legislative branch

Question 1

what are midterm elections? why are they important? why do they matter?

Answer 1

midterm elections are elections that occur in the middle of the presidents term, they are important because they have the ability to change the majority vote

Question 2

what seats are up for election in the midterms?

Answer 2

1/3rd of the senate and all of the house

Question 3

what is the typical outcome of midterm elections?

Answer 3

the presidents party often loses seats

Question 4

what does the current presidents approval rating generally play in the midterm elections?

Answer 4

his party might win

Question 5

define: incumbent

Answer 5

the current holder of a political office

Question 6

describe the general steps to how a bill becomes a law

Answer 6

A bill becomes a law through proposal, committee review, floor vetos in both chambers, and presidential approval or a congressional override of a veto

Question 7

what is the difference between a private bill and a public bill?

Answer 7

private bills affect specific individuals or organizations, while public bills adress issues that apply to the general public or the entire nation

Question 8

where do ideas for bills come from? who can introduce a bill to congress?

Answer 8

ideas for bills can come from anyone and any member of congress can introduce a bill in the house of representatives or the senate

Question 9

what is the role of a committee in congress ?

Answer 9

they review and analyze proposed bills, conduct hearings, and make recommendation’s2

Question 10

how much of congress needs to agree with the bill in order for a bill to pass through congress and move to the president for final approval

Answer 10

more than 50% must agree

Question 11

what options does the president have when they receive a bill

Answer 11

sign the bill and veto the bill

Question 12

why do so few bills become laws

Answer 12

complex legislative process and limited support

Question 13

define rider

Answer 13

an additional provision attached to the bill

Question 14

define filibuster

Answer 14

a tactic in the senate where a member speaks for an extended period to delay or block a vote on a bill or nomination

Question 15

what is the role of the speaker of the house? who is the current speaker of the house?

Answer 15

they play a role in shaping the legislative agenda, maintaining order and representing the house, the current speaker is mike johnson

Question 16

what role does the vice president play in the senate?

Answer 16

they preside over the senate and can cast tie breaking votes

Question 17

what role does a whip play in the house and senate

Answer 17

whips ensure party members vote as the party wants and maintains discipline

Question 18

who is the representative for your state

Answer 18

Don Byer

Question 19

who are the 2 senators for your state

Answer 19

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

Question 20

what purpose do congressional committees serve

Answer 20

they are experts, compromise, raise awareness, and make amendments

Question 21

define standing committee

Answer 21

a committee in congress that deals with specific policy areas

Question 22

define select committee

Answer 22

a temporary congressional committee established for a specific purpose or investigation

Question 23

define joint committee

Answer 23

a committee with members from both the house and the senate for specific tasks like budget or library management

Question 24

define conference committee

Answer 24

they resolve differences between the house and senate versions of a bill before it becomes a law

Question 25

what is a census

Answer 25

a population count

Question 26

how often is a census conducted

Answer 26

10 years

Question 27

what does the census determine in regards to congress

Answer 27

the seats in the house of representative’s

Question 28

define reapportionment

Answer 28

the process of redistributing seats in a legislative body

Question 29

define redistricting

Answer 29

the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries

Question 30

define packing

Answer 30

it concentrates a group of voters into a single electoral district to diminish their influence in neighboring districts

Question 31

define cracking

Answer 31

spreads a group of voters across multiple electoral districts to dilute their voting power

Question 32

what are some enumerated powers of congress

Answer 32

the authority to tax, coin money, regulate commerce, and declare war

Question 33

what is the elastic clause/implied powers

Answer 33

it allows congress to make laws deemed necessary for its constitutional duties

Question 34

what makes a legislator successful

Answer 34

their constituents, builds coalitions, passes meaningful legislation, and maintains public trust

Question 35

qualifications of house of representatives

Answer 35

25 years old, citizen for 7 years, and a resident of the state they represent

Question 36

qualifications of the senate

Answer 36

30 years old, citizen for 9 years, and a resident of the state they represent

Question 37

what is an incumbent

Answer 37

current holder of a political office

Question 38

what are they advantages of being an incumbent

Answer 38

name recognition, established networks, and access to resources giving them an advantage in elections

Question 39

how may members of the senate are there and how many for each state

Answer 39

100 total and 2 for each state

Question 40

how many members of the house of representatives are there

Answer 40

435

Question 41

how is the number of members for congress determined

Answer 41

each state gets 2

Question 42

how is the number of house of representatives determined

Answer 42

total population

Question 43

how long is a senate term

Answer 43

6 years

Question 44

how long is a house of representatives term

Answer 44

2 years

Question 45

who does the senate represent

Answer 45

people in the usa

Question 46

who does the house of representatives represent

Answer 46

the people in each of their states