presides over the Senate (but usually is not there, playing golf instead)
Who is the Vice President?
100
a person running for re-election
What is an incumbent?
100
majority needed by Congress to pass a law over a presidential veto
What is a 2/3 majority?
100
the branch of Congress that must approve treaties
What is the Senate?
200
the presiding officer over the House of Representatives
What is the Speaker of the House?
200
presides over the Senate when the Vice President is not there (which is most of the time)
What is the President Pro Tempore?
200
most of the work of Congress is done in these; they review potential bills, hold hearing, and provide oversight after bills are passed into law
What are committees?
200
allows members of Congress to send mail for free
What is the franking privilege?
200
where all revenue (money) bills must start
What is the House of Representatives?
300
the minimum number needed for Congress to do business; a majority (over 50%) of the full membership
What is a quorum?
300
a reordering of House seats for each state after each ten year census
What is reapportionment?
300
an unrelated attachment to a bill, used to sneak something into a law
What is a rider?
300
the house that brings impeachment charges
What is the House of Representatives?
300
taking private property for public use
What is eminent domain?
400
the length of a congressional term
What is two years?
400
talking a bill to death in the Senate
What is a filibuster?
400
These committees are where differences between Senate and House versions of a bill are ironed out (where the bill is reconciled)
What is a conference committee?
400
the drawing of district lines to favor one political party over another
What is gerrymandering?
400
when the president refuses to sign or formally veto a bill for ten days when Congress is not in session
What is a pocket veto?
500
the fixing of weights and measures, declaring war, and making naturalization laws are examples of this type of Congressional power
What are expressed (or enumerated) powers?
500
a person who believes that the constitution should be interpreted literally and the concept of implied powers should not be stretched very far
What is a strict-constructionist?
500
the powers of Congress that are used to carry out some other expressed power; such as establishing a banking system when it is only expressed in the Constitution that Congress can borrow money
What implied powers?
500
the requirements to be a congressman in the House of Representatives
What is to be 25 years old, a US citizen for 7 years, and a resident of the state you are to represent?
500
the requirements to be a senator
What is be 30 years old, a US citizen for 9 years, and a resident of the state you are to represent?