Legislators & Their Constituents
The Organization of Congress
The Work of Congress
Comparing State Legislatures with Congress
Vocabulary
100
Local politics.
Where do most legislators start their careers?
100
A two chambered legislature.
What is bicameral?
100
Congress is given the power by the Constitution to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out specific powers.
What is the elastic clause?
100
Legislatures where members spend only about half of their time as lawmakers.
What are citizen legislatures?
100
These bills can only originate in the House.
What are tax bills.
200
Twenty-five years old, U.S. citizen for at least 7 years.
What are formal qualifications for Representatives?
200
The most powerful and prestigious leadership position in Congress.
What is the Speaker of the House?
200
Congress makes sure executive agencies carry out the laws it has passed.
What is oversight?
200
Legislatures whose members are full-time legislators.
What are professional legislatures?
200
House seats are divided among the states according to each state's population.
What is apportionment?
300
Race, gender, occupation and education.
What are some informal qualifications for Congress members?
300
The Vice President's other title and job.
What is the President of the Senate?
300
The House of Representatives votes to accept a formal accusation of wrongdoing against a Federal official.
What is impeachment?
300
Unlike Congress, many state legislatures have this.
What are term limits?
300
They represent their districts by responding directly to the wishes or needs of their constituents.
What are delegates?
400
Every ten years.
How often does the U.S. census bureau conduct a census to count the nation's population?
400
They do most of the work of reviewing proposed legislation.
What is a subcommittee?
400
Senate approval of treaties negotiated by the President.
What is ratification?
400
"termed out".
What is it called when an officeholder has been in office for as many years as s/he is allowed?
400
It checks the financial accounts of government programs.
What is the General Accountability Office?
500
These are lawmakers who try to represent their districts by exercising their best independent judgment.
What are trustees?
500
Unofficial groups formed by members of Congress to pursue particular goals and interests.
What is a caucus?
500
Where legislative bills go to get their differences ironed out.
What is a conference committee?
500
Both are organized along party lines.
What do state legislatures have in common with the U.S. Congress?
500
A group of conservative and moderate House Democrats.
What is the Blue Dog Coalition?
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