Structures, Powers, and Functions of CONGRESS [AP Gov Review, Unit 2 Topic 2 (2.2)]

Summary

This video dives deeper into Unit 2 of the AP Government curriculum, focusing on how the structure, powers, and functions of Congress impact the policymaking process. The video explains the leadership structures of the House and Senate, the significance of committees, and how bills become laws. Viewers learn about the Speaker of the House, majority/minority leaders, the power of committees, and legislative tools like filibusters and unanimous consent in the Senate. The complex budgeting process, mandatory vs. discretionary spending, and deficit spending are also discussed in a clear, engaging manner.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Speaker of the House is always a member of the majority party and holds significant power, such as recognizing who can speak and assigning committees.
• 🗳️ The Majority and Minority Leaders in both houses guide their party members on how to vote and help direct policy discussions.
• 🪖 The Vice President is the President of the Senate, but usually doesn't participate, so the President Pro Tempore leads in their absence.
• 📋 Committees play a crucial role in both the House and Senate for drafting and debating legislation, with different types such as standing, joint, select, and conference committees.
• 🔄 Standing committees are permanent and deal with ongoing issues, while select committees are temporary and address specific matters.
• 🔑 The House Rules Committee controls which bills reach the floor for debate and assigns bills to other committees, giving it immense power in the legislative process.
• 🕰️ Senators have unlimited debate time, which can lead to filibusters – a tactic to delay or kill legislation, though the cloture rule can stop it with three-fifths support.
• 🤝 Logrolling occurs when representatives agree to support each other's bills, facilitating the legislative process.
• 💰 Congress handles two types of spending: mandatory spending, required by law, and discretionary spending, which is debated by committees.
• 📉 Congress often spends more than it has, leading to deficit spending, which results in borrowing or raising taxes.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to explain how the structure, powers, and functions of both houses of Congress affect the policymaking process.

What is the only leadership position in the House of Representatives mentioned in the Constitution?

The only leadership position in the House of Representatives mentioned in the Constitution is the Speaker of the House.

How does the Speaker of the House influence the legislative process?

The Speaker of the House influences the legislative process by recognizing who can speak, making committee assignments, and exercising significant control over the parliamentary procedure in the House.

What are the roles of the majority and minority leaders in the House of Representatives?

The majority and minority leaders guide their party members on voting and policymaking issues, help direct debate, and ensure party members are working together to achieve favorable policy outcomes.

What is the difference between the leadership positions in the House and the Senate according to the Constitution?

In the Senate, the Constitution mentions two leadership positions: the President of the Senate (the Vice President of the U.S.) and the President Pro Tempore. The House only mentions the Speaker of the House.

How is the Senate majority leader more powerful than the President Pro Tempore?

The Senate majority leader is more powerful because they set the legislative agenda by controlling which bills reach the floor for debate, whereas the President Pro Tempore mainly leads the Senate when the Vice President is absent.

What are the four types of committees used by Congress?

The four types of committees used by Congress are: standing committees, joint committees, select committees, and conference committees.

What is a standing committee, and can you give an example from both the House and Senate?

A standing committee is a permanent committee that deals with issues that are always present. An example in the Senate is the Appropriations Committee, and in the House, the Ways and Means Committee.

What is a filibuster, and how can it be stopped?

A filibuster is an attempt to stall or kill a bill by talking for a long period. It can be stopped through the 'cloture rule,' which requires three-fifths of the Senate to agree to end the debate and bring the bill to a vote.

What are the two types of federal spending, and what are examples of each?

The two types of federal spending are mandatory spending and discretionary spending. Mandatory spending includes legally required programs like Medicare and Medicaid, while discretionary spending covers federal employee salaries and other programs, typically debated by committees.