2.2 (BILLS)

Question 1

What percentage of bills get past in the United States?

Answer 1

10%

Question 2

Where can bills be introduced?

Answer 2

In either the house or the Senate

Question 3

After a bill is introduced what happens next?

Answer 3

It goes to the appropriate committee for review.

Question 4

In committee action, what are the four things that can happen to the bill?

Answer 4

1 killed by majority vote.

#2 accept it, move it on
#3 can change the bill then vote on it
#4 ignore it (dies!)

Question 5

What is a discharge petition?

Answer 5

When majority of the house (218 members) force a bill out of a committee

Question 6

What is an ear mark?

Answer 6

Includes porkbarrel spending. When the federal funds are appropriate for local projects only.

Question 7

What is log rolling?

Answer 7

When members agreed to help them with something in return for their vote on something else.

Question 8

After the first the initial reading which is in a committee, where does it go after?

Answer 8

The entire house hears any changes made by the committee.

Question 9

Which house does not have a time limit to debate on a bill?

Answer 9

The Senate

Question 10

What is a filibuster? (ONLY IN THE SENATE)

Answer 10

When the bill is talked to death; delays of vote! However, they must talk about the bill for three hours, but passed that they can talk about whatever.

Question 11

What is a cloture?

Answer 11

This limits debate. Requires 60 vote votes from senators. Most laws can’t pass Senate unless they have 60 votes.

Question 12

What happens during the third reading?

Answer 12

Allows members to hear changes/amendments added during debate afterwards the house/Senate will vote on it once it’s passed, it will then go to the next house and repeat the cycle. If there are any changes, they must go back to the house that it initially went through.

Question 13

After it passes both houses, where will the bill go next?

Answer 13

To the president

Question 14

What are the four things a president can do when they are presented a bill?

Answer 14

1 sign the bill into law

#2 veto the bill and send it back to congress
#3 nothing for 10 days- if congress is in session=takes effect WITHOUT the presidents signature.
#4 if Congress is in recess, then after 10 days, the bill is vetoed without the presidents signatures (POCKET VETO)

Question 15

What is the signing statement?

Answer 15

When presidents write comments on the bill with their own opinion, this can be a form of informal power. Explains or dislikes of the bill.

Question 16

What can Congress do if they disagree with the president veto of a bill?

Answer 16

Both houses must have a 2/3 majority of vote to override the veto

Question 17

What are the purposes of committees?

Answer 17

Divide and conquer work, select bills that should receive further consideration by Congress, helps the public learn about important problems in United States.

Question 18

What is oversight?

Answer 18

This is Congress requiring review over federal agencies. (FBI, CIA, etc.) to see if they’re doing their job.

Question 19

What are hearings?

Answer 19

Review agencies practices. Committees can ask for reports on their agencies/practices.

Question 20

What is the speaker of the house and how are they elected? And what do they do?

Answer 20

They are elected by the house members. They oversee institutional procedures, assigned committee, manages legislation, immense control of operations, fundraises for their party, and has communication with the press.

Question 21

What is the speaker of the house and how are they elected? And what do they do?

Answer 21

They are elected by the house members. They oversee institutional procedures, assigned committee, manages legislation, immense control of operations, fundraises for their party, and has communication with the press.

Question 22

What is a majority leader in the houses and what do they do?

Answer 22

They are a representative for the primary party in the house, they help the speaker, includes whips – house members that are responsible with telling their members to align with legislation/votes to support their party.

Question 23

When would the Senate require the vice president?

Answer 23

To break a tie

Question 24

How was the leader of the Senate elected?

Answer 24

Senior member of Senate

Question 25

What does the Senate majority do?

Answer 25

Schedule legislation, rally votes, meets with the media. (Same with minority leader)