Congress
The two houses of Congress
House of Representatives & the Senate
How many senators does the Senate have?
What is 100?
How many Senate representatives are there per state?
2
What is the main power of the Legislative Branch
To write & pass laws
What checks and balances does the Executive branch have over Congress?
Veto laws they pass
What does a Bicameral mean?
Having two houses
How long is a Senate Term? .
6 years
Manipulate boundaries to favor one party to win in a district or state
Gerrymandering
Congress holds the ability to amend what?
What is the Constitution?
Group of people who share common goals and organize to influence government
Interest Groups
House of Representatives is representation based on what?
population
Who is the leader of the House of Representatives?
The Speaker of the House
Adjusting the amount of representatives a state has based on census changes
Reapportionment
Powers are given directly by the Constitution, for Congress
Expressed Powers
An organization formed to collect money and provide financial support for political candidates or fund campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation depending on their interests.
Political Action Committees (PAC)
How long is a term in the House of Representatives?
2 years
Who is the leader of the Senate?
Vice President of the US
When districts population is shifted to evenly distribute representation across state districts
Redistricting
What checks and balances does the Judicial branch have over Congress?
To rule laws they pass as unconstitutional.
A paid representative of an interest group who contacts government officials on behalf of the interest group.
Lobbyist
What are the qualification for being a House Representative?
25 years old, US citizen for 7 years, be a resident of the state you represent
What requirements are there to be a Senator?
What is 30 years old, US citizen for 9 years, Resident of State from which they were elected?
These allow for citizens to vote on laws passed or constitutional amendments approved by the legislator
Gives Congress the authority to use powers not explicitly named in the Constitution, if they are necessary in order to perform its responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution
The Elastic Clause, also known as the “Necessary and Proper Clause,”
A strategy that senators can use to back legislation. It is used to try to talk a bill to death so that it is not voted on
Filibuster