Section Two - Legislative Branch

Question 1

enumerated or expressed power:

Answer 1

National Powers given explicitly to the federal government
by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8) to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and
support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs.

Question 2

interstate commerce clause

Answer 2

One of the enumerated (express) powers of Congress; this is the
power to regulate commerce and trade between two or more states.

Question 3

inherent power

Answer 3

National Powers of the president or Congress that are neither enumerated nor
implied but assumed to exist as a direct result of the country’s existence.

Question 4

implied power

Answer 4

A power not expressly defined in the Constitution but ‘implied’ to Congress
through a loose interpretation (or stretching the words) of the ‘Necessary and Proper’ clause

Question 5

bipartisan

Answer 5

Meaning “two factions,” or both political parties agree on a particular government
action, issue, or law

Question 6

oversight

Answer 6

The right and responsibility of one body or branch of government to review and
monitor other bodies; for example, Congress oversees federal agencies and programs which are
managed by the executive branch.

Question 7

impeachment

Answer 7

:A process for removing government officials suspected of “high crimes and
misdemeanors,” including judges and even the president; impeachment requires a majority vote in the
House of Representatives on articles of impeachment and then the support of two-thirds of the Senate
for conviction and removal.

Question 8

committees

Answer 8

: a small set of representatives tasked with considering, researching, introducing, and
investigating particular policy areas.

Question 9

discretionary spending

Answer 9

In the context of the U.S. budget, pending that can be altered from year to year
through the congressional appropriations process, including spending on scientific research, housing
assistance, veterans’ health care, education, and transportation

Question 10

budget resolution

Answer 10

: A plan for government will receive in revenue and spend over the next fiscal year,
including a set of budget priorities and discretionary spending limits

Question 11

pork-barrel spending

Answer 11

spending on often unnecessary local projects that benefit a specific member of
Congress’s district or state.

Question 12

advice and consent

Answer 12

: A Constitutional power, stating that presidential nominations for executive and
judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate. Also, foreign treaties become official only
when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote

Question 13

impeachment

Answer 13

: Legislative process for removing government officials suspected of “high crimes and
misdemeanors,” including judges and even the president; impeachment requires a majority vote in the
House of Representatives on articles of impeachment and then the support of two-thirds of the Senate
for conviction and removal.

Question 14

supermajority

Answer 14

: Also referred to as an absolute majority, this is any number greater than 50%.

Question 15

committee

Answer 15

Small set of representatives or senators tasked with considering, researching, introducing,
and investigating particular policy areas.

Question 16

standing committee

Answer 16

A permanent committee that exists from session to session for the purpose of
researching, writing, and introducing proposed pieces of legislation in a particular policy area.

Question 17

select committees

Answer 17

A temporary congressional committee established to investigate a particular issue or
policy area not covered by a standing committee.

Question 18

joint committees

Answer 18

A committee containing members of both the House of Representatives and the
Senate who work together on a particular issue such as economic or tax policies.

Question 19

conference committees

Answer 19

a type of joint committee whose job it is to form one unified bill from of
different versions of the same piece of legislation passed by the House of Representatives and the
Senate to be sent to the President.

Question 20

rules committee

Answer 20

In the House of Representatives, a powerful committee that determines the
parameters for debate and amendments to a piece of legislation. In the Senate, a similar group, the
Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, is less powerful, as it does not set the terms of debate.

Question 21

census

Answer 21

A population count which, in the United States, is constitutionally required every ten years as
the first step in congressional reapportionment.

Question 22

reapportionment

Answer 22

The once-per-decade process of assigning the House of Representatives’ 435 seats to
districts in the 50 states according to population, as determined by the most recent U.S. census

Question 23

redistricting

Answer 23

After reapportionment, this is when each State Government will re-draw the boundary
lines of each electoral voting districts to accommodate changes in a state’s population based on the last
census with the goal is of creating congressional districts that are as equal as possible in population

Question 24

gerrymandering

Answer 24

When redistricting is done illegally to favor a political party. The word happened
because of a colorful origin (Elbridge Gerry, Massachusetts governor, signed a bill in 1812 that created a
partisan district in the Boston area that was shaped like a salamander; Gerry + salamander became
“gerrymander”), this is the manipulation of political advantage by re-drawing electoral districts,
producing districts biased in favor of one particular political party.

Question 25

majority party

Answer 25

In either the House of Representatives or the Senate—or both, collectively—the political
party with more seats.

Question 26

minority party

Answer 26

In either the House of Representatives or the Senate—or both, collectively—the political
party with fewer seats.

Question 27

speaker of the house

Answer 27

In the House of Representatives, the elected leader of the majority party who
serves as the chief presiding officer; makes committee assignments, controls the agenda and voting, etc

Question 28

majority leader

Answer 28

In the U.S. House of Representatives, second-in-command to the Speaker of the House;
both are affiliated with the party with majority control.

Question 29

minority leader

Answer 29

the elected leader of the minority party. In the U.S. House of Representatives, the
leader of the minority party, elected by the party members in the House

Question 30

majority whip

Answer 30

In either the House of Representatives or the Senate, a leader from the majority political
party whose job it is to help coordinate strategy and maintain discipline among the members of the
party. The term derives from a hunting term, “whipper-in,” whose job is to prevent hounds from
wandering away from the pack.

Question 31

minority whip

Answer 31

In either the House of Representatives or the Senate, a leader from the minority political
party whose job it is to help coordinate strategy and maintain discipline among the members of the
party. The term derives from a hunting term, “whipper-in,” whose job is to prevent hounds from
wandering away from the pack.

Question 32

president pro tempore

Answer 32

In the U.S. Senate, the person who serves as the Chief Presiding Officer in the
absence of the Vice President; this role is often ceremoniously given to the longest-serving senator of
the majority party

Question 33

filibuster

Answer 33

A political procedure allowed in the US Senate to delay or prevent debate on a proposal,
usually by holding the floor and speaking continuously, refusing to yield. To break a filibuster, two-thirds
of senators present must vote to end it (called a cloture vote).

Question 34

cloture

Answer 34

: A procedural mechanism in the U.S. Senate whereby 60 members (three-fifths) of the entire
Senate vote to end a filibuster