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93 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the four key events that resulted in the US Federal legislative process? |
1. Declaration of Independence 1776 2. Articles of confederation ratified 1781 3. Constitution ratified by 9 states 1788 4. Constitution took effect 1789 |
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What was the predecessor of the Constitution? |
Articles of Confederation |
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Any amendment to the Articles of Confederation require the anonymous approval of whom? |
All the states |
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The early framers of the Articles were particularly concerned with what 2 concepts? |
Limiting the powers of the federal government over the states and guaranting the freedom of each citizen |
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What method was developed to avoid tyranny within the federal government? |
Separation of powers |
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What type of system maintains the delicate balance between the authority of the federal government and the rights of the individual citizen? |
System of checks and balances |
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Constitution Articles 1, 2 and 3 correspond with which branches of government? |
Article 1: legislative (Congress) Article 2: executive (president) Article 3: judicial (courts) |
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What document established the three branches of government and define their rules? |
The Constitution |
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What is the essential principle of the Constitution? |
The government must be confined to the rule of law |
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What is the oldest written national constitution currently in effect? |
The US Constitution |
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Constitution article 1 section 2 says that House of Representative members will serve how many years? |
2 |
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Constitution article 1 section 3 says the senate of the United States will be composed of how many senators from each state and will serve for how many years? |
Two senators from each state Serve for 6 years each |
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All bills for raising revenue originate in which chamber (usually)? |
House of Representatives |
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Article 1 section 7 says, if any bill is not returned by the president within 10 days, what will happen? |
It becomes law; unless Congress is not in session |
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Pocket vetos are included in which section of article 1? |
Section 7 |
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Constitution article 1 section 8 gives Congress the power to do 6 key tasks. What are they? |
1. Raise taxes 2. Borrow money 3. Regulate commerce 4. Enlist forces 5. Declare war 6. Raise and support armies |
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What article in section of the Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse? |
Article 1 section 9 |
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What are the two functions of the executive branch? |
Commander-in-Chief and execute laws |
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What does article 2 section 3 talk about? |
President giving the state of the union |
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Name the judicial branch's 3 powers outlined in article 3 of the Constitution? |
Supreme Court inferior courts established by Congress interpreting laws |
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The judicial branch is authorized to interpret state laws outside of federal jurisdiction, true or false? |
False |
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What are the three main parts of the legislative process? |
Bills, resolutions, and origins of legislation |
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How many times does Congress meet a year? |
At least once |
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How long does a new Congress convene following the November general elections? |
2 years. It consists of two sessions, each one year in duration |
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What is a joint resolution? |
a resolution passed by both the Senate and the House |
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What is a bill? |
A legislative proposal of a general nature |
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What article of the Constitution authorizes Congress to propose amendments to the Constitution? |
Article 5 |
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How many votes are required for Congress to amend the Constitution? |
2/3 vote of both the house and Senate |
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What is required in order to ratify an amendment to the Constitution |
3/4 of the states |
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Is the president involved in approving proposed amendments to the Constitution? |
No |
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What is a concurrent resolution? |
Matters affecting the operation of both the House of Representatives and Senate |
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What are the three origins of legislation? |
Recommended by the president, introduced by members, introduced by committees |
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Name three types of Congressional resolutions |
Simple, joint, concurrent |
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What 9 steps are required for an appropriation bill to become a law? |
1. Introduced in house "hopper" 2. Appropriations committees 3. Committee hearings 4. Committee adoption 5. House adoption 6. Senate repeat 7. Conference committee resolves diff 8. House & Senate pass identical bill 9. President signs bill into law |
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When can member of Congress introduce a bill? |
When their chamber is in session |
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What happens after a bill is assigned it's legislative number by the clerk? |
It's referred to the appropriate committee |
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Who has the majority of actions during the legislative process? |
The committees |
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What is usually the first step in the bill consideration by committee during the legislative process? |
Public hearing; where committee members hear witnesses representing various viewpoints on the measure |
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During the legislative process, after committee hearings are completed the bill is considered to be in a session called what? |
The markup session |
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Give an example of a bill going through a markup session |
The House appropriations committee has subcommittees for each of the appropriations bills. The subcommittee on defense holds hearings, drafts a bill, and forwards the proposed bill to the full appropriations committee |
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When is a clean bill created during the legislative process? |
When a committee votes to report a new bill |
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When is the committee report written during the legislative process? |
After the committee votes to report a bill |
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What is an engrossed bill? |
A bill that has passed one body, either the house or senate |
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What is a conference committee and what is their purpose during the legislative process? |
Composed of members of the respective house and Senate committees and non-community members if appropriate. These committees convene when either the house or Senate request a conference to complete negotiations on a bill |
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Due to their powerful nature, what are conference committees also known as? |
The third chamber |
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After a measure has passed in identical form by both the House and Senate, it is considered ______? |
The bill is considered enrolled |
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Where does a bill go after becoming enrolled? |
To the president for signature or veto |
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What are the presidential actions available when it comes to making a bill a law? |
1. Approval and signature 2. Does not sign but allows bill to become law 3. Pocket veto 4. Veto |
