history test Flashcards
Implied powers
not specifically stated in the constitution:
Enumerated (expressed)
are specifically stated in the constitution
elastic clause
Clause 18 called the “elastic clause” allows congress to stretch it’s powers
-Lawmaking powers (legislative)
relating to money, commerce, military and foreign policy; power to create a postal service and federal court system; declare war
-Non-legislative powers
duties/powers of congress not related to making laws:
-House has the power to Impeach
To remove an official from office, the Senate acts as a jury, and a 2/3 vote is needed to convict and remove them.
Bicameral
having 2 parts or chambers (house and senate)
senate
Each state has 2 representatives in the Senate, who serve 6-year terms. Senators must be 30 years old, have lived in their state for at least 9 years, and be U.S. citizens.
-House of representatives
The number of representatives in the House is based on population, with 435 total. They serve 2-year terms, must be 25 years old, live in their state, and be a U.S. citizen for at least 7 yea
Census
population count every ten years to determine # of representatives each state gets; house members can increase or decrease in size depending on population
Majority party
political party to which more than half the members belong
Minority part
has less than half the members
Constituents
people represented in each district
Veto
when the president says no to a proposed bill from congress; if both the house and senate have a ⅔’ds vote they can override the veto
Filibuster:
the goal is to delay the vote on a bill until the bills sponsor is persuaded to withdraw it.
Cloture
: senate can end a filibuster if ⅖ the members vote for cloture. This limits the amount of time the senator cn speak to 1 hour
Conference action
when a bill moves from one house to another
Gerrymandering:
: drawing district lines in favor of one political party over another to increase voting strength of a group
-public
apply to the entire nation and involve general matters like taxation
When people choose party leader, it is usually chosen based on
seniority
-Private:
concern individual people or places
Speaker of the house
Leader in the house of representatives, has a lot of power, can vote on any matter before the house
speaker of house takes over if both
president and Vp die
Every bill starts with an 1.
idea; they come from private citizens, the president, or special interest groups
-The bill or idea must be submitted by 2.
a member of congress
The person who submits the bill is called 3.
it’s “sponsor”
-Every bill is given a 4.
a title and number once it’s submitted
- During the first session of congress, the first bill is called
S1 or HR1
6.After a bill is introduced it is sent to the standing committee that handles
the subject of the bill
- the committee can pass the bill
and sent it to full chamber, make changes and then pass it, replace it with a similar bill, extra pig hole it means ignore
- If the committee approved the bill it goes to the floor for “floor debate” and is voted on
by House or senate
In the House the voting is done by either voice vote, people say
1.
“aye” or “No”; or
Senate has:
2.
voice vote, standing vote or roll call vote (saying “aye”/”no when their names are called)
When a bill is passed in one house it it sent to the other; either house can reject the bill and
3.
it dies
