ap gov congress quiz

House of Representatives membership count and term length

$435$ voting members serving $2$-year terms

Senate membership count and term length

$100$ members serving $6$-year terms

Qualifications for a U.S. Representative

Must be at least $25$ years old and a U.S. citizen for at least $7$ years

Qualifications for a U.S. Senator

Must be at least $30$ years old and a U.S. citizen for at least $9$ years

Special constitutional powers exclusive to the House of Representatives

Initiating all revenue/tax bills, holding sole power to impeach federal officials, and choosing the president if the Electoral College fails to yield a majority

Special constitutional powers exclusive to the Senate

Confirming presidential appointments, ratifying treaties with a $\frac{2}{3}$ vote, conducting impeachment trials, and choosing the vice president if the Electoral College fails to yield a majority

Enumerated powers

Powers explicitly written in Article I of the Constitution, including taxing, spending, coining money, declaring war, and regulating interstate commerce

Necessary and Proper Clause

The constitutional basis for congressional implied powers (also called the Elastic Clause), affirmed in McCulloch v. Maryland

Speaker of the House

The presiding leader of the House of Representatives who sets the legislative agenda and influences committee assignments

Standing committee

A permanent congressional committee responsible for reviewing and handling bills in a specific policy area

Conference committee

A temporary committee formed by members from both chambers to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

House Rules Committee

The House committee that decides the rules for debate, speaking time limits, and floor amendments on a bill

Discharge petition

A House procedure requiring a majority vote to force a bill out of a reluctant committee and bring it to the floor

Filibuster

A Senate procedure used to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on legislation

Cloture

The Senate procedure used to end a filibuster, requiring the vote of $60$ senators

Presidential veto override requirements

A $\frac{2}{3}$ vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate

Pocket veto

An indirect veto taking place when the president does not sign a bill within $10$ days (excluding Sundays) and Congress adjourns during that period

Delegate model of representation

A representation style where an elected official votes strictly according to the express desires of their constituents

Trustee model of representation

A representation style where an elected official uses their independent judgment to decide what is best for constituents

Politico model of representation

A representation style where an official alternates between delegate and trustee approaches depending on the issue

Reapportionment

The process of redistributing House seats among the states based on population changes recorded in the census every $10$ years

Redistricting

The process of redrawing state congressional district lines following reapportionment

Gerrymandering

The redrawing of legislative district boundaries to intentionally benefit a specific political party or demographic group

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Supreme Court decision establishing that federal courts have the jurisdiction to review state legislative apportionment challenges

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Supreme Court decision ruling that redistricting based predominantly on race must meet strict scrutiny under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause

Congressional oversight

The authority of Congress to monitor, investigate, and hold hearings regarding executive agencies and their implementation of laws

Power of the purse

The constitutional authority of Congress to control government spending and federal agency budgets

Logrolling

The practice of trading votes among members of Congress to ensure mutual support for each other's bills

Pork-barrel spending

Legislative appropriations designed to fund specific local projects that directly benefit a representative's district