Term
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Definition
| A 2 house legislature. Most important organizational feature of US Congress. Each chamber meets in its own wing of Capitol Building, has its own offices for members, own rules for considering legislation. Framers believed the arrangement was essential for preventing strong willed majorities from oppressing individuals & minorities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Residents of their districts or states |
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Term
| +5 House Members who can vote only in committees |
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Definition
*Washington, DC
*Guam
*Puerto rico
*US Virgin Islands
*American Samoa |
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Term
| US House of Representatives |
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Definition
| Has 435 voting members. Members have 2 year terms |
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Term
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Definition
| has 100 members. Members have 6 year terms |
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| Differences between the US House and US State |
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Definition
| House: Members represent Districts, they have limited debate, Rules Committee sets up terms of debate. Senate: Members represent State, have extended debates, Senate as a whole sets terms of debate. |
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| Powers of the US House & US Senate |
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Definition
| Power to raise, make, and borrow money; power to regulate commerce; power to unify and expand the country;power to prepare and declare war; power to create federal judiciary. |
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| Article 1 of Constitution |
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Definition
| Describes the powers of Congress, establishes manner of elections and qualifications of members of each House, establishes limits on powers of both Congress and States. |
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| Congress as the chief policy making body (founder's plan) |
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Definition
| Original founders did not intend to have political parties. Wanted Congress for checks and balances. |
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Term
| Congressional powers set forth in the Constitution are enumerated powers. |
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Definition
| Enumerated powers are powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution. Very first is the power "to lay and collect Taxes". Other 17 fall into the five basic categories. |
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Term
| Elastic clause (or necessary and proper clause) |
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Definition
| Framers gave congress implied powers to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the government. |
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Term
| Qualifications for US Senators |
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Definition
| At least 30 yrs. old; 9 years as a citizen; and a resident of that state. |
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| Qualifications for US House Members |
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Definition
| At least 25 yrs old; 7 years as a citizen; and a resident of the state. |
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Term
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Definition
| Formal charges are brought to the official in question. The House votes to authorize Judiciary Committee to begin impeachment inquiry. JC may conduct hearings and draw up articles of impeachment. House must vote on articles of impeachment, which could send the case to Senate for trial. Senate conducts trial and takes a vote at the end. |
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Term
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Definition
| The presiding officer in the house of Reps. formally elected by the House but actualy selected by the majority party. |
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Term
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Definition
| Legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line. |
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Term
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Definition
| The party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature. |
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Term
| US Senate, president pro tempore |
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Definition
| An officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president. |
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