Legislate Like a Boss
This chamber of Congress has 100 members, two from each state.
What is the U.S. Senate?
This presidential power, found in Article II of the Constitution, allows the president to forgive federal crimes or delay punishments, but it does not apply to state offenses.
What is the power to grant pardons and reprieves?
This term refers to the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time.
What is original jurisdiction?
A bill that passes both houses of Congress still isn’t a law until it gets this important signature.
What is the President's signature?
This branch confirms Supreme Court nominees after they are appointed by the president.
What is legislative?
Talking a bill to death is called this.
What is a filibuster?
The president’s hand-picked team of advisors, including the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury, is known as this.
What is the Cabinet?
This term refers to a court's authority to hear a challenge to a case.
What is appellate jurisdiction?
The president can reject a bill, but Congress can still make it law if this fraction of both houses agree to override.
What is two-thirds?
This branch has the power to negotiate treaties with other nations.
What is executive?
This chamber has the sole power of impeachment.
What is the U.S. House of Representatives?
Unlike a law passed by Congress, this type of presidential directive takes effect immediately but can be overturned by future presidents.
What is an executive order?
Supreme Court justices are appointed for this term length, ensuring they remain independent from political pressure.
What is life?
If Congress passes an unconstitutional law, the Supreme Court can do this to it.
What is strike it down/declare it unconstitutional?
This branch can check the other two by declaring their actions unconstitutional.
What is judicial?
This committee must come together in the event that one chamber of Congress makes changes to the other chamber's bill.
What is a conference committee?
The Department of State focuses on diplomacy, while this department oversees the U.S. military.
What is the Department of Defense?
Most cases don’t go directly to the Supreme Court. Instead, they work their way up from these lower courts.
What are inferior courts (the district courts and courts of appeal)?
While the president commands the military, only Congress has the power to do this.
What is declare war?
This branch appoints federal judges, including Supreme Court justices.
What is executive?
In adopting the Great Compromise to balance power between large and small states, the Constitutional Convention agreed to a two-chamber Congress, also called this.
What is a bicameral legislature?
This executive body advises the president on military and foreign policy matters and includes key officials like the Secretary of State and the National Security Advisor.
What is the National Security Council?
This 2007 Supreme Court case ruled against a female worker who sued for pay discrimination, but it later inspired a law that made it easier to challenge unequal wages.
What is Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.?
In 2019, this branch of government exercised its power of the purse by withholding funding for the president's border wall initiative, effectively limiting his ability to carry out the plan.
What is the legislative branch?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, this branch of government played a critical role by interpreting the legality of government orders, such as stay-at-home mandates, and how they affected individual rights.