chambers of Congress, such as passing legislation.
What majority is needed in both chambers to overturn a presidential veto?
Both chambers must achieve a two-thirds majority to overturn a presidential veto.
Congressional campaigns rely heavily on fundraising, with candidates spending over $8 billion in 2020 and 2022, giving sitting members an advantage.
Congressional campaigns rely heavily on fundraising, with candidates spending over $8 billion in 2020 and 2022, giving sitting members an incumbency advantage.
How often do congressional elections take place?
Congressional elections take place every two years, contesting all House seats and one-third of Senate seats.
True or False?
Senators serve four-year terms.
False.
Senators serve six-year terms, with one-third of the Senate contested every two years.
Which chamber confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court in 2022?
The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court in 2022.
What are the three key functions of Congress?
The three key functions of Congress are legislation, representation and oversight.
Define caucuses.
Caucuses are informal groups within Congress based on ideology, identity or policy interests.
How do interest groups use money to influence members of Congress?
Interest groups fund election campaigns to gain influence, such as the NRA, which spent $6.3m supporting Republican candidates in 2024.
True or False?
Incumbency rates in Congress regularly exceed 90%.
True.
Incumbency rates regularly exceed 90% in both the House and the Senate.
Superior fundraising helps explain why rates exceed 90%, as the average House incumbent raised $655,000 in 2017 compared with $111,000 for challengers.
Superior fundraising helps explain why incumbency rates exceed 90%, as the average House incumbent raised $655,000 in 2017 compared with $111,000 for challengers.
Define the filibuster.
The filibuster is a Senate tactic used to stall or block legislation through prolonged debate.
Why can national security concerns overcome party divisions in Congress?
Security issues can produce large bipartisan majorities, as when the House passed the 2024 TikTok bill by 352-65.
Define omnibus bills.
Omnibus bills bundle multiple proposals into one bill, which can reduce congressional scrutiny.
One weakness of the legislative process is the use of , money set aside for specific projects, with three spending bills containing $6.5bn of these in 2026.
One weakness of the legislative process is the use of earmarks, money set aside for specific projects, with three spending bills containing $6.5bn of these in 2026.
Define oversight.
Oversight is Congress's scrutiny of the executive branch, a function known as scrutiny in the UK.
How can investigative committees strengthen Congress's oversight of the executive?
Investigative committees can expose executive wrongdoing, as the January 6th Select Committee (2021-23) held ten public hearings revealing attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
True or False?
The Senate reached the two-thirds threshold needed to convict Trump at his impeachment trials.
False.
Trump was impeached in 2019 and 2021, but the Senate did not reach the two-thirds threshold to convict.
True or False?
Government shutdowns, such as the record 43-day shutdown in 2025, show how rising partisanship has reduced Congress's ability to function.
True.
Rising partisanship has fuelled congressional dysfunction, with the 2025 shutdown lasting 43 days, the longest in US history.
What has most reduced Congress's ability to legislate effectively in the 21st century?
Increased partisanship has reduced Congress's ability to legislate effectively in the 21st century.
Filibuster rules have been changed for nominations, so only votes are now required.
Filibuster rules have been changed for nominations, so only 50 votes are now required.
Which constitutional power of Congress has become largely unused?
The power to declare war has become largely unused in modern foreign policy.
In 2022, more than of Senate votes were party unity votes.
In 2022, more than 80% of Senate votes were party unity votes.
Describe the Freedom Caucus.
The Freedom Caucus is a conservative group that has challenged Republican leadership and destabilised speakerships.
How does party leadership control the legislative agenda in the House of Representatives?
Party leadership controls which bills reach a vote, as when Speaker Mike Johnson blocked a 2025 vote on extending healthcare subsidies despite public pressure.
True or False?
Senate rules can let a single senator wield significant power, weakening party control over Congress.
True.
Individual senators hold significant power under Senate rules, as when Tommy Tuberville blocked military promotions for over ten months.
How does the power of impeachment show Congress's authority is still rooted in the Constitution?
Impeachment shows Congress retains constitutional power to hold the executive to account, as it impeached Presidents Clinton and Trump.
Define enumerated powers.
Enumerated powers are the specific powers granted to Congress under Article I of the Constitution.
Congress remains the primary body, using this authority to reshape presidential agendas, such as restricting abortion funding in the ACA in 2011.
Congress remains the primary law-making body, using this authority to reshape presidential agendas, such as restricting abortion funding in the ACA in 2011.
Define judicial review.
Judicial review is the Supreme Court's power to strike down laws passed by Congress as unconstitutional.
What four roles are both the UK and US legislatures responsible for?
Both legislatures make laws, scrutinise the executive, debate policy and represent citizens.
Define select committees.
Select committees are UK committees that run inquiries and publish reports to scrutinise policy.
True or False?
Both chambers of the US Congress are elected, while the UK House of Lords is mostly appointed.
True.
Both US houses are elected, whereas the UK House of Lords is mostly appointed.
US Representatives serve years and Senators serve years, while UK MPs serve up to years.
US Representatives serve 2 years and Senators serve 6 years, while UK MPs serve up to 5 years.
How can the UK Parliament remove a Prime Minister, unlike the US Congress?
UK Parliament can remove a PM through a vote of no confidence, whereas the US can only remove a president through impeachment.
Define the Ways and Means Committee.
The Ways and Means Committee is the US congressional committee that specialises in tax.
What are the three comparative theories referenced in the note?
The three comparative theories are structural, rational and cultural theory.
True or False?
The UK House of Lords cannot block finance bills.
True.
The UK House of Lords cannot block finance bills, a limit on its power.
Define gridlock in US Congress.
Gridlock occurs when filibusters and divided government slow or block law-making in US Congress.
Why is the US Senate criticised for unequal representation?
The US Senate is criticised for over-representing small states, whereas UK constituencies are more equal in size.
Define Hansard.
Hansard is the official record of proceedings in the UK Parliament.
Both legislatures showed emergency during the pandemic, with the US passing the CARES Act and the UK the Coronavirus Act in 2020.
Both legislatures showed emergency flexibility during the pandemic, with the US passing the CARES Act and the UK the Coronavirus Act in 2020.
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