— – — AP Gov Unit 2 — – —

OpenStax - Chapter 11 (The Congress)

The Senate The House

● “Upper House” ● “Lower house”

● Two per state ● Proportional
● Federal ● National
● 6 year terms (insulated) ● 2 year terms (accountable)
● 100 ● 435
● Vice President (not a member) ● Speaker of the House
● Unlimited debate (filibuster) ● Limited debate
● Impeachment trial ● Articles of impeachment

Distinctive powers Distinctive powers

● Senatorial courtesy (filibuster) ● Revenue bills must originate here
● Nominations (majority) (the people are represented most
● (judicial, cabinet, ambassadors) directly)
● Ratify treaties (⅔)

Qualifications Qualifications
● At least 30 years old ● At least 25 years old
● A U.S. citizen for at least 9 years ● A U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
● A legal resident of the state they are ● A legal resident of the state they are
running to represent running to represent
● 2 seats per state ● # of seats based on population
● Presiding Officer: President of the ● Presiding Officer: Speaker of the
senate (VP of the United States) house

The Senate and the House of Representatives Explained (Congress - AP Government

Review)

Video 1 Summary
The video explains the key characteristics of the Senate and the House of Representatives,
highlighting their differences and roles in Congress.
Highlights
🏛️ The Senate is the upper house, originally designed to be more aristocratic.
🗳️ Senators were once appointed by state legislatures before the 17th Amendment.
●
●
 📜 The House of Representatives is the lower house, intended to be more democratic.
⏳ Senators serve six-year terms, while House members serve two-year terms.
●

🔄 The House must originate all revenue bills, emphasizing its accountability to the public.
●

🎙️ The Senate has unlimited debate, while the House has limited debate.
●

🚨 Impeachment articles are drawn up in the House, but trials occur in the Senate.
●
●
Key Insights
● 🏛️ Senate’s Aristocratic Heritage: The Senate’s design reflects a historical intent for a more

● 🗳️ Direct Election of Senators: The shift from state legislature appointments to direct
deliberative body, insulated from public opinion, facilitating thoughtful governance.

elections underscores democratic evolution, allowing citizens more influence over their

📜
representatives.
● Democratic Nature of the House: The House represents the populace directly, ensuring
that legislation aligns closely with public sentiment and needs through proportional

⏳
representation.
● Term Lengths Reflect Accountability: Shorter terms in the House encourage
responsiveness to voter needs, while longer Senate terms allow for more stability in

🔄
governance.
● Revenue Bills and Taxation: The requirement for the House to initiate revenue bills
reflects the framers’ intent to protect citizen interests against potential governmental

🎙️
overreach in taxation.
● Debate Dynamics: The contrasting debate rules between the Senate and House highlight
their unique roles, with the Senate allowing more extensive discussion and the House

🚨
prioritizing efficiency.
● Impeachment Process: The division of impeachment responsibilities between the two
houses illustrates the checks and balances inherent in U.S. governance, ensuring thorough
scrutiny of executive actions.
Topic 2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives AP Government

Video 2 Summary
Congress, a bicameral legislature, consists of the Senate and House of Representatives, each with
distinct roles and powers in law-making.
Highlights
🏛️ Congress is a bicameral legislature with the Senate and House of Representatives.
⚖️ The Senate represents states equally, with two senators per state.
●

🗳️ Senators are directly elected, following the 17th Amendment.

●

📅 Senators serve six-year terms, influencing their voting behavior based on public opinion.
●

📊 House representation is population-based, with larger states having more members.

●

⏳ House members serve two-year terms, promoting consistent alignment with public
●
●

● 📜 Congress holds enumerated and implied powers, expanding its legislative capabilities.
opinion.

Key Insights
● 🏛️ Bicameral Structure: Congress’s division into the Senate and House allows for a
balanced representation of states and population, ensuring diverse interests are considered
in legislation.
 ● ⚖️ Equal State Representation: The Senate’s equal representation means smaller states
🗳️ Direct Election of Senators: The shift to direct elections for senators increased
have an equal voice in federal decisions, which can lead to a more balanced national policy.
●
accountability and public influence in governance, making representatives more responsive

📅
to their constituents.
● Impact of Term Length on Voting: The longer terms of senators allow them to consider
public opinion more strategically as elections approach, potentially leading to shifts in their

📊
political stance.
● House Representation Dynamics: The population-based approach in the House means
that state size directly influences political power, often leading to more significant

⏳
representation for populous states.
● Short-Term Accountability in the House: The two-year terms for House members
necessitate a constant alignment with public opinion, ensuring they remain attuned to their

📜
constituents’ needs.
● Powers of Congress: The distinction between enumerated and implied powers allows
Congress to adapt and legislate on various pressing issues, reflecting the evolving needs of
society.

