Structure
What are the two houses of the legislative branch?
What is the House of Representatives and the Senate?
What is a proposed piece of legislation called?
What is a bill?
Powers SPECIFICALLY listed in the Constitution are called
Private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy.
What are Interest Groups?
Give me an example of an Interest Group
What is PETA, MAAD, ACLU, etc.
How many representitives are there in Congress?
What is 535?
What is the name of the special box newly proposed legislation goes into in the House?
What is the Hopper?
Powers NOT WRITTEN in the Constitution, but suggested are called
What are implied powers?
Organizations dedicated to raising and spending money to either elect or defeat political candidates.
What are Political Action Committees?
Laws that make an act a crime after it has been committed
What are Ex Post Facto laws?
What are 3 qualifications of becoming a member of the Senate?
30+ years old
9+ years a U.S. citizen
Legal resident of the state that elects them
What is the name of the person in the HoR who decides which Committee a bill will go to?
Who is Nancy Pelosi (the current Speaker)?
The Elastic Clause is also known as
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
Any activity by which a group pressures legislators and influences the legislative process.
What is Lobbying?
Police have to bring prisoner to court and explain why they are holding him.
What is the writ of habeas corpus?
Who is the current President Pro Tempore?
Who is Patrick Leahy?
Work out differences in proposed laws between both houses
What is a joint committee?
Tell me about 4 of the Expressed Powers
What is: tax, borrow, commerce, currency, bankruptcy, foreign relations, war powers, naturalization, postal, copyrights and patents, weights and measurements, territories, and judicial
What are three reasons for Interest Groups?
What are:
•Most interest groups have been founded on the basis of an economic interest, especially business, labor, agricultural, and professional interests.
•Some are grounded in geographic area.
•Some are based on a cause or idea, such as environmental protection.
•Some promote the welfare of certain groups of people, such as retired citizens.
•Some are run by religious organizations.
What did Eldridge Gerry do?
What is that he approved a Redistricting proposal in which MA was shaped "like a salamander"
What are the names of the two CA State Senators?
Who is Diane Feinstein and Alex Padilla?
Handles special issues and concerns that are beyond the capacity of a Standing Committee
What is a select committee?
What are two nonlegislative powers of Congress?
What are:
•Constitutional Amendments
•Electoral College
•Impeachment
•The Power to investigate (holding hearings)
What is the maximum amount of money can PACs give an individual campaign?
What is $5,000?
Describe the process by which a constitutional amendment is made.
2/3 Congress
3/4 State Legislatures