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Questions and Answers
What is the minimum age required to be a senator?
How long is the term for a representative in Congress?
Which of the following is NOT a nonlegislative power of Congress?
How many amendments are there to the Constitution?
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Which of the following accurately describes a filibuster?
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What does pocket veto mean?
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What is the primary role of majority leaders in Congress?
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Which action can a committee NOT take on a bill?
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Study Notes
Qualifications for Elected Officials
- Senator: 30 years old, U.S. citizen for at least 9 years, resident of the state they are elected from
- Representative: 25 years old, U.S. citizen for at least 7 years, resident of the district they represent
The U.S. Congress
- Senate: 100 members, 2 from each state
- House of Representatives: 435 members, based on population of states
Term Lengths
- Congressional Term: 2 years
- Senator's Term: 6 years
- Representative's Term: 2 years
Types of Congressional Powers
- Expressed (Enumerated) Powers: Specific powers explicitly granted by the Constitution
- Implied Powers: Powers necessary to execute the expressed powers of government, often derived from the "Necessary and Proper" clause
- Non-Legislative Powers: Powers that do not involve lawmaking, such as impeachment and confirmation of appointments
The Constitution
- Amendments: 27 amendments have been added to the Constitution
Role of Floor Whips
- Responsible for ensuring enough votes to pass a bill (majority)
- Act as liaisons between party leadership and members
Electoral College Tie
- President: The House of Representatives chooses the president
- **Vice President: **The Senate chooses the vice president
Congressional Leadership Roles
- Majority Leader - Senate: Charles Schumer (Democrat) currently holds this position
- Majority Leader - House: Steve Scalise (Republican) currently holds this position
- Minority Leader - Senate: Mitch McConnell (Republican) currently holds this position
- Minority Leader - House: Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat) currently holds this position
- Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson (Republican) currently holds this position
Impeachment
- Andrew Johnson: First president to be impeached, but not removed from office
- Bill Clinton: Second president to be impeached, but not removed from office
- Donald Trump: Third president to be impeached, but not removed from office
Historical Election Information
- 1825: John Quincy Adams elected President after a tie in the Electoral College
Key Terminology
- Filibuster: A tactic used by senators to delay or block a vote on a bill by prolonging debate
- Subcommittee: A group of lawmakers that focuses on a specific area of congressional legislation
- Discharge Petition: A procedural tool used in the House to force a bill out of committee and onto the floor
- Seniority Rule: The head of each committee is typically the longest-serving member of the committee from the majority party
- Pocket Veto: Occurs when Congress adjourns its session within 10 days of submitting a bill to the President and the President doesn't act on it. The bill then effectively dies.
- Eminent Domain: The right of the government to acquire private property for public use
Presidential Actions on a Bill
- Sign: The President approves the bill.
- Pocket Veto: If Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill, the President does not act on it.
- Veto: The President rejects the bill. The Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses.
- Non-Signature: If the President does not act on a bill within ten days, the bill becomes law without his signature, as long as Congress is in session.
Committee Actions on a Bill
- Report: The committee sends the bill to the floor with recommendations.
- Mark-up: The committee amends the bill before sending it to the floor.
- Pigeonhole: The committee ignores the bill and does not take action on it.
- Kill: The committee rejects the bill.
Individuals
- Madeline Dean: Elected representative from Douglasville, 4 years in office
- Chrissy Hulanan: Elected representative from Birdsboro, 6 years in office
- Bob Casey: Senator from Pennsylvania
- John Fetterman: Senator from Pennsylvania
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Description
Test your knowledge on the qualifications, term lengths, and powers of elected officials in the U.S. Congress. Learn about the distinctions between Senators and Representatives, as well as the types of powers granted by the Constitution. This quiz covers essential information for understanding how the U.S. legislative system functions.
