Chapter 5

Question 1

Name for the legislative branch of the American government; the Constitution grants it all legislative powers––the powers to make laws.

Answer 1

Congress

Question 2

Congress is composed of what two houses? Which one is the lower house? Upper house?

Answer 2

Senate (upper house) and House of Representatives (lower house)

Question 3

Describes the representation that particular population groups receive from House members

Answer 3

Proportional

Question 4

The proportional distribution of congressional seats among the states.

Answer 4

Apportionment

Question 5

Because representation in the House is based on population, it is necessary to count the number of people within each state periodically for what?

Answer 5

Reapportionment

Question 6

A counting of the number of people in a specific area.

Answer 6

Census

Question 7

A practice in which a state legislature draws its district boundaries so as to purposely favor the party in power, thus giving the party control of as many congressional seats as possible.

Answer 7

Gerrymandering

Question 8

Representation in the Senate is based on what principle of the states?

Answer 8

Equal representation

Question 9

Since the adoption of what amendment are senators no longer chosen by state legislatures? How are they now elected?

Answer 9

17th Amendment; at-large (by all the voters of their state)

Question 10

The Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.

Answer 10

General Election Day

Question 11

What are the three qualifications for serving in each house of Congress?

Answer 11

Age, citizenship, and state residency

Question 12

The Constitution requires at least what three leadership positions in Congress?

Answer 12

Speaker of the House, the president of the Senate, and the president pro tempore

Question 13

The party with the most members in the House.

Answer 13

Majority party

Question 14

The great circular hall beneath the Capitol’s dome.

Answer 14

Rotunda

Question 15

Which part of the Capitol happens to be the largest national parliamentary room in the world?

Congress convenes here for a joint session, addressed by the President, or a joint meeing, addressed by some other notable.

Answer 15

House Chamber

Question 16

Who leads their party in their house and are responsible to secure their parties’ interests in the legislative process?

Answer 16

Floor leaders

Question 17

Whom does each floor leader have that assists him in his responsibilities? His task is to “keep the pack together” by urging party members to vote with the party on key issues.

Answer 17

(Party) Whip

Question 18

A private meeting of political party members to decide on policy or to choose their party leaders.

Answer 18

Caucus

Question 19

An unwritten custom of Congress which began in the 19th century; requires that committee chair positions be awarded to those members who have served in those committees for the longest time. What does the minority party, employing the same system, make their senior member of the committee?

Answer 19

Seniority system; ranking member

Question 20

Type of committee Congress has that is often used for investigations.

Answer 20

Select committee

Question 21

Type of committee Congress has where members from both houses meet in a single committee.

Answer 21

Joint committee

Question 22

The chief protocol and law enforcement officer that each house chooses for itself.

Answer 22

Sergeant at arms

Question 23

The role of whom is it to advise house officers on parliamentary rules and house rules?

Answer 23

Parliamentarian

Question 24

The function of whom is it to minister to the spiritual needs of members, staff, and their families?

Answer 24

Chaplains

Question 25

An official keeper that each house employs for itself.

Answer 25

Secretary ("clerk" in the House)

Question 26

Whom does the House employ who helps maintain much of the operational infrastructure in the House in such diverse areas as finance, payroll, child care, and information technology?

Answer 26

Chief administrative officer (CAO)

Question 27

The two-year period of each Congress which begins on January 3 of each odd-numbered year and ends at noon on January 3 two years later.

Answer 27

Term of Congress

Question 28

The required once-a-year meeting of Congress; two of these compose a term.

Answer 28

Session of Congress

Question 29

What amendment changed both the meeting time of Congress and the day on which members assume their duties so that they are the same day, which is noon on January 3 of each year?

Answer 29

20th Amendment

Question 30

The official written record of what has been said on the Senate and on the House floors, as well as the roll calls, speeches, etc.?

Answer 30

*Congressional Record*

Question 31

Amendment that provides that any pay raise that Congress gives itself cannot go into effect until the next congressional election.

Answer 31

27th Amendment

Question 32

Free postage for a congressman's official mail.

Answer 32

Franking privilege

Question 33

The privilege of congressmen to be free from arrest for most causes during a congressional session and to not be held liable for any statements made in speeches on the floor of Congress.

Answer 33

Congressional immunity

Question 34

To officially condemn an individual for misconduct; a disciplinary procedure involving public rebuke.

Answer 34

Censure

Question 35

The removal of an individual from Congress; the greatest penalty which either house of Congress may impose upon a member.

Answer 35

Expulsion

Question 36

Term for lawmaking; the chief responsibility of Congress.

Answer 36

Legislating

Question 37

A proposed new law.

Answer 37

Bill

Question 38

A bill which a committee has written by completely revising one or more bills sent before it.