Article 1: The Legislative Branch

Video 3 Summary
Article 1 of the Constitution establishes the Legislative Branch, or Congress, which is responsible for
making laws and is divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Highlights
🏛️ Article 1 covers the Legislative Branch, known as Congress.
📜 The House of Representatives meets on one side of the Capitol and consists of members
●
●

🗳️ Senators serve six-year terms, are at least 30 years old, and each state has two
elected every two years.
●

⚖️ The House can impeach the President, with the Senate conducting the trial.
Senators.

💵 Congress has the power to raise taxes and regulate interstate commerce.
●

🏦 Congress controls the federal budget and has the authority to create post offices and
●
●

🚫 Article 1 ensures rights like the Writ of Habeas Corpus and prohibits certain laws that
declare war.
●
violate individual rights.
Key Insights
● 🏛️ Structure of Congress: Article 1 divides Congress into the House of Representatives and
the Senate, allowing for checks and balances in lawmaking. This structure encourages

🗳️
collaboration and debate, ensuring diverse opinions.
● Election and Terms: House members are elected every two years, while Senators serve
six-year terms. This creates a balance between responsiveness to the public and stability in

⚖️
governance.
● Impeachment Powers: The House’s ability to impeach and the Senate’s role in trials
exemplify Congress’s oversight of the executive branch, reinforcing accountability and the
rule of law.
 ● 💵 Financial Powers: Congress’s authority over taxation and revenue bills highlights its
🏦 Budget Control: By controlling the federal budget, Congress influences national priorities
crucial role in economic policy, ensuring that public funds are managed responsibly.
●

🚫 Protection of Rights: Article 1 safeguards individual rights by outlawing practices that

and resource allocation, affecting various sectors such as education, health, and defense.
●

🌍 Limits on State Powers: Article 1 restricts states from making treaties or coining money,
deny fair trials, ensuring that laws are just and equitable.
●
maintaining federal supremacy and unity in governance across the nation.
QUIZLET REVIEW

Corruption is Legal in America Make notes for this video

__________________________________________________________
Slideshow notes begin
Leadership in Congress
Good leaders help Members accomplish their 3 main goals:
● Getting reelected
● Enacting good policy, and
● Gaining power within the Congress.
○ Leadership brings power, everyone wants to move up
● Good party leaders:
● Make national policies and use their authority to pass them
● Go public with policies to influence elections and make people support them
● Help recruit candidates raise money for “‘vulnerable incumbents” so they can keep
their majority or reclaim it, if in the majority.
● Serve as their colleagues’ link to the prez, the press, the public, and their party’s
volunteers and donors

● Leaders control the business of Congress

○ This is where power resides
○ Choose which bills move forward
○ Choose which members control committees
● Today, Congress is controlled by each of the two majority parties and seniority
counts (been in Congress longer)
○ If you don’t “play the game” you have no power and no influence and may not
be supported by the part with $$ in the next election
● Congressional Leadership: Crash Course Government and Politics #8

US Congressional Demographics
General Rules
● Americans tend to ‘balance party representation” in the 3 seats of power (House,
Senate, President) when voting
 ● During mid-term Election cycles, the opposing party of the recently elected
President wins seats
● Racial, generational, and gender representation do not mirror current US population

Maryland in the House (8 Total)

● 1st - Harris
● 2nd - Olszewski
● 3rd - Elfreth
● 4th - Ivey
● 5th - Hoyer
● 6th - Mclain-Delaney
● 7th - Mfume
● 8th - Raskin
Understanding Reapportionment
● Every 10 years a census is taken (Article 1, Section 2 in Constitution)
○ It determines population (counts may be off…homeless/transient
population/self-reporting issues)
■ by state, within each state and shifts altogether
● State legislatures must then create the allotted Congressional districts (by next
midterm election)
○ Rules may vary. Some are:
■ Contiguous (all parts of the district are in physical contact with some
other part of the district)
■ Compactness (as minimum distance between all the parts of a
constituency)
■ Preserving political areas/ communities of interest
(County/City/Town/Neighborhoods/Common interests)
How a Bill Becomes a Law
US House of Reps
1. A bill is written and placed in the Hopper
2. Introduced into the House
3. Studied by the appropriate standing committee
4. Debated and voted upon by the full House on the floor

