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Constitution Cards > Legislative Branch > Flashcards

Legislative Branch Flashcards

1
Q

What does it mean to convene?

A

To assemble

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2
Q

What is the job of the legislative branch of government?

A

To make laws

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3
Q

Our government is self-governing. We call this a form of _________

A

Democracy

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4
Q

What fraction of our senators is elected every two years?

A

1/3

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5
Q

How many senators does Idaho have?

A

Two

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6
Q

The Speaker of the House is typically a member of the ______________

A

Majority party

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7
Q

What is a filibuster?

A

Senator talks endlessly to stall for time

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8
Q

The Speaker of the House is elected by whom?

A

Direct vote of the House

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9
Q

How does the President Pro Tempore get his job?

A

Direct vote of Senate

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10
Q

What rule stops a filibuster?

A

Cloture

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11
Q

The constitution says that each state will have ___ senators

A

2 (Article 1, Section 3, Clause 1)

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12
Q

What are the 2 major political parties in the U.S.?

A

Democratic and Rebublican

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13
Q

What number is a quorum in the senate?

A

51

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14
Q

Who is the current Speaker of the House?

A

Paul Ryan

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15
Q

What do the initials PL stand for?

A

Public Law

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16
Q

Who does the House of Representatives represent?

A

The people

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17
Q

What is a quorum?

definition

A

The number of those legally necessary to do business… One more than half

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18
Q

What is a quorum in the House?

A

218

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19
Q

How do we decide how many representatives to the House each state has?

A

By state popultion

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20
Q

Is there a limit on debate in the House?

A

Yes - One hour

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21
Q

What is a two-house legislature called?

A

Bicameral

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22
Q

When does Congress convene?

A

January 3

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23
Q

A senator must be at least __ years old

A

30

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24
Q

A senator must have been a citizen for _ years

A

9

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25
Q

How many Representatives are currently in the House?

A

435

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26
Q

Our government is unique because it is both _______ and ________

A

Flexible; Stable

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27
Q

How many senators are there?

A

100

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28
Q

Who is in charge of the House of Representatives?

A

Speaker of the House

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29
Q

How long does a Senator serve per term?

A

6 years

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30
Q

To keep one branch from gaining too much power, we have a system of ______ and ________

A

Checks; Balances

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31
Q

Which house of Congress represents the people?

A

House of Representatives

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32
Q

According to our Founding Fathers, if your government isn’t serving your needs, you have the duty to _________

A

Change it

33
Q

What does the Senate represent?

A

The states

34
Q

When the VP is not available, who is in charge of the Senate?

A

President Pro Tempore

35
Q

Who succeeds the President Pro Tempore as President?

A

Secretary of State

36
Q

Who succeeds the Speaker of the House as President?

A

President Pro Tempore

37
Q

Who may suggest a bill?

A

Any concerned citizen

38
Q

All bills involving money must begin in which house?

A

House of Representatives

39
Q

When a bill starts in the House of Representatives, how is it marked?

A

HR

40
Q

When a bill is filed away for future work by committee, we say that the bill has been _______

A

Pigeonholed

41
Q

Which house of congress represents the states?

A

Senate

42
Q

Can the Speaker vote on issues in the House?

A

Yes

43
Q

What is the minimum number of Representatives a state must have?

A

One

44
Q

Can the VP vote on Senate issues?

A

No - Unless in a tie

45
Q

How old must a Representative be?

A

25

46
Q

Where do most bills die?

A

Committee

47
Q

Can the President Pro Tempore vote on Senate issues?

A

Yes

48
Q

A member of the House of Representatives must have been a U.S. citizen for _ years

A

7

49
Q

In what order does the President’s succession go?

A
  1. President
  2. Vice President
  3. Speaker of the House
  4. President Pro Tempore
  5. Secretary of State
50
Q

Who is the current President Pro Tempore of the Senate?

A

Orrin Hatch

51
Q

For a bill to become a law, it must pass through both houses?

A

True

52
Q

What state has a unicameral government?

A

Nebraska

53
Q

What are the names of the two houses of Congress in our federal government?

A

House of Representatives and Senate

54
Q

Does the constitution say that we must have two political parties?

A

No

55
Q

Who succeeds the Vice President as President?

A

Speaker of the House

56
Q

Who is in charge of the Senate

A

Vice President

57
Q

What are the three branches of government?

A
  1. Legislative
  2. Executive
  3. Judicial
58
Q

What do you call a count of the population?

A

Census

59
Q

Is there a limit to debate in the Senate?

A

No

60
Q

What does the Rules Committee do?

A

Sends bills to their proper committee

61
Q

If a state has 29 electoral votes, how many Representatives does the state have?

A

27

62
Q

Can there be a filibuster in the House?

A

No

63
Q

What does the executive branch do?

A

Enforce laws

64
Q

A bill marked SB came from which house?

A

Senate

65
Q

Who is the current President of the senate?

A

Mike Pence

66
Q

What is a one-house legislature called?

A

Unicameral

67
Q

When a bill is calendared, what is done?

A

It is numbered and put in order

68
Q

With only a few exceptions, a bill may be started in either house of Congress.
True or False

A

True

69
Q

What are the four things that the Rules Committee does?

A
  1. Send the bill to its proper committee
  2. Reword it
  3. Make rules for the bill
  4. Calendar it (label and number it)
70
Q

A committee consisting of members from both houses of congress is called what?

A

Joint Committee (Sometimes referred to as “Conference Committee”)

71
Q

Which article deals with the legislative branch?

A

Article 1

72
Q

One house may not adjourn for more than _____ without permission from the other house

A

3 Days

73
Q

What is a caucus?

A

A short meeting

74
Q

Can a Congressman be jailed for a minor crime the same as you or me?

A

No (Each house of Congress establishes penalties for congressional violations - Ethics Committee)

75
Q

Someone who works in the “hallways” of Congress, attempting to influence the votes of Congressman is called what?

A

A Lobbyist

76
Q

What keeps a Congressman from going to jail for minor infractions of the law?

A

Congressional Immunity (Article 1, Section 6 - “While Congress is in session”)

77
Q

Can a Senator be impeached?

A

No (Senators are not “Civil Officers” like the President, VP, Justices, and Cabinet members)

78
Q

Who are the current Senators in California?

A
  1. Diane Feinstein

2. Kamala Harris

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