Ch. 5
This is the minimum age required to serve as a member of the United States Senate?
What is 30 years old?
These are powers specifically listed and spelled out directly in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution (such as coining money and declaring war)?
What are expressed powers (or enumerated/delegated powers)?
This is the physical wooden box on the clerk's desk in the House of Representatives where newly written bills are dropped to be introduced?
What is the hopper?
Serving as the official President of the Senate, this executive officer only casts a vote in the upper chamber to break a tie?
Who is the Vice President of the United States?
This presiding officer is the head of the House of Representatives, leader of the majority party, and second in line for presidential succession?
Who is the Speaker of the House?
Known as the "Traffic Cop" of the House, this committee controls the flow of legislation, sets debate time limits, and decides amendment rules?
What is the House Rules Committee?
This clause in Article I, Section 8 allows Congress to regulate business activities and trade that cross state lines or involve other nations?
What is the Commerce Clause?
This type of bill applies to the entire nation and carries the full weight of law?
What is a public bill?
Requiring a three-fifths supermajority vote (exactly 60 votes), this resolution is the only formal procedure used to end a filibuster and force a final vote?
What is a cloture resolution (or Cloture)?
Known as the "Traffic Cop" of the lower chamber, this powerful committee sets debate time limits and determines amendment rules for bills reaching the House floor?
What is the House Rules Committee?
This procedural tactic, used by minority senators to delay or block a vote through extended debate, requires a cloture resolution of 60 votes to end?
What is a filibuster?
This landmark 1819 Supreme Court decision upheld Congress's implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause when Maryland attempted to tax the Second Bank of the United States?
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?
When a committee decides to set a bill aside and let it silently die without taking action, it is known by this term?
What is pigeonholing (or setting aside/ignoring)?
In the absence of the Vice President, this Senate officer—typically the longest-serving member of the majority party—presides over the upper chamber?
Who is the President Pro Tempore?
Exclusive non-legislative power given to the House of Representatives to formally accuse or bring charges against a federal official?
What is the power of impeachment?
This term describes the redrawing of Congressional district lines to give one political party an unfair electoral advantage, often using tactics known as "cracking" or "packing"?
What is gerrymandering?
This non-legislative power allows Congress to bring formal charges against a federal official (in the House) and hold a trial to determine removal from office (in the Senate)?
What is the impeachment power?
This type of temporary committee is created specifically to resolve differences when the House and Senate pass different versions of the exact same bill?
What is a conference committee?
When the President is impeached by the House, this chamber acts as the jury and conducts the trial, requiring a two-thirds vote to convict and remove?
What is the Senate?
There are five non-voting delegates in the House representing U.S. territories, along with one Resident Commissioner who specifically represents this U.S. territory?
What is Puerto Rico?
This congressional support agency provides nonpartisan, estimated cost and financial impact reports for proposed bills?
What is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)?
This procedural maneuver allows senators to attach non-related amendments to a bill, while the House restricts amendments using strict rules?
What is a rider?
Step-by-step, explain the process on how a bill becomes a law.
A bill begins its journey when an idea from a citizen, interest group, or the President is formally introduced by a member of Congress—either physically dropped into the hopper in the House or verbally introduced on the Senate floor. Once assigned a legislative number, the presiding officer routes the bill to a specialized standing committee and subcommittee, where members hold hearings to gather expert testimony, debate its merits, and choose to pass, markup, replace, or kill (pigeonhole) the measure. If approved, the bill moves to the floor for action; in the House, the Rules Committee strictly governs debate limits and amendments, whereas the Senate allows open debate, non-related riders, and filibusters, which require a 60-vote cloture resolution to end. After floor debates, members vote using voice, standing, roll-call, or electronic methods. If the bill passes, it moves to the opposite chamber to undergo the entire committee and floor process again. Because both houses must pass the exact same text, any differences between the House and Senate versions are hashed out in a temporary Conference Committee, which drafts a unified compromise report that both chambers must approve without changes. The final bill then reaches the President, who can sign it into law, veto it (which Congress can override with a two-thirds supermajority vote in both houses), allow it to automatically become law by taking no action for 10 days while Congress is in session, or execute a pocket veto by taking no action if Congress adjourns within those 10 days. Once approved, the bill becomes an official Public Law, receives a formal number, is printed by the Government Printing Office, archived in the National Archives, and officially codified into federal law.
Unlike the House where all members are elected every two years, the Senate maintains continuous operation because its terms are staggered so that only this fraction of seats is up for election every two years?
What is one-third (1/3)?
Under Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution (known as the Origination Clause), all bills specifically designed to raise this type of federal money MUST originate in the House of Representatives?
What is revenue (or tax/taxation bills)?