National Legislature
How long is a term of Congress?
2 years
How many members are in the House of Representatives?
435 representatives
How many seats are in the Senate?
100
What is an expressed power?
The term “expressed powers” refers to the powers that the Constitution expresses for the different branches of government.
Who acts as the leader of the House of Representatives?
Speaker of the House
How are the seats in Congress reapportioned?
The 2020 Census
When are Congressional elections held?
every 2 years/every even number of years
How long is a Senate term?
6 years
What is an implied power?
Implied powers are political powers granted to the United States government that aren't explicitly stated in the Constitution.
Who is the Senate elected official that presides over the Senate?
President Pro Tempore
What is a congressional session?
Annual meetings of a congress
What are the formal and informal qualifications for members of the House?
Formal: 25 years old, citizen of US for at least 7 years, live in the state they are elected in
Informal:party identification, name familiarity,gender,ethnic characteristics, political education
Approximately one-third of the Senate is elected every 2 years and the other two-thirds stay the same. What is this called?
A continuous body.
What is Congress’ role in deciding elections?
The Constitution requires the House and Senate to count the Electoral College's ballots.
Who are the floor leaders that are elected by members of their party at the beginning of each Congress and serve as spokespersons for their party?
Majority/Minority Leaders
What is the purpose of bicameral legislature?
To check against tyranny so no branch gets too powerful.
How are the seats in the House apportioned?
They are based on the 2020 Census population counts.
How many Senators have to approve of a bill for it to pass in the Senate?
51 of 100
What powers does the constitution give to the Senate concerning treaties?
Senate must advise and consent the president to make Treaties. Must be a two-thirds agreement.
Who are the assistant floor leaders, also elected by their party, who help the majority and minority leaders?
Party Whips
Under what conditions might there be a special session of Congress?
What role does a select committee play?
Small groups of people of the House of Lords that are set up to investigate a specific issue.
Who are the two Senators from Tennessee?
Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty
Which presidents have been impeached?
Three United States presidents have been impeached, although none were convicted: Andrew Johnson was in 1868, Bill Clinton was in 1998, and Donald Trump twice, in 2019 and 2021.
Who has the power to break a tie vote in the Senate?
The Vice President of the United States