Who is the most powerful person in the Senate? In the house?
The majority leader and the Speaker of the House
100
When a congressman votes based on ________, they are acting as a trustee. If they vote based on ________, they are acting as a delegate.
Their own opinion/wishes of the people
100
Most of the work of Congress (especially in the house) gets done in these. What happens to most of the bills?
Committees/subcommittees - most of the bills die in the subcommittees
100
Name 3 of the 4 types of committees. What do those 3 do? Are they permanent?
Standing Committee: permanent; deals with specific policy matters & oversight functions
Select Committee: temporary; appointed for a specific purpose
Joint Committee: includes members of both chambers; conducts studies or performs housekeeping tasks
Conference Committee: temporary; includes members from both cambers; purpose is to resolve different versions of House/Senate bills
100
In the Senate, what motion is used to stop an attempt at a filibuster?
Cloture motion
200
What did the 17th Amendment do?
Allowed for the direct election of Senators
200
What is pork barrel?
List of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions which members of Congress seek to locate in their district to promote the interests of their constituency
200
Which house has the power to confirm appointments by the president to the Supreme Court?
Senate
200
What are the duties of each chamber when a president has acted inappropriately and must be removed from office?
The House of Representatives indict the president (find him officially guilty). The Senate acts as a jury and carries out the trial.
200
What is a caucus?
A group of members of Congress who informally band together in groups to promote and protect mutual interests.
300
A committee chair is always someone who is part of which party?
The majority party
300
What has the greatest effect on whether or not a congressman gets re-elected?
Whether or not they are an incumbent
300
What is a closed rule? What is an open rule?
Closed rule is when a debate on a bill is taking place, no amendments can be attached to that bill. Open rule is when a bill is under debate and amendments are allowed to be added to the bill during debate.
What does the Congressional Research Service do? Is it partisan, non-partisan, or bi-partisan?
Fills congressional requests for research. It is non-partisan.
400
What does a discharge petition do? Which is the only chamber that it is used in?
A petition that forces a bill out of a committee and onto the floor for debate so that the bill does not die in the committee. It is only found in the House of Representatives.
400
What big power does the House of Representatives have? What big power does the Senate have?
House of Representatives have power over the budget. The senate has international powers.
400
What was the result of Baker v. Carr?
The Supreme Court ruled that congressional districts must have an equal number of constituents throughout. "One person, one vote"
400
What are 2 of the 3 rules when it comes to creating districts?
1) District must be contiguous
2) District cannot be based on race
3) Equal population per district
400
Members of the Senate closely reflect the country's population based on which demographics...
Nothing. The make-up of the Senate does not accurately reflect the demographics of the United States population.
500
How many days does the president have to either veto a bill or sign it?
10 days
500
Name 2 of the 3 agencies that Congress uses.
National Research Service, Government Accountability Office, Congressional Budget Office
500
What is the job of a majority and minority whip?
To keep a head count on bills and keep other party members in line
500
Which committee acts as the "traffic cop" in the House? Which committee acts as the committee dealing with revenue and financial bills?
House Rules Committee and House Ways and Means Committee
500
With gerrymandering, what is it called when a certain demographic is broken up in order to persuade votes? What is it called when a certain demographic is grouped together?