| Question | Answer |
| What are the bicameral legislatures that make up Congress? | The House of Representatives and the Senate. |
| Who besides the President also get a piece of Congress' power? | Supreme Court |
| What is the main difference between a congress and parliament? | Parliament is people loyal to the national party who meet, debate, & vote on party issues. Congress is people who consider themsleves as independent reps of their districts who usually go with their parties' but stick to their own beliefs as well. |
| Name at least 5 powers of Congress. | • Collect taxes
• Borrow money
• Regulate trade
• Establish Bankruptcy codes
• Coin money
• Establish post offices
• Provide a military
• Provide a militia
• Make all necessary and proper laws |
| How many people make up the House and Senate? | House: 435 members
Senate: 100 members |
| What is the House's main problem? | The House wants to be both big and powerful and it's member want to be both powerful as an individual and as a group. |
| How are the Senates chosen? | By the legislature of each state |
| What is the Millionaires' Club? | A 19th century name for the many amounts of wealthy party leaders and businessmen that made up the Senate. |
| What is a filibuster? | A prolonged speech given by a small group of senators in an attempt to delay legislative action or to drop the action completely. |
| Define Rule 22. | Rulle 22 provided that a filibuster debate if two-thirds of the senators present and voting agreed to a "cloture" motion |
| What type of person is described to a typical representative or senator? | A middle-aged white Protestant male lawyer |
| What is the difference between marginal districts and safe districts? | A marginal district is when an election comes to a close call with the winner taking in less than 55% of the votes.
A safe district is when the election has a wide winning margin with the winner taking in more than 55% of the votes. |
| What are three theories on congressional behavior? Explain each. | Representational is when members want to get reelected so they vote to please their constituents. Organizational is when members don't know the outcome so the vote not to please them. Attitudinal is when conflicting matters force both to vote on their own |
| What happens when a split ticket occurs? | Voting for one party's presidential candidate and another party's congressional candidate. |
| Who is picked as the president pro tempore of the Senate? | The majority party choses a member of it's party, usually the one with the most seniority. |
| A senator who helps the party leader stay informed of what other members are thinking, rounds up members when important votes are to be taken, and attempts to keep a nose control on how the voting on a controversial issue is likely to go are called what? | A whip. |
| What is the role of a majority leader in the Senate? | To schedule the business of the Senate |
| Who is the most important person in the House? | The Speaker |
| Who carries more leadership power: the House or Senate? | The House |
| What's it called when a vote in which a majority of voting Democrats oppose a majority of voting Republicans? | Party Polarization |
| If the American people are usually in the center on political issues, then why are congressional Democrats almost always liberal and congressional Republicans almost always conservative? | Some say:
- Congressional districts are drawn for the House
- Congress and the people have become more partisan
- Seniority
|
| What is a caucus? | A caucus is an associtaion of members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional or economic interest. |
| What are the 6 identified caucuses? | Intraparty
Personal Interest
Constituency concerns national
Constituency concerns regional
Constituency concerns state/districts
Constituency concerns industry
|
| When is a bill considered “dead”? | If a bill isn't passed by both Houses and signed by the President within the life of one Congress, it's dead. |
| What are the three resolutions Congress may pass? What does each mean? | Simple, concurrent, and joint |
| How does a bill become a law? | Title Reading
Referral to Committee
Committee Review
Committee Action
Committee Reports
Second & Third Reading
Five-Day Rule
Immediate Effect
Enactment by the Legislature
Approval by Governor
Legislative Veto Response |
| How many House of Representatives must sign a discharged petition? | 218 members |
| What is the difference between a closed rule, open rule, and restrictive rule? | A closed rule sets a strict time limit on debate and forbids the intoduction of any amendments.
An open rule permits amendments from the floor.
A restrictive rule permits some, but not others. |
| What are three ways the House can bypass the Rules Committee? | 1) A member can move that the rules be suspended, requiring a 2/3 votes
2) A discharged petitions
3) The House can use the "Calendar Wednesday" procedure |
| What’s a rider? | A rider is a provision added to a piece of legislature that is not germane to the bill's purpose. |
| What’s a Christmas Tree bill? | When a bill carries several riders. |
| What is the quorum for the House? | The 100 members of the Committee of the Whole. |
| How many senators must sign for a cloture rule to occur? | 3/5 of the entire Senate |
| Describe 2 of the 4 voting methods used within the House. | A voice vote is memebers yelling "yea" or "nay". A division vote is members standing & being counted. A teller vote is when the members pass through 2 tellers, the "yea" first and the "nay" second. A roll-call vote is members answering to their names. |
| What is pork-barreling? | The piece of legislation that gives districts their benefits. |
| Members of Congress are allowed to send free mail by using their facsimile signature. What is another name for this? | Franking, or frank mail |
| True or False. Lobbists may are allowed to take Congressmen out to a casual lunch or dinner to discuss current issues. | False. Lobbists are not allowed to give any gifts or pay for anything for a Congressman, even if they're family. |
