Am. Gov. exam 2

Question 1

how many members in the House? how many up for reelection?

Answer 1

435, all up for reelection

Question 2

how many members in the Senate? how many up for reelection?

Answer 2

100, 1/3 are up for reelection

Question 3

age requirement for House and Senate?

Answer 3

25 for House, 30 for Senate

Question 4

citizenship requirement for House and Senate?

Answer 4

7 years for House, 9 years for Senate

Question 5

term limit for House and Senate?

Answer 5

2 year term for House, 6 year term for senate

Question 6

term of redistricting for House and Senate?

Answer 6

10 years for both House and Senate

Question 7

election before 1914 for House and Senate?

Answer 7

direct election for House, indirect election through state legislature for Senate

Question 8

election after 1914 for House and Senate?

Answer 8

both direct elections

Question 9

what is Descriptive Representation?

Answer 9

person who “looks like” a member of a group will better represent that group’s interest

Question 10

what is the adversarial court system?

Answer 10

prosecution and defense both give their side of the story trying to convince the jury on whether the defendant is innocent or guilty

Question 11

what is bicameralism?

Answer 11

divides legislature into two different chambers. Senate and House

Question 12

geographic constituency for House and Senate?

Answer 12

district for House and state for Senate

Question 13

17th amendment?

Answer 13

direct election of senators

Question 14

what are appropriations?

Answer 14

congress’ ability to spend

Question 15

powers of congress?

Answer 15

• lay and collect taxes
• ability to spend
• war powers, declare war
• regulation of commerce. congress uses interstate commerce clause to expand its authority
• presidential appointments
• impeachment and censure

Question 16

how do members of House and Senate get put into committees?

Answer 16

“wish lists” and seniority

Question 17

16th amendment?

Answer 17

congress power to lay and collect taxes on incomes

Question 18

organization of House?

Answer 18

1. Speaker of House
2. Majority Leader
3. Minority Leader
4. Whips

Question 19

organization of Senate?

Answer 19

1. President pro tempore
2. Majority Leader (most powerful)
3. minority Leader
4. whips

Question 20

what is a Standing Committee?

Answer 20

permanent committee

Question 21

what is a Conference Committee?

Answer 21

creates one bill after House or Senate have made changes to it

Question 22

what is a Committee Chair?

Answer 22

they decide which bills receive hearings and which go on to mark up. needs to approve of anything that goes through committees.

Question 23

what are sub committees?

Answer 23

smaller group of committee members who focus on a specific subset of the committee’s issues

Question 24

what is The Hold?

Answer 24

less dramatic than a filibuster but can be used to delay a bill for 24 hours

Question 25

what is a filibuster?

Answer 25

“talks a bill to death” people go on and on until the whips can get enough votes to reject/kill the bill

Question 26

what are the 4 things that a president can do with a bill?

Answer 26

1. He can approve it then it becomes a law.
2. He can veto it then it returns to congress
3. He can pocket veto. if congress is out of session in 10 days it is vetoed
4. He can pocket approve. if after ten days president does nothing it becomes a law

Question 27

what is presidential succession?

Answer 27

order of presidential succession is VP, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore, followed by cabinet secretaries

Question 28

what is imperial presidency?

Answer 28

President’s power to speak for the nation

Question 29

President, VP, and high officials can be impeached for what?

Answer 29

treason, bribery or other high crimes or misdemeanors

Question 30

what are signing statements?

Answer 30

• constitutional is used to indicate a disagreement w congress on specific provisions of a bill
• non-constitutional celebrate the passing of a law or providing technical instructions. Presidents today us constitutional

Question 31

who impeaches presidents?

Answer 31

House of Rep.

Question 32

where do censures take place?

Answer 32

in the senate

Question 33

what are the rules that can be placed on a bill?

Answer 33

Closed, modified and open. you want a closed or modified rule because it means less amendments can be used which calls for a shorter debate

Question 34

how do you end a filibuster?

Answer 34

motion of cloture states that only 30 more hours remain. 60 votes needed

Question 35

what are the qualifications for office (president)?

Answer 35

natural born citizen, 35 y/o, resident of US for at least 14 years. (same for VP due to 12 amendment)

Question 36

25th amendment?

Answer 36

president must elect a vice president but both house of congress must approve

Question 37

22nd amendment?

Answer 37

limits to two terms

Question 38

what are some expansions of presidential powers?

Answer 38

power to pardon, commander in chief, signing statements

Question 39

requirements for presidential greatness?

Answer 39

1. will- desire to accomplish a goal
2. skill- ability to accomplish a goal
3. opportunity- historical window of time that allows a foal to be accomplished

Question 40

what is a discuss list?

Answer 40

cases deemed worthy of discussion in the supreme court due to the case involving conflicts in the circuit court or involving civil rights

Question 41

meaning of ‘amicus curiae’?

Answer 41

friend of court

Question 42

what is a censure?

Answer 42

removal from office and ability to hold future office in the federal gov