Congress: Senate and House Powers, Elections, and Representation

What is a bicameral legislature?

A two house legislature.

What did the 17th Amendment accomplish?

It allowed the people of the state to elect senators.

What are caucuses and coalitions?

External government groups that unite around a particular belief or concern.

How many members are in the Senate?

100 members.

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

435 members.

What is considered to be the most democratic branch of government?

Legislative branch.

What resulted from the dispute between large and small states at the Constitutional Convention?

The Great Compromise.

How are members of the House of Representatives determined?

By dividing 435 seats across 50 states from census data.

How does the government know how many people live in each state?

Through data from the U.S. Census.

How are members of the Senate determined?

Every state gets 2 members.

What is the length of a term in the House of Representatives?

2 years.

What is the length of a term in the Senate?

6 years.

Which house of Congress has more constitutional responsibilities?

Neither, both should have equal responsibilities.

How many states have only one representative?

Six states: Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming.

How were Senators originally elected?

State legislatures chose Senators.

What changed the way Senators are elected?

The Seventeenth Amendment allowed for popular vote.

Which house of Congress better reflects the will of the people?

The House of Representatives.

What are three unique powers of the House of Representatives?

Initiating revenue bills, impeaching officials, electing the president on a tie.

What are two unique powers of the Senate?

Advice and consent on presidential nominations, ratification of treaties.

How many people does each member of the House represent?

Roughly 760,000.

What portion of the Senate is up for reelection every two years?

About 1/3 (33-34 seats).

How many states gained seats in the House based on the 2010 census?

8 states.

How many states lost seats based on the 2010 census?

10 states.

Which four states have the highest number of seats in the House of Representatives?

California, Texas, Florida, and New York.

Which states have the fewest representatives?

Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.

What are enumerated powers?

Powers explicitly written into the Constitution.

What are implied powers?

Powers of the national government not explicitly written into the Constitution.

What is the War Powers Act (1973)?

A law designed to check the President's power to commit U.S. to war without Congress' consent.

What is the power of the purse?

Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend public funds.

What does advice and consent mean in the Senate?

The right to review, debate, and approve or reject presidential appointments.

What are four components of the power of the purse?

Taxation, borrowing money, approving public funds, congressional oversight.

Who proposes the annual budget?

The President.

Where does Congress get the power to regulate commerce?

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3.

What three things did Congress use the commerce clause to assume authority over?

Interstate commerce, activities that substantially affect interstate commerce, instrumentalities of interstate commerce.

Which Supreme Court case limited Congress' use of the commerce clause?

United States v. Lopez.

What are four ways in which Congress oversees the military?

Declaring war, military funding and budgets, department oversight, Senate confirmation of high-ranking military personnel.

Why didn't the framers give the President the power to declare war?

To prevent a tyrannical leader from making a solo decision to invade another country.

True or False: Congress can deploy troops overseas during a time of war.

False.

What event greatly increased the President's power as commander-in-chief?

Tonkin Gulf Resolution of 1964.

True or False: The War Powers Act of 1973 greatly reduced the President's power to deploy troops.

False.

How soon after committing troops to combat must the President inform Congress?

48 hours.

Which Supreme Court case expanded Congress' power using the necessary and proper clause?

McCulloch v. Maryland.

What does it mean when the Senate gives its 'advice and consent'?

The approval or rejection of a major presidential appointment.

How many votes are required in the Senate to confirm a Presidential appointment?

A simple majority.

True or False: The Senate usually approves most appointees quickly.

True.

How many votes are required for the Senate to ratify a treaty?

2/3 vote.

How many votes are required for the Senate to remove an official from office following impeachment?

2/3 majority.