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62 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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bicameral legislature
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a two chamber legislature
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session
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a period of time during which a legislature meets to conduct business
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census
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a population count
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reapportionment
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the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census
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redistrict
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to set up new district lines after reapportionment is complete
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gerrymander
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to draw a district's boundaries to gain an advantage in elections
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at-large
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as a whole, for example, statewide
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censure
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a vote of formal disapproval of a member's actions
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incumbent
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elected official that is already in office
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private bill
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a bill dealing with individual people or places
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public bill
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a bill dealing with general matters and applying to the entire nation
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simple resolution
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a statement adopted to cover matters affecting only one house of Congress
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rider
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a provision included in a bill on a subject other than the one covered in the bill
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hearing
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a session at which a committee listens to testimony from people interested in the bill
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veto
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rejection of a bill
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pocket veto
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when a president kills a bill passed during the last ten days of Congress is in session by simply refusing to act on it
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constituents
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a person whom a member of Congress has been elected to represent
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bill
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a proposed law
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calendars
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a schedule that lists the order in which bills will be considered in Congress
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quorum
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the minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action
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conference report
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compromise bill presented by the conference committee after changes are made
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majority leader
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the Speaker's top assistant whose job is to help plan the majority party's legislative program and to steer important bills through the House
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whips
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an assistant to the party floor leader in the legislature
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president pro tempore
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the Senate member, elected by the Senate, who stands in as president of the Senat in the absence of the vice president
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filibuster
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a method of defeating a bill in which a senator talks until a majority either abandons the bill or agrees to modify it
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cloture
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a procedure that allows each senator to speak only one hour on a bill under debate
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seniority system
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a system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest uninterrupted sevice on a particular committee the leadership of that committee
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pigeonholing
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letting a bill die in committee
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pork barrel legislation
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the federal money that Congress appropriates for local projects
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logrolling
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an agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills
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junkets
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lawmaker's trips abroad financed by the government or interest groups
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franking privilege
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free postage for official mail sent out by members of Congress to their constituents (illegal to use for re-election campaigns)
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revenue bill
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a law proposed to raise money
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appropriations bill
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a bill proposed to authorize spending money
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impeachment
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a formal accusation of misconduct in office against a public official
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confirmation
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the power to approve appointments of federal officials (like fedral judges)
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ratification
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the Senate has the power to approve treaties; need a 2/3 vote
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off year elections/midterm elections
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the election that occurs halfway through the presidential elections
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expressed powers
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powers stated directly in the Constitution
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implied powers
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powers that the government requires to carry out the expressed constitutional powers
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4 Types of Congressional Committees
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1) standing committees
2) select committees 3) joint committees 4) conference committees |
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standing committees
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permanent groups, can have 6-8 subcommittees
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select committees
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temporary groups, set up to study a specific issue
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joint committees
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members from both houses meet together; temporary or permanent study guides
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conference committees
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temporary joint committees; write a compromise bill called the "conference report" which cannont be amended by either house of Congress
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House of Representatives: Qualifications
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at least 25 years old; US citizen for at least 7 years; legal resident of state
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Senate: Qualifications
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at least 30 years old; US citizen for at least 9 years: legal resident of state
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House and Senate: Length of term
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House: 2 years; Senate: 6 years
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House and Senate: Total Number of Representatives and Senators
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House: 435; Senate: 100
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Iowa District #1 U.S. Representative
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Bruce Braley
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The 2 Iowa U.S. Senators
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Tom Harkin (D) and Chuck Grassley (R)
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House Leadership Positions
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Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi
House Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer House Minority Leader: John Boehrer |
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Senate Leadership Positions
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President of the Senate: Joe Biden
President Pro Tempore: Robert Byrd Senate Majoity Leader: Harry Reid Senate Miniority Leader: Mitch McConnel |
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Expressed Powers of the House of Reps.
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*legislating
*impeachment (the charge) *taxing and spending (revenue bills--raising money, and appropriation bills--spending money) *declaration of war |
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Expressed Powers of the Senate
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*legislating
*impeachment (the trial) *confirmation *ratification *taxing and spending (appropriation bills--spending money) *declaration of war |
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legislating (expressed power)
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the HOUSE and SENATE have the power to MAKE LAWS
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impeachment (expressed power)
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being charged of wrongdoing;
the HOUSE has the charge of impeachment (the formal accusation of misconduct in office by a majority the SENATE has the trial and possible removal (a 2/3 vote of those present is required for conviction) |
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confirmation (expressed power)
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the SENATE has the power to approve appointments of federal officials
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ratification (expressed power)
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the SENATE has the power to ratify (approve) treaties (2/3 of the senators present must vote for it)
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taxing and spending (expressed power)
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the HOUSE: ("RRR") revenue bills (tax bills) to RAISE money must start in the House of Representatives
the HOUSE and SENATE: appropriation bills; proposals to SPEND money can begin in either house |
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declaration of war (expressed power)
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the HOUSE and SENATE have this power
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elastic clause
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gives Congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out their expressed powers. These are called "implied powers" and allow Congress to stretch their Constitutional powers
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