Congress's Powers
The power to legislate means the power to do this.
What is make laws?
A procedural motion in the Senate that requires 60 votes to end a floor debate and stop a filibuster.
What is cloture?
A formal, written proclamation that can change federal enforcement policies and does not require congressional approval.
What is an Executive Order?
In this role, the President has the constitutional power to deploy troops.
What is Commander-in-Chief?
The most common and most powerful check the President has on Congress.
What is the veto?
This clause gives Congress the ability to expand its expressed powers, often debated in relation to the federal government's size.
The most powerful position in the Senate who gets to set the legislative agenda.
Who is the majority leader?
The informal power of the President to withhold information from Congress or the courts, which the Supreme Court has limited.
What is executive privilege?
The president must be at least this age.
What is 35 years old?
The power of the House of Representatives to bring charges against a federal official, which is the first step in removal from office.
What is impeachment?
The power to confirm presidential appointments to the judicial branch is granted to this part of Congress.
What is the Senate?
The committee composed of members from both the House and Senate whose job is to resolve differences between two versions of the same bill.
This essay by Alexander Hamilton defends a unitary or single executive because it makes for effective and decisive administration of government.
The president must provide this information to Congress from time to time, which is now a major televised speech.
What is the State of Union (address or report)?
If the President vetoes a bill, this is the percentage or fraction of both the House and the Senate required to override it.
What is two-thirds?
The only part of the legislative branch that can formally introduce revenue (tax) bills.
What is the House of Representatives?
The practice of Congress members trading "yes" votes for each other's bills in order to get them passed.
What is logrolling?
Agreements made by the President with foreign heads of state that do not require Senate ratification.
What are Executive Agreements?
According to Article II of the Constitution, the president receives these types of officials from foreign countries.
What are ambassadors?
The power of Congress to conduct investigations into the activities of the executive branch and regulatory agencies.
What is congressional oversight?