US Senate
1. Approved bill is sent to the senate
2. The bill is introduced into the senate
3. Studied by the appropriate standing committee
4. Debated and voted upon by the full senate on the floor
 Next Stops: Conference Committee/President/Override?
1. If there are differences in the House and Senate the bill is sent to a conference
committee
2. The final approved version of the bill is sent to the President who may sign it or veto
it.
3. If the bill is vetoed the House and Senate may override the bill with a 2/3 vote in
each house

Terms:

● Incumbency advantage: Advantages in financing sources and name recognition

● Term limits: Would limit reps or senators to a certain # of terms. States may NOT
impose term limits on federal officeholders - it would require a Constitutional
Amendment (highly improbable)
○ Arguments for limits
■ Congress will be more in touch
■ Take out incumbent advantage
■ Remove “politics” and increase “policy”
○ Arguments against limits
■ Limits voter choice (like current)
■ Lawmaking is a learned skill
■ Increase corruption ($$)

Presidential Roles
● Chief of State - symbolic leader (ceremonial role)
● Chief Executive/Administrator- in charge of everything (guide policy, hire and fire)
● Commander in Chief - runs the armed forces (best interest, commands troops)
● Chief Diplomat - negotiates with other countries (economic and warfare)
● Chief Legislator - signs/vetoes or requests legislation (congress on budget)
● Chief of Party - leads their own property (initiative, philosophy)
● Chief Citizen - acts like a regular old citizen, does smth to represent all citizens
● Chief Economist - “seen” in charge of the economy (can’t control, might affect)

How to Become President of the US

● Step #1: Declaring that you are running/meeting Constitutional Requirements
● Step #2: Primary elections (Primaries/Caucuses/ Party Conventions)
● Step #3: General Elections
● Step #4: Electoral College
Formal Powers:
● Constitutional or enumerated powers of the presidency
○ Found primarily in Article II of the Constitution
● “Faithfully execute” the laws
● Require the opinion of heads of executive departments
● Grant pardons for federal offenses except for cases of impeachment
● Nominate judges of the Supreme Court and all other officers of the U.S. with
consent of the Senate
● Fill vacancies that may happen during recess of the senate

Presidential Benefits
● $400,000 salary
● $50,000/year expense account
● $100,000/year travel expenses
● The White House
○ Room and board
● Secret service protection
● Camp David country estate
● Air Force One personal airplane
● Staff of 400-500

Informal Powers (Inherent/implied powers) (not explicitly written)

Executive Agreements
● International agreements, can make a treaty
○ Don’t need senate approval
○ Politically binding, not legally binding
■ Jefferson purchased Louisiana in 1803
■ GW cuts in the nuclear arsenal
■ Paris Agreement (climate change) - Obama
■ FDR gave UK 50 overage destroyers in exchange for 99-year leases on
Britain naval bases in Atlantic
● Executive Privilege
○ Can decide what is considered secretive on his own
○ Withhold information from the public (including Courts and Congress)
■ Nixon’s watergate tapes
● Executive Orders
○ Orders issued by the President that carry the force of law
■ Clinton’s “Don’t ask don’t tell” gays in the military policy
■ Trump’s travel ban of 13 middle Eastern countries
Formal Checks on Presidential Power
● Limits on Presidential Power (Article II)
○ President elected indirectly by the people through the Electoral College
○ Selection of Presidential (House) in case of no majority of electoral vote
○ President must deliver State of the Union address
○ Senate approves treaties and ambassadors
○ 22nd Amendment (Limits to 2 full terms/10 years total)
○ 25th Amendment (Presidential disability and succession)
● Legislative (Congressional) Checks on President
○ Make laws (ex. War Powers Resolution)
○ Override presidential vetoes
○ Power to declare war
○ Power of the purse (taxes and funding)
○ Regulation of the land and naval forces
○ Impeachment Power (House) (politically motivated/legally)
○ Impeachment Trial (Senate)
○ Congressional Investigations/Hearings
○ Senate Approval (Appointments/Advice & Consent)
● Judicial Checks on the President
○ Judicial review (Marbury v. Madison)
○ Chief Justice over presidential impeachment trial (Article I)
● Informal Checks
○ Public opinion
○ Ballot box and polls
○ The media
○ Partisan politics
UNIT 1 - 2 SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR HIBA
Sorry I couldn’t find many :((