Vocabulary
Various tactics aimed at defeating a bill in the Senate by delaying or preventing a vote
What is a Filibuster
The age required to serve in the house
What is twenty-five
The length of term for a Senator.
What is six years
The drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group
What is gerrymandering
After an idea is generated, this begins the formal bill process
A bill is written and proposed in one of the chambers
This happens to most bill that enter committees.
The bills fail (the bills are killed)
The Vice President serves as the President of the Senate and presides over Senate activities; they have this other key legislative responsibility.
What is they vote in the event of a tie vote in the Senate.
What was Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil's prediction this year?
Six more weeks of winter since he saw his shadow.
Allocating representatives to each state based on population. Done every 10 years based on census data.
What is Apportionment
Bill that must originate in the House of Representatives
What are appropriations (revenue) bills?
How many members serve in the Senate?
What is 100
This is the name of the powers that Congress is given explicitly, in the Constitution's specific wording.
What are the Expressed Powers of Congress
This is one way the bill process can end
It dies in committee; it fails on a floor vote in one of the chambers; the president veto's it; it is signed into law
Name two of the things that occur during committee action.
What is expert testimony, amendments/mark ups added, public hearing, a final vote.
Position in the House or Senate responsible for negotiating with the majority party and leading debate for the minority party.
Who is the Minority Leader
President Trump announced last week he is imposing 10-25% tariffs on which three countries; increasing the price of goods people have to pay to buy items?
What are Canada, Mexico, and China.
Type of veto a chief executive may use by not acting on a bill until after a legislature has adjourned
What is a Pocket Veto
The length of time Representatives serve
What is 2 years
In the 117th congress (2021-2023) there were 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans in the Senate, but the Democratic party held the majority. Why?
The Vice President is the presiding officer of the Senate, and former Vice President Harris is a Democrat.
Review by legislative committees of the policies and programs of the executive branch
What is the oversight function
The process by which proposed laws are considered and acted upon by the full membership of the House or Senate
What is floor consideration (colloquially known as floor action, floor debate)
This type of committee is appointed for a limited purpose and duration
What is select or special committee
This position counts votes, enforces the a party's position, and ensures attendance of party members during key votes.
Who is the Party Whip
With an executive order, what unofficial agency did President Trump create to streamline government, to be headed by Elon Musk?
What is DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency).
Legislature that is made up of two houses is called this
What is bicameral
The number of representatives per state is decided by....?
What is population
What is a power exclusively reserved for the Senate?
What is ratify treaties and confirm presidential appointments.
The reason we have a bicameral congress
What is compromise between small and large states
The committee that attempts to reconcile differences over a bill
What is conference committee
Permanent panel with full legislative functions and oversight responsibilities
What is a Standing Committee
This is arguably the most powerful member of Congress, and maybe even the second most powerful person in the Government. (Position & name for full points)
The Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson
This former Senator from Florida has been confirmed by the Senate to be President Trump's pick for Secretary of State.
Who is Marco Rubio.
This is when lawmakers make decisions (i.e. votes) based on the interests of their constituents.
What is a Delegate
How many congressional districts are there in Virginia
What are 11 districts
This is when a filibuster is ended by a 2/3'rd vote in the Senate.
What is cloture.
What is the term when people elected and holding office share the same features their constituents have, like race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and so on?
What is descriptive representation
After an amended bill passes in the conference committee, what is the next step for a bill to become a law?
It must pass a vote in both the House and in the Senate.
This type of committee is formed to tackle very specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committee
What is a subcommittee
This leader is the Presiding Officer of Senate activities when the President of the Senate, JD Vance, is unavailable. (name and position for full points)
Who is the President Pro Tempore, Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Why were 20 Congressmen and women outside the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday evening 2/4/25?
They were turned away by Secret Service when they asked to come inside to meet with Treasury Department officials and provide oversight of what was happening in the building.