Reference no: EM133286599

Assignment -

Section 1 - National Legislature Overview

1. The Framers of the Constitution were wary that the average citizen can be overly passionate and driven by self-interest. What two protections did they include in the design of the new government to address their concern about vesting too much power in a body chosen directly by the people? (Hint: see pp. 128-129)

2. What are the five major roles that each member of Congress plays? What do they do in each of those roles?

3. How long is a Congressional term? When does each term begin? Do the terms start on even or odd years?

4. What is a session of Congress? How may sessions are there in each term of Congress? How long do they typically last?

5. What is a special session of Congress?

6. What is a Senate Class? How many are there?

7. What was the Congressional salary at the time your textbook was published? What other kinds of compensation do Congresspeople enjoy?

Section 2 - The Two Houses

8. How many Senators are there for each state? How many total?

9. How many total Representatives are there in the House of Representatives? How many Congressional Districts does California have? What is a "single-member district?" How many states are single member districts (have only one US Representative for the whole state)?

10. How often is a Census taken, and why? What is re-apportionment?

11. What is Gerrymandering? Is it legal?

12. How often are elections held for Congress (Senate and House)? Are they held on even or odd years? What is an "off-year election?" Approximately what % of the Senate is voted on each Congressional election?

13. What are the Formal Qualifications for Senators? For Representatives?

14. How much of the Senate is voted upon each Congressional election?

Section 3 - The Expressed Powers

15. What is the difference between and Inherent Power, an Expressed Power, and an Implied power?

16. One of the most significant Expressed powers is the Commerce Clause. In what Article and Section of the Constitution can it be found, and what makes it so important?

17. What was the effect on the "Commerce Power" when the supreme court struck down the "Gun Free School Zone Act" of 1990?

18. What is a tax and what is its purpose?

19. What are Bonds? What are "T-Bills?"

20. What is Bankruptcy?

21. Why is the Federal Government the only entity allowed to "coin money," or print currency?

22. What are some other powers that Congress has?

Section 4 - The Implied and Non-legislative Powers

23. Where can the "Necessary and Proper Clause" be found in the Constitution? Why is it important?

24. What are six expressed powers, and the implied powers connected to them? (Hint--table on page 160)

25. What are 4 Constitutional limits on the Commerce Power? (Hint--table on p.163)

26. What is the Power to Investigate? Which house of Congress has the power to investigate matters it deems important.

27. Which House of Congress has the power to impeach a sitting president? Which has the power to remove the President from office following an impeachment?

28. Which House of Congress may have to decide on a president in the event of a tie in the electoral college?

Section 5 - Congress at Work--Organization and Committees

29. On what date does every new Congressional term begin? How often?

30. What is the title of the presiding officer in the House of Representatives? What is the title of the presiding officer in the Senate? Who serves that role in the Senate? What are some differences between the roles of the presiding officers of the Senate and the House? What is the role of the President Pro Tempore?

31. What is a party caucus? Who are floor leaders? What role do they play and why is it important? What does the party "Whip" do?

32. What are Standing Committees in the House and Senate? How many are there in the House and Senate? What do they do? Who names the committee Chairmen and Chairwomen of each committee?

33. What is a Select Committee? What kind of issues/tasks/etc do they tackle in Congress?

34. What is a Joint Committee? What role do they play in the process of passing bills? What is an example of a Joint Committee that has regular investigative duties?

Section 6 - Congress at Work--Making Laws

35. Where do bills originate (where do the ideas for various bills and often their initial drafts come from)? (Give at least 4 sources). What kind of bill can only originate in the house?

36. What are public bills? What are private bills?

37. What are the 3 kinds of resolutions talked about in your book? Do any of them, when passed, have the force of law?

38. What is a rider? What is another name used for riders?

39. What role do Standing Committees play in creating law? What do subcommittees do? Once the subcommittee's work is done, what are the five options the Committee Chairperson has in regards to where bills go when the committee's job is done?

40. How many calendars are there in the House of Reps? What is the function of each?

41. What does the Rules Committee do, and why is its role so powerful?

42. What is the "Committee of the Whole?"

43. What is a Quorum? Why is it important?

44. What are the four different methods of voting on the House floor? What does it mean for a bill to be "engrossed?" What happens to a bill that is passed in the House?

45. How many legislative calendars does the senate have? How is the Senate process similar/different from that in the House?

45. What is a filibuster? When is it used, and by which party, typically? What is Cloture?

46. What is the Conference Committee, and why is it important?

47. What are the 4 possible Presidential Actions once a bill passes both the House and Senate and is sent to the White House?