Congress - Unit 5

Question 1

Baker v Carr

Answer 1

1 person 1 vote

Malapportionment is unconstitutional

Question 2

Where do most Bills die?

Answer 2

in commitee

Question 3

Budgets are passed by _____.

Answer 3

Congress

Question 4

Budgets usually do what?

Answer 4

Grow

Question 5

What is a Cloture?

Answer 5

a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.

Question 6

What is the commerce clause?

Answer 6

The clause in the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.

Question 7

Describe a standing committee.

Answer 7

• Permanent, divided by policy area and where most work gets done
  Examples: Ways and Means, Judiciary, Budget

Question 8

Describe a joint committee.

Answer 8

• Members of both chambers sit

- Focus public attention on an issue, gather information for congress

Question 9

Describe a conference committee.

Answer 9

• Members of both chambers sit

- When there are differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

Question 10

Describe a Select committee.

Answer 10

• Temporary and normally for investigations

Question 11

What did the Great Compromise do?

Answer 11

agreed for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.

Question 12

What is a gridlock?

Answer 12

A slow down or halt in Congress’s ability to legislate and overcome divisions

Question 13

Each state has 2 representatives which means ____ votes.

Answer 13

2 votes

Question 14

Each state is represented by ____ in The House of Representatives

Answer 14

Population

Question 15

What is reapportionment?

Answer 15

States get a different number of representatives

Question 16

Incumbency is more extreme for the House or the Senate?

Answer 16

The House of Representatives.

Question 17

What does the speaker of the house do? (most powerful member)

Answer 17

Controls house agenda and commitee assignments

Question 18

What are the 3 powers of congress?

Answer 18

1. Law Making
2. Budgeting (sets federal budget)
3. Oversight (Ability of congress to ensure laws are being followed)

Question 19

_____ has the power to declare war. The _____ ratifies treaties. _____ is the commander-in-chief and negotiates treaties.

Answer 19

1. Congress
2. Senate
3. POTUS

Question 20

How does congress exercise checks and balances? (4 ways)

Answer 20

1. War making
2. Judicial Authority
   (Creates lower federal courts and sets number of justices)
3. Executive nominations
   (the authority of the senate to ratify treaties, confirm cabinet, and judicial appts.)
4. Impeachment
   (House of Rep. simple majority) (Senate needs 2/3 vote)

Question 21

What is a single member district?

Answer 21

Winner take all or a plurality vote. (who ever gets the most votes wins)

Question 22

Who redraws boundaries of the electoral districts?

Answer 22

State legislatures

Question 23

What did shaw v reno conclude about district drawing?

Answer 23

States can use race as a consideration but not as a main reason to draw a district a certain way.

Question 24

Who is the Senate Majority leader and what to they do?

Answer 24

The Senate Majority leader is the most important person in the Senate besides the speaker. The senate majority leader shapes the legislative agenda.

Question 25

Who is the committee chair?

Answer 25

A committee chair is the head of the committee, They set the agenda, is a member of the majority party, terms limited