Facts
This chamber of Congress was designed to represent the people directly, with membership based on state population.
What is the House of Representatives?
This power allows Congress to control government spending and is one of its strongest checks on the executive branch.
What is the power of the purse?
This term describes the division of Congress into two chambers.
What is bicameralism?
Most bills die at this stage of the legislative process.
What is in committee?
This term refers to the use of government spending to benefit a member’s district, often to gain political support.
What is pork-barrel legislation?
This is the number of Senators
What is 100?
This process allows Congress to remove the president, vice president, or federal judges from office for misconduct.
What is impeachment?
This person presides over the House of Representatives and is second in line to the presidency.
Who is the Speaker of the House?
This rule in the House sets strict limits on debate and amendments before a bill reaches the floor.
What is the Rules Committee?
When members of Congress trade votes to gain support for their own bills, it’s known as this.
What is logrolling?
Members of the House serve this length of term before facing reelection.
What is two years?
Powers explicitly listed in the Constitution, such as coining money and declaring war, are known as these.
What are enumerated powers?
The Senate’s power to speak at length and delay a vote is known by this term.
What is a filibuster?
This type of bill must originate in the House of Representatives.
What is a revenue bill?
This term describes the process of drawing legislative district boundaries to favor one political party over another.
What is gerrymandering?
This chamber confirms presidential appointments and ratifies treaties.
What is the Senate?
This clause, also called the “Elastic Clause,” allows Congress to pass laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
A supermajority of 60 senators is needed to invoke this rule and end debate on a bill.
What is cloture?
This is the process of combining House and Senate versions of a bill into a single compromise version.
What is a conference committee?
This 1962 Supreme Court case established the principle of “one person, one vote.”
What is Baker v Carr?
This is the number of representatives in the House of Representatives.
What is 435?
This type of power allows Congress to conduct investigations into executive agencies and enforce accountability.
What is oversight power?
In the Senate, this person presides when the vice president is absent.
Who is the president pro tempore?
This step occurs when the president refuses to sign a bill within ten days and Congress is adjourned.
What is a pocket veto?
In this 1993 Supreme Court case, the Court ruled that race cannot be the predominant factor in drawing districts
What is Shaw v. Reno?