US Government - Unit 2 Congress Quiz

all about congress and article 1 yippee

veto override

reversal of a presidential veto by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress

census

the official count of a population

gerrymandering

the process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power

redistricting

the redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate for population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible

standing committee

a permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

set up to continue from one legislative session to the next

has subcommittees

reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

filibuster

a procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue

senate

100 members, 30 years old, 9 years a citizen and a resident of the state

safe seat

an elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party’s candidate is almost taken for granted

conference committee

members of each house in congress working to create one identical bill

cloture

a procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the senate (60 votes)

incumbent

the current officeholder of an elected seat

bill

a proposed law

house of representatives

435 members, 25 years old, 7 years a citizen and resident of the state

reelected every two years

seniority system

a system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee the leadership of that committee

power of a committee chair

can determine the bills the committee will consider

select committee

created to address a matter of great public concern at a given time

joint committee

limited to handling routine matters

importance of assigning tasks to the right committee

enables them to act on bills important to their constituents

one function of congressional committee

shapes the language of bills

party membership on committees

in the same proportion as the party’s strength in that house

how are the number of representatives determined

by state population, adjusted every 10 years

vacant representative seat

governor of state determines how it will be filled

head officer of the house of representatives

speaker of the house

house of representatives has the sole power to

impeach the president

how are senators chosen

formerly by the legislature, now by election, where a third of the senators are elected every two years

president of the senate

vice president, cannot vote unless there is a tie

senate has the sole power to

try all impeachment cases

chief justice presides and two-thirds of senate must vote to convict

punishment for impeachment

removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit

congressional meetings

required to meet once per year, decided by the legislature of each state

exceptions given to members of congress

cannot be sued or arrested for what they say in congress

limitations on members of congress regarding jobs in the government

cannot hold any other federal office while serving in congress

tax laws and revenue bills originate from

house of representatives

options the president has for responding to a bill that has passed the house and the senate

veto the bill back to congress

take no action and the bill passes if congress is in session, dies if congress not in session

power to lay and collect taxes (1)

taxes are used for all services governments provide

power to borrow money on the credit of the united states (2)

congress can borrow money on the US’s behalf

power to regulate commerce (3)

congress can regulate trade and business that comes from other countries or that cross state lines

power to coin money (5)

can create a uniform money

power to issue copyrights and patents (8)

protects creations of inventors and artists

power to constitute tribunals inferior to the supreme court (9)

congress can set up federal courts

power to declare war (11)

large debate (congress) vs. smaller debate (president)

power to raise an army (12)

tax money is used for armed services

power to maintain a navy (13)

congress can maintain a navy

powers to make decisions over the district of columbia (17)

washington dc is not a state

the necessary and proper clause (elastic clause) (18)

has been interpreted in a way that gives congress many powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution (implied powers)

habeas corpus

“show me the body” if arrested, you have the right to know the crime you are being accused of and the evidence against you

bill of attainder

declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without a trial

ex post facto law

no getting in trouble for doing an illegal act before it was legal

powers denied to the states

states cannot make treaties or alliances, coin money, give bills of credit, pass laws of unfair punishment, grant titles of nobility, tax imports and exports without the consent of congress, tax ships without the consent of congress, keep a regular army, make agreements with other states or with foreign countries, or engage in war unless invaded or in grave danger

who confirms presidential nominations and treaties

senate

how a bill becomes a law

an idea becomes a bill and is introduced, bill goes to committee, floor debate and voting in first chamber, bill repeats going to committee and floor debating in the other chamber, bill gets sent to president

number of bills that don't make it past committee

90-95%

percentage of bills that become law

3-5%

how debate differs in each chamber

house of representatives: debate is structured, rules committees sets guidelines and time limits for each bill

senate: debate is open ended, filibustering allows for a senator to debate indefinitely

ways of representing

delegates, trustees, partisans

delegate

believe that they should vote however their constituents want them to, even if it means going against the delegate’s personal views or those of their party

trustees

guided by their personal views on each specific issue, even if it may mean voting differently than their constituents might want

partisans

place their loyalty to their political party first when deciding how to vote, they support party platform and leaders