Congress - Key Ideas To Warm You Up Flashcards
How long was the longest filibuster in the Senate? How can a filibuster in the Senate be ended?
Thurmond concluded his filibuster after 24 hours and 18 minutes
Senate adopted a rule to allow a two-thirds majority to end a filibuster, a procedure known as “cloture”
How was the filibuster restricted in 1975, 2013 and 2017?
1975 - Senate adopted a rule to allow a two-thirds majority to end a filibuster, a procedure known as “cloture.”
2013 - Nuclear option eliminating the minority party’s right to filibuster a bill
2017 - Invoking the “nuclear option” for Supreme Court nominees
How long does the President have to action a bill before it dies? This would be known as a pocket veto.
10 days
The Infrastructure Bill had tiny amendments added to encourage Republican Senators to vote for it. Of what is this an example?
Signs $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law - Power of persuasion
What Committee schedules the calendar for bills to proceed?
The House Rules Committee
Give two examples of SC Justices that have faced the Senate Judiciary Committee
Samuel Chase and Thomas Porteous was impeached in 2010 (district judge). He was successfully impeached and removed from the bench - Was not apart of the Supreme Court, Samuel Chase is the only one
Give three examples of concurrent powers (i.e. shared powers by both houses)
Power to tax, build roads, and create lower courts
In the Constitution, what is known as the ‘elastic clause’?
Gives Congress the ability to carry out the enumerated powers
What is functional representation?
Where there is representation in a legislative or political body based on the economic and social groups in a community
Give an example of united government and divided government
United - Congress also supported Obama’s nominee for Secretary of State as John Kerry by 94 votes to 3
Divided - Congress was unable to come to an agreement over funding to help tackle the zika virus
