ap gov unit 4

• What are the two chambers of Congress?

  House and Senate
• How does the representation of minority groups and women in Congress compare to their diversity?

  Minority groups and women are still underrepresented despite growing diversity.
• What is the public's general approval rating for Congress?

  The public has low approval for Congress as a whole but higher ratings for their own members.
• What is the typical reelection rate for incumbents in the House?

  Approximately 90%
• What is a "safe seat" in Congress?

  A safe seat is a district where incumbents are very likely to win reelection.
• What are swing districts?

  Swing districts are areas where both Democrats and Republicans have a good chance of winning.
• How often does the census occur?

  Every 10 years
• What is reapportionment?

  Reapportionment is the redistribution of seats in the House based on population changes.
• What is redistricting?

  Redistricting is the redrawing of House districts by state legislatures.
• What is gerrymandering?

  Gerrymandering is the manipulation of district boundaries to help or harm a party or group.
• What are the two types of gerrymandering?

  Partisan gerrymandering and racial gerrymandering
• What is partisan gerrymandering?

  Partisan gerrymandering is drawing districts to give one party an advantage in future elections.
• What has SCOTUS ruled regarding partisan gerrymandering?

  SCOTUS has ruled that partisan gerrymandering is not unconstitutional.
• What is racial gerrymandering?

  Racial gerrymandering is drawing districts to give one racial group an advantage in future elections.
• What has SCOTUS ruled regarding racial gerrymandering?

  SCOTUS has ruled that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional.
• What are the effects of gerrymandering?

  Gerrymandering results in oddly shaped districts, more safe seats, and more extreme members of Congress.
• What was the outcome of Shaw v. Reno (1993)?

  Districts drawn only based on race were ruled unconstitutional.
• What does the 14th Amendment guarantee?

  The 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law.
• What was the significance of Baker v. Carr (1962)?

  Baker v. Carr established that voters have standing to challenge redistricting in court.
• What principle did Baker v. Carr uphold?

  Baker v. Carr upheld the "One-person, one vote" principle.
• What was the impact of Baker v. Carr on political representation?


  Baker v. Carr altered political representation by requiring states to redistribute seats to ensure equal representation.
• What is the role of the minority leader in Congress?

  The minority leader coordinates a strategy for the minority party.
• How does the House of Representatives reflect "we the people"?

  The House of Representatives reflects "we the people" because it is the only part of the federal government that has always been directly elected.
• What is the significance of the 17th Amendment?

  The 17th Amendment allows for the direct election of senators.
• Why is leadership in the House of Representatives more powerful than in the Senate?

  Leadership in the House is more powerful due to its larger size, requiring more control to avoid chaos.
• Who is the most powerful position in Congress?

  Speaker of the House
• What are the responsibilities of the Speaker of the House?

  The Speaker assigns bills to committees, directs business on the House floor, and breaks votes.
• What is the role of the Majority and Minority Leaders in Congress?

  They coordinate and help plan party legislative strategy.
• What is the role of party whips in Congress?

  Party whips keep party members in line and inform leaders about the mood of the House.
• How does the Senate's leadership differ from the House's leadership?

  The Senate's leadership includes the Vice President and the President Pro Tempore, while the House has the Speaker.
• What is the role of the Senate Majority Leader?


  The Senate Majority Leader is the true leader of the majority party and decides when bills will appear for debate.
• What is the process for a bill to become a law in the House?

  A bill is introduced, assigned to a committee, marked up, reported to the full House, and debated.
• What is the process for a bill to become a law in the Senate?

  A bill is introduced, assigned to a committee, marked up, reported to the full Senate, and debated.
• What happens if a bill is in a form different from the other house's version?

  If a bill is in a different form, it must go to a conference committee.
• What is the role of the Rules Committee in the House?

  The Rules Committee issues a rule to govern debate on the floor.
• What is the significance of "unanimous consent" agreements in the Senate?

  Unanimous consent agreements schedule full Senate debate and vote on the bill.
• What is the role of subcommittees in the legislative process?

  Subcommittees hold hearings and mark up bills before they go to the full committee.
• What is the purpose of a "discharge petition" in the House?


  A discharge petition is a way to save a bill that is being ignored, requiring over half to vote/agree.
• What is the role of the full committee in the legislative process?

  The full committee considers the bill and reports it to the full House or Senate if approved.
• What happens if a bill is ignored in the House?

  If a bill is ignored, it may die unless a discharge petition is filed.