LB - Congress

What is the total number of members in the House of Representatives?

435 members

What are the 3 requirements to be eligible to run for the House of Representatives?

at least 25 years old... citizen of U.S for at least 7 years...resident in the state that they represent

What is the term of office for a House member?

2 years

What determines the number of House members each state has?

population

Once the census is taken a new number of representatives is determined for each state. What is this called?

Reapportionment

What act set the limit of members for the House?

Reapportionment act of 1929

What is the process of setting up new districts after reapportionment called?

Redistricting

What is the national population count called?

Census

What is the term that means the party in power redraws district lines to favor their party?

Gerrymandering

The "one person, one vote" rule was set by what court case?

Westberry vs. Sanders

What are the 3 eligibility requirements to run for the Senate?

at least 30 years old...citizen for at least 9 years...resident in state they represent

What is the term of office for a Senator?

6 year term

How many senators does each state have?

2 per state

What is the congressional member privilege of free mail correspondence with constituents called?

franking privilege

How many total members are in Congress?

535 total members

What is an official called who is in office but running for reelection?

incumbents

What are Constituents?

Voters in the district they represent

Who selects the leaders in each chamber?

The majority party

What is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives called?

Speaker of the House

What position follows the vice-president in the line of succession for the Presidency?

Speaker of the House

Who is the Speaker's top assistant?

the majority leader

Who aids the majority leaders?

whips

Who deals with monitoring party votes, persuading members' votes, and making sure party members are present to vote?

whips

Most of the work in the House is done by what methods?

Committees

What is a permanent committee of the House referred to as?

Standing committees

What is a proposed law?

A bill

What committee is the "traffic cop" of the House directing the flow of Legislation

Rules Committee

Appropriations bills are introduced in which chamber?

the House

Where can a bill be introduced?

the House or Senate

What is stalling the legislative process and preventing a vote (taking a bill to death) called? In which chamber can this be done?

filibuster, Senate

What is the Presiding Officer of the Senate called while in the Senate?

President of the Senate

What other position does the Presiding officer of the Senate hold?

Vice-president of the US

In which chamber can the leader vote only to break a tie?

Senate

Who presides over the Senate when the VP is absent?

President Pro-Temp

Which chamber is the upper house? Lower house?

Senate, House

What can stop a filibuster?

Cloture, Rule 22

What are committees that are formed temporarily to deal with a specific issue called?

Select (or Special) Committees

What are committees made up of both members from the House and the Senate called? (Can be temporary or standing and generally act as study groups)

Joint Committee

What must a bill have done to pass on to the President of the United States?

Pass both houses in identical form

Where is a bill sent that does not pass both houses in identical form?

Conference Committee

Committee leadership is determined by what principle?

based on Senority

What is a provision on the subject other than the one covered in the bill that is added to a bill before a vote?

A Rider

What is it called when committee members ignore a bill and let it die?

Pigeonholing

What are two ways bills become laws after being sent to the President?

Signing into law or keeping it for 10 days while Congress is in sessions

What are bills called that budget money to carry out laws?

Appropriations

Legislation passed that benefits local projects in a representative's area is referred to as what?

Pork Barrel Legislation

What is it called when 2 or more legislators agree to support each other's bills?

Logrolling

What is the power of appropriations sometimes called?

Power of the Purse

Congress' power to declare war is what type of power?

expressed (spelled out in the constitution)

Which chamber of Congress is responsible for choosing the President when no candidate receives a majority?

House of Representatives

What is a president's option for killing (rejecting) a bill?

Veto or pocket vetoing by refusing to act on a bill passed in the last 10 days of Congress' Session

Bicameral

2 House Legislature