Legislative Branch Unit Test Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the structure, powers, legislative processes, committee system, and key definitions of the U.S. Legislative Branch.

Gerrymandering

The practice of redrawing congressional district boundaries to give a political party or group an unfair electoral advantage, or to help different parties.

Re-districting

The process of redrawing new congressional district boundaries.

Re-apportionment

The redistribution of congressional seats in the House of Representatives among the states based on population changes following each census.

Census

An official population count of people conducted every $10$ years.

Apportionment

The distribution of congressional seats among states based on population.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee established in Congress.

Conference Committee

A committee made up of members of both chambers who meet to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill to make them identical.

Filibuster

Unlimited debate utilized in the Senate to delay or stop a vote on a bill.

Cloture

A Senate vote requiring a $\frac{3}{5}$ majority ($60$ votes) to end a filibuster's speech and begin voting.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government responsible for making laws, established in Article $1$ of the U.S. Constitution.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature consisting of two chambers; created by the Framers because they wanted one chamber to be close to the people and one chamber to be wise and experts.

House of Representatives

The congressional chamber with $435$ voting members apportioned by population, whose members serve $2$-year terms, must be at least $25$ years old, and must be U.S. citizens for $7$ years.

Senate

The congressional chamber with $100$ members ($2$ per state based on the Constitution), whose members serve $6$-year terms, must be at least $30$ years old, and must be U.S. citizens for $9$ years.

Impeachment (House Power)

The constitutional authority possessed solely by the House of Representatives to formally impeach federal officials.

Impeachment Trial (Senate Power)

The constitutional trial conducted solely by the Senate to try federal officials who have been impeached.

Revenue Bills

Legislation aimed at raising revenue, which must originate and be introduced in the House of Representatives.

Packing

A gerrymandering method where like-minded voters are placed together in one district to reduce their voting power in other districts.

Cracking

A gerrymandering method where like-minded voters are spread apart across multiple districts to dilute their voting power.

Veto

The formal rejection of an identical bill by the president after it passes both chambers of Congress.

Veto Override

The action by which Congress can enact a bill into law despite a presidential veto, requiring a $\frac{2}{3}$ vote in each chamber.

Expressed Powers

Powers specifically written in Article $1$ of the Constitution, including the power to collect taxes, declare war, maintain roads, coin money, and fund national parks.

Implied Powers

Powers not specifically listed in the Constitution but reasonably deduced as needed to carry out expressed powers, such as establishing a national bank to manage federal finances.

Necessary and Proper Clause

A clause in the Constitution, also known as the Elastic Clause, that allows Congress flexibility to make laws needed to carry out its constitutional responsibilities, while remaining limited by checks and balances.