25 and 30

Respectively, the minimum age

requirement for members of the House of Representatives and

the Senate.

25 and 30

Respectively, members of the House and the Senate

are required to have resided in the United

States for at least how many years?

7 and 9

In 1963, following the decennial census, the number of seats in the House decreased from 437 to 435 as a result

of this process.

Reapportionment

The Supreme Court ruled that this process which

allows Congress to adjust to population shifts by redrawing

congressional districts may be done more

frequently than after each U.S. census.

Redistricting

Although Congress alone is given formal law-making power, this action by the President also has the force of law.

Executive Orders

Even though the Constitution specifies that all revenue bills must originate here, it is not unusual, today, to see budget bills considered simultaneously in both houses.

House of Representatives

Power to charge the president, vice president, or other civil officers with Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Impeachment(The House of Representatives

Impeaches)

This is required to convict the president in a trial of impeachment, and approve presidential treaties.

2/3 vote by the Senate

The enhanced power of this particular officer has eroded the majority authority to control committee agenda.

Speaker of the House

This formal gathering of all Democratic party members is held to nominate or elect party officers, review committee assignments, discuss party policy, and impose party themes

Caucus or Conference

House Republicans have a ‘Committee on

Committees’ to make committee assignments

and the Democrats version is called this.

Steering Committee

This is the only officer of the

House mentioned in the constitution.

Speaker of the House

This person is second in the line

of presidential succession

Speaker of the House

The professionalization of the Speaker of the House reached its peak in 1903 under Speaker Joe Cannon. It was revitalized in the 1990’s giving this Speaker unprecedented control over the House.

Newt Gingrich

This is the most powerful member

of the Senate

Majority Leader

This representative acts as the communications link within each party, takes nose counts on key votes, and convinces members to toe the party line.

Whip

The presiding officer of the Senate when the Vice President is absent.

President Pro Tempore

This house of Congress puts

less emphasis on organization and

formal rules

Senate

The establishment of these bodies which allow for greater specialization are especially important in the House when considering legislation.

Sub-committees

Investigations and special studies are conducted by both houses of Congress in this type of committee which often focuses public attention on major matters.

Joint Committee

This is a type of joint committee where differences between Senate and House versions of a piece of legislation are ironed out.

Conference committee

The devaluation of this has led to the imposition of term limits on committee chairs in the House.

Seniority

Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose.

Select, Special or Ad Hoc Committee

Bills in the House considered under this rule may not be amended .

Closed Rule

This committee performs the traffic cop function in the House.

Committee on Rules

These committees have considerable power

and can kill bills, amend them radically, or hurry them through.

Standing Committees

In the face of committee inaction, a vote of 218, through

this action, can force a bill out of committee

to the floor for a vote.

Discharge petition

Which members of Congress hold few committee assignments and are allowed to become policy or issue specialists?

House Members

In which house is legislation more likely to be rewritten on the

floor?

Senate

Complete the following statement made by a

political scientist;“_________ ___________

are to members what stocks are to investors.”

Committee Assignments

Measures that allow legislators to bring jobs and new public works programs back to their

districts, improve their chances of reelection, and ironically

attract much public criticism are called what?

Pork and/or Earmarks

Congress can approve programs, but unless money for them is approved they are largely symbolic. This committee, which has this monetary impact, also provides its members with power and influence among their colleagues.

Appropriations and Budget

Time of continuous service on a committee.

Seniority

The number of years (term limits) a member of the

House or Senate can serve as a committee chair on any

one committee

Six

One recent study found that 43 percent of the 198 House

members as well as 50 percent of the Senate members who left

Congress between 1998 and 2004 registered as this.

Lobbyists

The fact that most Americans approve of their own members of Congress

while having very low regard for Congress collectively

illustrates the power of this.

Incumbency

The largest single occupational group in

Congress.

Attorneys

When the President is a Republican and the

majority in Congress is Democratic.

Divided Government

An interesting poll of NBC and the Wall Street Journal found

that a majority of people agreed that society would be

better if most of the members of Congress were what?

Women

Studies of political scientists show that

constituents vote with this two-thirds of the

time.

The majority or “prevailing opinion”