Bill to Law
This is what a proposed piece of legislation is called before it officially becomes a law.
What is a bill?
This "Lower House" has 435 members, with representation based on each state's population.
What is the House of Representatives?
This person serves as the presiding officer and most powerful leader of the House of Representatives.
Who is the Speaker of the House?
This type of law deals with disputes between individuals or organizations, such as contracts or property damage, rather than crimes.
What is civil law?
Most bills die in these small specialized groups where they are first studied, debated, and amended.
What are committees?
Every state gets exactly two members in this "Upper House," regardless of how many people live there.
What is the Senate?
According to the Constitution, this executive branch official officially serves as the President of the Senate.
Who is the Vice President?
This is the term for a previous court decision that serves as an example or rule to be followed in similar future cases.
What is a precedent?
This is the name for the President’s official refusal to sign a bill into law.
What is a veto?
While a Senator serves for six years, a member of the House is elected for a term of this many years.
What is two years?
This is the term for a person currently holding an office who is running for re-election.
What is an incumbent?
Known as the "Supreme Law of the Land," any law passed by Congress or a state must follow this foundational document.
What is the U.S. Constitution?
If a President vetoes a bill, Congress can still pass it with this fraction of a vote in both chambers.
What is a 2/3 majority?
This term describes a legislature, like the U.S. Congress, that is made up of two distinct houses or chambers.
What is bicameral?
These are the people (the voters) living in a representative's district or state.
Who are constituents?
In a criminal trial, the prosecution must prove the defendant is guilty to this specific, very high standard.
What is beyond a reasonable doubt?
This special committee is formed to resolve differences when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill.
What is a conference committee?
This is the age you must be to be eligible for election to the U.S. Senate.
What is 30?
This person is hired by an interest group to influence members of Congress to vote a certain way on a bill.
Who is a lobbyist?
Derived from the Fifth Amendment, this principle ensures that the government must follow fair procedures before taking away someone's life, liberty, or property.
What is due process?