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If the president does not want to sign a bill into law and Congress is adjourned, what type of action is this called? |
Pocket veto |
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How can Congress override a veto from the president? |
Both bodies must have a 2/3 vote in favor of the bill. After that the bill becomes law and does not go back to the president for signature |
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What are the three phases of the budget cycle? |
Budget formulation congressional action budget execution |
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Which Act requires the president to submit a proposed budget to Congress for the next FY by the first Monday in February? |
1974 Congressional Budget Act |
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What is the budget formulation phase in the federal budget process? |
phasing which organizations draft their budgets and each agency consolidates and prepares the budget for the president in Congress |
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What document governs the budget formulation process? |
OMB Circular A-11 |
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What are the six major steps in the general govt (not DOD) budget formulation phase outlined in the OMB circular A-11? |
1. OMB issues guidance 2. Organization develops draft 3. Agency submits budget estimates to OMB 4. OMB holds hearings on agency budget 5. President makes final decisions on agency budgets 6. President transmissable to Congress |
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What is the budget process in the DOD? |
The PPBE process |
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The OSD internal review during the budget formulation phase is known as ______? |
The Fall review, which normally occurs during September to December. |
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What is the OMB pass back? |
Markup of agencies budgets that OMB passes back to the agency |
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What can a pass back do during the budget formulation phase? |
Reduce or increase funding for: 1. Individual programs 2. The agency 3. Specific programs within existing agency funding levels |
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Where do appeals for passback results go for review? |
The agency head can appeal to the President |
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When does the president get involved in the budget formulation phase? |
- make final decision on each agency's budget - transmits budget to Congress NLT 1st Mon in Feb - for disagreements between OMB and agencies |
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Name the key topic addressed in sections 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 in Article 1 of the Constitution |
1. Two Chambers (house & senate) 2. House Reps elected every 2 years 3. 2 senators/state elected every 6 years 7. Spending bills start in house And pocket vetos 8. Powers of Congress 9. Congress has power of the purse |
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Where are all federal level laws enacted? |
Congress |
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In what article of the Constitution is the power to raise taxes found? |
Article 1 |
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what occurs when congress is not in session and the president does not sign a properly presented enrolled bill within 10 days? |
Pocket veto |
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How frequently does Congress review the DOD budget request? |
Annually |
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Approximately what percent of total federal spending is discretionary spending? |
30% |
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Approximately what percent of total federal spending is discretionary spending? |
30% |
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Which branch of government implements laws? |
Executive branch (President) |
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Which branch of government is authorized to raise taxes and borrow money? |
Legislative (Congress) |
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Which committee attempts to resolve differences between house and senate version of a bill? |
Conference committee, sometimes referred to as the third chamber |
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Which agency issues direction for use by other agencies in submitting their budget estimates? |
Office of management and budget OMB |
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What type of legislation provides an agency with budget authority |
Appropriation acts |
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What term is used to describe a subdivision of an apportionment? |
Allotment |
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What agency issues apportionments? |
OMB |
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Which branch of government conducts hearings on the effectiveness of government programs? |
Legislative branch (Congress) |
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And the federal budget process, what organizations actually prepare budget estimates? |
Federal agencies |
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What is the largest single source of federal government tax revenues? |
Individual income taxes (50% in 2018) |
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What are request for funds in addition to amounts already appropriated called? |
Supplemental |
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What financial control document is issued by the treasury department following signature of the appropriations act? |
Appropriation warrant |
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What term describes a postponement in the use of appropriate funds? |
Deferral |
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What term describes a cancellation of appropriate funds? |
Rescission |
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After the DOD appropriations bill is signed into law, what does DOD request from OMB? |
Apportionment |
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An administrative reservation of funds is known as what? |
Commitment |
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What gives a federal agency the legal authority to operate a program? |
Authorization legalization |
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Article 1 section 8 clause 1 of the US Constitution empowers which branch of the federal government to collect taxes? |
Legislative |
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What are the 4 main laws and regulations that govern how an agency manages their funds? |
1. 31 USC 1514 2. OMB Circular A-123 3. Comply with FFMIA of 1996 4. DoD FMR Volume 14 |
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What did the 1921 budget and accounting act require? |
The president to submit an annual budget proposal to Congress and established the Office of Management and Budget as well as the Government Accountability Office |
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What are the five main items the 1974 congressional budget and impoundment control act require? |
1. Established house and senate budget committees 2. Created CBO 3. Establish detailed calendar for the congressional budget process 4. Establish the framework and guidance for impoundment 5. Change physical year from 1 July to 1 October |
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What are the two main items the 1990 Chief Financial officers act required? |
1. Established CFOs in specific agencies and cabinet departments 2. Tasked CFOs with overseeing financial management and financial information systems in the federal government |
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What was the line item veto act of 1996? |
Briefly granted line item veto opportunity for the president. Was declared unconstitutional in 1998. |
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What is the 2010 GPRA modernization act? |
1. Annual performance plan requires OMB to establish federal priority goals and agencies to establish priority goals 2. agency performance reports APR required annually but quarterly for any priority goals 3. APR must show actual performance trend over past 5 years |
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What is the 2011 Budget control Act? And in what years was it modified? |
Solve the 2011 debt ceiling crisis, mandated a vote on a constitutional balanced budget amendment which failed to pass Congress, called for automatic sequestration of budget authority to achieve deficit reduction targets. it was modified in 2016 and 2018 to increase the debt ceiling |
