Structure of Congress
How many members of Congress are there?
535 (100 Senators and 435 House members)
Q5. Who may introduce a bill?
D. Any member of Congress
The only type of committee that can vote on a bill
What is a standing committee?
Q16. Informal term for any attempt to block or delay Senate action by debating at length is a filibuster?
What is a fillibuster?
Presiding Officer of the House
Who is the Speaker?
Length of time members of each house of Congress are elected for
House members are elected every 2 years and Senators are elected every 6 years on a revolving schedule
Q6. Someone introducing a bill is
A sponsor
Q10. Committees may (another word for modify) “____” a bill.
A. Mark up
All members agree to pass a bill without debate
What is unanimous consent?
Elected by member of the minority party in the House to represent them
What is the Minority Leader?
Officer of the House who has the most influence on scheduling a bill?
Who is the Speaker of the House
The hopper
Where does a House member place a bill historically?
Needed for moving from subcommittee to committee action.
What does it mean when the Majority votes to "report the bill" meaning to pass it out of subcommittee?
Bills can only be referred to the President from Congress when this has happened
Identical bills must be passed in both the House and Senate
The most senior member of the minority party on a committee
What is the ranking member?
Permitted to serve as presiding officer of the Senate?
Any of these (Vice President, President Pro Tempore, or any Senator)
If the chairperson doesn’t act upon a bill…?
The bill is effectively killed
In the House, bills first go to this committee.
B. Rules Committee
A bill is passed at the end of the session and the President doesn't sign it before the clock runs out so that it cannot be overriden
What is a pocket veto?
Counts heads for votes and rounds up members of their party to vote
What are the Majority and Minority whip?
The number of members of a legislative body required to conduct business if someone calls for one.
What is a quorum?
A bill go to the president
When a bill is passed in identical forms in both houses
This is required when an identical bill has not been passed in both the House and the Senate.
What is a conference committee?
2/3 majority in both houses is required for a bill to become a law when this happens.
How can Congress override a presidential veto?
The procedure used to end a fillibuster
What is cloture?