Answer 38

Committee bill

Question 39

A legislative bill that applies only to individual citizens or groups of people.

Answer 39

Private bill

Question 40

A legislative bill that applies to the nation at large.

Answer 40

Public bill

Question 41

A formal statement of opinion or determination adopted by a legislative assembly.

Answer 41

Resolution

Question 42

A resolution passed by both houses and dealing with matters that need joint action but no formal law.

Answer 42

Concurrent resolution

Question 43

A resolution passed by both houses and signed by the President; carries the weight of a law.

Answer 43

Joint resolution

Question 44

A resolution passed by only one house and dealing with matters relating to that house.

Answer 44

Simple resolution

Question 45

A large box on the side of the House clerk's desk into which a congressman places a bill that he wants to introduce.

Answer 45

Hopper

Question 46

Bill sponsored by members from both parties.

Answer 46

Bipartisan bill

Question 47

A group of people chosen from a larger body to study and report or act on a matter.

Answer 47

Committee

Question 48

To put a bill aside and purposely forget it.

Answer 48

Pigeonhole

Question 49

A committee within a committee.

Answer 49

Subcommittee

Question 50

In Congress, a petition used to get out of a House committee a bill that has been in committee for at least 30 days; requires the signature of a simple majority.

Answer 50

Discharge petition

Question 51

An attempt to kill a bill by stalling the vote on it: the key weapon is *talk*.

Answer 51

Filibuster

Question 52

A procedure that limits each senator to a maximum of one hour to speak on a bill under consideration; the only way to effectively limit a filibuster.

Answer 52

Cloture Rule

Question 53

The resolution of the House into a large committee of itself so that it can vote on important bills and expedite legislation.

Answer 53

Committee of the Whole

Question 54

A method of voting in which all of those for or against a bill stand to be counted.

Answer 54

Standing vote

Question 55

A method of voting which ensures that the public can know how each legislator voted on an issue; usually used to decide on important issues.

Answer 55

Roll-call

Question 56

A method of voting in which the presiding officer simply calls for "ays" and "nays" and makes a decision based upon what he hears.

Answer 56

Voice vote

Question 57

A temporary committee composed of members of both houses for the purpose of working out a compromise on a bill; a common type of joint committee.

Answer 57

Conference committee

Question 58

A legislative maneuver where the President takes no action on a bill for ten days, effectively preventing it from becoming law without formally vetoing it.

Answer 58

"Pocket veto"

Question 59

A formal communication from a president or governor explaining the reasons for rejecting a proposed law or legislation.

Answer 59

Veto message

Question 60

How much of each house does it take to override a President's veto?

Answer 60

Two-thirds majority

Question 61

The rejection of a bill by a President or other executive; means "I forbid."

Answer 61

Veto

Question 62

What is the two-fold purpose of a representative in the legislative process?

Answer 62

* To protect their constituency from harmful legislation * To promote beneficial legislation.

Question 63

Name the most important quality for a leader to possess; the essence of the man.

Answer 63

Character

Question 64

A representative who votes according to his personal judgment rather than the views of his constituency.

Answer 64

Trustee

Question 65

A person authorized to speak or act for others; a representative who votes according to the desires of his constituency rather than his personal judgment.

Answer 65

Delegate

Question 66

The congressional monitoring of the bureaucracy to make sure that the laws are being faithfully executed.

Answer 66

Oversight

Question 67

Laws that give a termination date for a bureaucratic agency or program.

Answer 67

Sunset laws

Question 68

Congress forbidding the implementation of an agency's policy without the President's consent; violates the separation of powers.

Answer 68

Legislative veto

Question 69

Those powers that are given explicitly to Congress.

Answer 69

Expressed powers

Question 70

Those legislative powers which are not specifically stated in the Constitution but have been implied in the expressed powers.

Answer 70

Implied powers

Question 71

The basis for the constitutional doctrine of the expressed and implied powers of Congress; Article I, Section 8, Clause 18.

Answer 71

Elastic clause

Question 72

A custom whereby the Senate may refuse to confirm a President's appointee if a senator of the state involved and of the same part as the President objects to the nomination.

Answer 72

Senatorial courtesy

Question 73

The act of bringing a formal accusation of wrongdoing against an official.

Answer 73

Impeachment

Question 74

Name the two U.S. Presidents that were impeached.

Answer 74

Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton

Question 75

Limitations on Congress: Congress cannot create bills of attainder, *ex post facto* laws, or grant titles of nobility.

Answer 75

Denied powers

Question 76

A member appointed to represent the House or Senate in specific proceedings, such as impeachment trials or conference committees.

Answer 76

Managers

Question 77

Presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President; elected by Senate members at the beginning of each term; a member of the Senate's majority party.

Answer 77

President *pro tempore*