Test #4 - Congress

How many seats are in the House?

435

How many seats are in the Senate?

100

What is the term length for the House?

2 years

What is the term length for the Senate?

6 years

Formal Qualifications for House members

• 25+ years old

• citizen for atleast 7 years

• be a resident of the state they represent

Formal Qualifications for Senate members

• 30+ years old

• citizen of the US for atleast 9 years

• must live in the state they represent

What does the 17th amendment allow for?

allows US citizens to elect national senators

Gerrymandering

a process in which districts have been drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the state legislature

When are Congressional elections held?

the 1st Tuesday (after a Monday) of November during even-numbered years

What Article of the Constitution discusses the legislative branch?

Article 1

How many seats does Maryland have in the US House of Representatives?

8 seats

What is the customary qualification for members of the House of Rep's.?

that you live in the district you represent

What did the Reapportionment Act of 1929 do?

set the permanent size of the House at a total of 435 seats

What term is Congress currently in?

119th

What is the job of members of Congress?

Main Job: Make laws; Other Jobs: serve and represent their constituents, committee members, politicans 

What are mid-term elections?

congressional elections that occur between Presidential elections

Is the US Congress unicameral or bicameral?

bicameral

Bicameral

2 chambers of legislature

What are the two groups that make up Congress?

House of Representatives and Senate make up Congress. Each house member represents 1 district within the state. There are two senators per state.  

When do Congressional terms start?

The terms of Congress start at noon on January 3^rd of every odd-numbered year. 

What is a term of congress?

A term of congress is a 2-year span of time in which Congress meets and does work.  

How are Congressional districts made?

Congressional districts are ‘drawn’ by state lawmakers.  

How is the Senate a continuous body compared to the House?

The Senate is a ‘continuous body’ compared to the House because all the 100 seats are never up for election at the same time. 

What are some expressed powers of Congress? Are there limits to the power of Congress?

taxing, borrowing, and commerce; there are limits to the power of Congress

What is a strict Constructionist?

Anti-Federalists, wanted states to keep as much power as possible, feared a strong central gov. so they wanted a strict interpretation of the Constitution 

What is a liberal Constructionist?

Federalists, more power held by the central gov., wanted to adopt the Constitution but have a loose interpretation  

What are the non-legislative powers of Congress? (6)

• power to propose amendments

• electoral duties

• power of impeachment

• power to confirm appointments made by the president

• make treaties

• investigatory power

Both chambers cannot carry out all of these six; some of the six belong to only one of the two chambers.  

Standing Committees

where bills are sent for consideration, permanent  

Select Committees

formed to investigate a current matter, temporary  

Joint Committees

some are investigative in nature while others have routine duties  

Conference Committees

created to work out differences in a bill, temporary

What can congress NOT tax?

Congress cannot tax exports 

What is the job of the House Rules Committee?

the ‘traffic cop’ of the House, it schedules bills for floor consideration, decides whether & under what conditions the House will consider a measure

Who presides over the House?

the Speaker of the House (Rep. Mike Johnson)

Who presides over the Senate?

the President of the Senate/VP (J.D Vance) and the President Pro Tempore (Sen. Chuck Grassley)

Informal Qualifications for Congress:

• name recognition

• political experience

• being the incumbent candidate always help

• money to fund a campaign

incumbent

current holder of a political office

What is a session of congress?

the period during which the United States Congress meets to conduct official legislative business, pass laws, debate bills, and hold hearings

What happens if a seat in congress becomes vacant?

IDK

What types of bills can only be introduced in the House?

revenue bills

House members deal with what type of matters compared to Senate members? 

local and state-wide

How can a bill become law if the president vetoes it? 

a congressional veto override

Who elects the House?

residents of 1 district

Who elects the Senate?

residents of the whole state

Who does the House represent?

people of 1 district

Who does the Senate represent?

people of one whole state

What is the House’s role in impeachment?

formally charge an individual with crimes

What is the Senate’s role in impeachment?

conducts the trial to determine guilt or innocence

What are the House’s unique powers?

• can choose the president if there’s a tie in electoral votes

• can introduce revenue (taxation) bills

What are the Senate’s special powers?

• approves treaties

• approves appointments

• will choose the VP in case of an electoral college tie

Are all the seats up for election in the House at the same time?

YES

Are all the seats up for election in the Senate at the same time?

NO