Committees
Texas Legislature
House of Reps
Senate
Random
100

The main reason that Congress creates and works in committees is to --- 

A. create party power bases.            

B. educate new members.

C. introduce new bills.                

D. divide the workload.

D. divide the workload.

100

What is the minimum age for a Texas senator?

26 years old

100

Which of the following is NOT a duty of a member of Congress?


A. to serve on committees            

B. to legislate

C. to represent constituents            

D. to run an executive branch department

D. to run an executive branch department

100

What is the term of a United States senator?

6 years

100

Because Congress is made up of 2 houses, it is ____________.

Bicameral

200

The Constitution makes no mention of them, yet these bodies play an essential role in the lawmaking process of Congress. They sift through and decide the fate of bills.

    Who are they?

Standing Committees

200

The Texas legislature cannot pass laws that conflict with which of the following?

A. the Texas Constitution          

B. the U.S. Constitution

C. federal laws                    

D. all of the above

D. all of the above

200

How many members are in the United States House of Representatives?

435

200

Which fact disqualifies a person from representing Utah in the U.S. Senate?


    A. The candidate was born in Guatemala.

    B. The candidate is 43 years old.

    C. The candidate lives in Utah but works in Idaho.

    D. The candidate has been a citizen for 6 years.

    D. The candidate has been a citizen for 6 years.

200

On which day of the week are congressional elections held?

Tuesdays

300

Which type of committee is set up for a limited amount of time, usually to conduct investigations on specific matters?

Select Committee

300

What is the term of a Texas representative?

2 years

300

Who is third in the line of succession for the presidency?

Speaker of the House

300

Who presides over the Senate in the absence of the President of the Senate?


A. president pro tempore            

B. whip

C. committee chairman            

D. Speaker of the House

A. president pro tempore    

300

The Senate is continuous, meaning what about their reelections?


They are staggered = 1/3 of the Senate runs every two years

400

What are smaller divisions of existing committees formed to address specific issues?

Subcommittees

400

Which of the following is NOT one of the non legislative powers of the Texas Congress?

    A. approving the governor’s appointments

    B. making amendments to the Texas Constitution

    C. passing laws defining crimes and punishments

    D. impeaching and removing a Texas judge

B. making amendments to the Texas Constitution

400

Bills are usually the creation of which group of people?


    A. interest groups                B. private citizens

    C. the executive branch            D. all of the above

D. all of the above

400

What is the major difference between the lawmaking process in the House and the Senate?

There are stricter limits on debate in the House than in the Senate.

400

How and when bills reach the floor of the House for debate is decided by the

A. Rules Committee.                    

B. Ways and Means Committee.

C. Appropriations Committee.            

D. Judiciary Committee.

A. Rules Committee.  

500

What is a committee composed of members from both the House and the Senate; some are temporary, others permanent?

Joint Committees

500

Who is the presiding officer over the Texas State Senate?

Lt. Governor 

500

What is it called when the President does not formally sign or reject a bill within 10 days of its submission and Congress adjourns its session in that 10-day period?

Pocket Veto

500

The purpose of a filibuster is ---

To prevent action on a bill 

"Talk the bill to death"

500

In order to reflect changes in the populations of each State, seats in the House of

    Representatives are ---


    A. added to the House after each census.

    B. up for election every ten years.

    C. reapportioned or redistributed among the States every 10 years.

    D. distributed equally among the States.

 C. reapportioned or redistributed among the States every 10 years.

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