Sunset laws

Treaties

Mark-up

Filibuster

Cloture

Senate minority leader

Senate majority leader

Whip

Logrolling

Speaker

Rider

Pocket veto

Lt. Governor

Speaker

Casework (is when members of Congress solves constituents’ problems dealing with bureaucracy)

Trustee, delegate, and politico approaches to representation

Reapportionment & mal-apportionment

Gerrymandering

Redistricting

Committees & sub-committees

Vetoes’ & override

Voting Rights Act (VRA)

Legislative process (how a bill becomes law)

Texas legislature (chambers, sessions, compensation, interest groups influence)

Likely Essay Questions

1. Should the Texas legislature meet in annual sessions and should they be paid more? Write an essay in

which you describe the present arrangement; a) identify and discuss the arguments for and against

annual sessions; b) is there a need for annual sessions? d) describe their current pay; e) discuss the

arguments for OR against pay raise

2. Historians tell us that the framers of the U.S. Constitution created a bicameral Congress in order to

check the power of the national legislature, which they anticipated would be the dominant branch of

national government.

a) describe the two branches of the U.S. Congress in terms of size of membership and length of members’ terms

b) describe chamber powers and responsibilities

c) explain why there are differences in the chambers

3. Write an essay on how a bill becomes a law. Outline the formal legislative processes in both chambers in which you note the various

committees or subcommittees the bill goes through till it gets to the Conference committee. What is the role of the Conference

committee?

4. Supposed you are elected to Congress to represent this area. Name and explain two committees on which you

would want to serve. Then explain the importance of committee membership in Congress