Legislative Powers
This type of committee is permanent and focuses on major policy areas like education or foreign affairs.
What is a standing committee?
This role includes hosting foreign leaders and representing the United States internationally.
What is Chief of State?
If the President does nothing with a bill and Congress adjourns within 10 days, this happens.
What is a pocket veto?
The Senate rejects a Supreme Court nominee. Which branch is being checked?
The Executive Branch.
If the President and Vice President are both removed, who becomes President?
The Speaker of the House.
This type of vote allows Congress to end a filibuster in the Senate.
What is a cloture vote (60 votes)?
A formal rule or regulation issued by the President that has the force of law.
What is an executive order?
This step must happen before a bill receives a vote in the full chamber.
What is a committee hearing/markup?
Congress refuses to fund a President’s initiative. This is an example of…
The power of the purse (checking the Executive).
This group conducts the trial of impeachment.
The Senate.
Congress uses this process each year to set levels of federal spending.
What is the budget/appropriations process?
This power allows the President to reduce a criminal sentence.
What is commutation?
When the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill, who resolves the differences?
What is a conference committee?
The Supreme Court rules that a presidential executive order is unconstitutional. What check is this?
Judicial review over the Executive.
A President can be impeached for “treason, bribery, or…”
High crimes and misdemeanors.
Pork-barrel spending is an example of this practice where members secure funds for their own districts.
What is earmarking?
The President refuses to spend money Congress has appropriated. This is called…
What is impoundment?
This is when a bill is assigned to multiple committees because it covers multiple topics.
What is multiple referral?
The President calls a special session of Congress. Which branch is the President influencing?
The Legislative Branch.
This amendment clarifies what happens if a President becomes incapacitated.
The 25th Amendment.
This constitutional clause gives Congress flexibility to create laws needed to carry out its powers.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
This Cabinet department advises the President on foreign policy.
What is the Department of State?
This congressional agency evaluates federal programs and audits spending to prevent wasteful use of public funds.
What is the Government Accountability Office (GAO)?
Congress creates a new federal court below the Supreme Court. This checks which branch’s influence?
The Judicial Branch (structure set by Congress).
This vote threshold is needed in the Senate to remove a President from office.
Two-thirds (67 Senators).