Civics Unit 3 Study Guide Flashcards

The Constitution provides that the total number of seats in the House shall be _ among the States on the basis of their respective populations.

apportioned

Proposed laws.

Bills

This gives Congress “the power to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian Tribes.”

Commerce Clause

Is the period of time during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business. There are two sessions in each term.

Session

Is the exclusive right of an author to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her creative work.

Copyright

A form of Gerrymandering where groups are unfairly pushed into one District to limit their representation.

Packing

The drawing of legislative districts for partisan advantage is known as _.

Gerrymandering

The person who currently holds the office is known as an _.

Incumbent

McCulloch v. Maryland favored this type of interpretation of the Constitution.

Liberal (or loose) construction

Citizens of one country become citizens of another through this process.

Naturalization

The process by which Congress, through its committees, checks to see that the executive branch agencies are carrying out the policies that Congress has set by law.

Oversight function

A form of Gerrymandering where groups are unfairly divided into multiple districts to limit their representation.

Cracking

A _ grants a person the sole right to manufacture, use, or sell “any new and useful process, machine.

Patent

A majority of the full membership of the house that must be present to conduct business.

Quorum

Article 1 of the Constitution directs Congress to ___ the seats in the House every ten years after each Census.

Reapportion

Temporarily suspend business in Congress is known as _.

Recess

The process of creating congressional districts in each State after the census is called this.

Redistricting

A provision not likely to pass on its own merit that is attached to an important measure certain to pass.

Rider

Divisions of standing committees that do most of the committees work.

Subcommittees

A charge levied by the government on persons or property to raise money to meet public needs.

Tax

They assist the floor leaders for the Majority and Minority Party.

Whips

Which House of Representatives committee sets conditions for debate and amendment of bills on the House floor?

Rules Committee

What are the 7 leading standing committees in the House of Representatives?

Appropriations, Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Judiciary, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Education and the Workforce

If no one receives a majority of the electoral votes for President, how is the president chosen?

The House of Representatives votes, with each state delegation casting one vote.

What 2 executive powers does the Senate have?

Confirm presidential appointments; Ratify treaties

6 Congressional War Powers: 1. Declare ____; 2. Raise and support _; 3. Provide and maintain a _; 4. Make rules for governing military forces; 5. Calling forth _ (National __); 6. Grant letter of marque and reprisal and make rules concerning ___.

war; armies; navy; militia (National Guard); captures on land and water

Heart of Atlanta showed that the commerce clause can be used for __ rights.

civil

The Supreme Court decision in the case _ v. __ ruled that the federal government could regulate rules regarding all commerce.

Gibbons v. Ogden

What qualifications do you need to meet to be a Senator? Member of the House?

Senate: Age 30, Citizen 9 years, live in state; House: Age 25, Citizen 7 years, live in state

What percentage of Incumbents get reelected in the House?

90%+

How long do members of the House serve? Members of the Senate?

House: 2 years; Senate: 6 years

What is “a power that no good man would want and no bad man should have”? Why is that relevant to this unit?

The power to gerrymander; it's relevant because it can manipulate fair representation

When one bill contains numerous issues and topics it is called a/an:

Omnibus measure

A Bill with lots of Earmarks and Riders is known as a/an:

Christmas Tree Bill

Bills that are buried in committees and die there, are said to be __

Pigeonholed