Vocab
Define incumbent.
An official who holds an office.
How many members are in the House of Reps?
435
How many members are there in the Senate?
100
Who can introduce a bill?
Only a member of Congress.
Who serves as the head of Senate?
The Vice President.
What are enumerated powers?
Political powers specifically delegated to the branches of government by the Constitution.
What determines the amount of representatives a state has?
Population, each state must have at least one.
True or False: Each state has two Senators regardless of population.
True
True or False: 2/3 of both Houses are needed to override a veto.
True.
What does the speaker of the House do?
They decide the committees each member will serve on and decide the order in which bills will be heard.
Describe how filibusters are used.
The filibuster is a tactic used in the U.S. Senate by the minority to block or delay action on a bill or other measure.
What are the special powers of the House of Reps?
1. All appropriations bills must start here
2. They select the Pres. in an electoral college tie
3. They write the article of impeachment against high ranking officials
What are the special powers of the Senate?
1. Approve all treaties
2. Approves all appointments
3. Chooses the Vice President in an electoral college tie
4. Acts as jury in all trials of impeachment.
True or False: There is no time limit for how long each step of the process can take.
False, each step must happen within 8-10 weeks or the bill is dead.
What part on the constitution created the structure of Congress?
Article I, Section I, Clause I.
What is the purpose of a census.
To monitor and understand the demographics of the U.S. population.
What are the requirements to be a representative?
Must be: at least 25 years old, citizen for the past 7 years, and live in the state they're running for
What are the requirements to be a Senator?
Must be: at least 30 years old, a citizen for the past 9 years, and live in the state they're running for
What happens if the President signs a bill?
It becomes a federal law that each state must follow.
What does an elastic clause do?
It gives Congress the power to make laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the delegated duties.
What is gerrymandering?
The practice of setting boundaries of electoral districts to favor specific political interests.
Who do representatives represent?
They do not represent everyone, but rather the specific district they are elected from.
Senators are elected by and represent who?
The entire state.
Introduction, bill is assigned to a committee, the bill is reported to the floor, bill is debated on/voted on in the House of Reps, bill goes to Senate, bill is debated/voted on in Senate, both houses pass the bill, bill is sent to the President
List the powers denied to Congress.
1. No ex post facto law
2. Can't suspend the writ of Habeas Corpus
3. No direct tax
4. No tax on exports
5. All states must be treated the same
6. Congress must approve all expenditures of the President through laws
7. No titles of nobility