Legislative Branch

Question 1

House of Representatives: elections

Answer 1

every two years

Question 2

House of Representatives: qualifications

Answer 2

i. at least 25 years old
ii. be a citizen for seven years
iii. live in the state of representation

Question 3

House of Representatives: number

Answer 3

every 10 years census taken of state

Question 4

House of Representatives: vacancies and impeachment

Answer 4

i. state executive temporarily picks replacement

ii. House of Rep. votes to impeach president

Question 5

House of Representatives

Answer 5

• 435 members
• appropriation bills
• 2 year terms

Question 6

Senate: numbers and terms

Answer 6

i. 2 senators from each state

ii. 6 years per senator per term

Question 7

Senate qualifications

Answer 7

i. at least 30 years old

ii. at least 9 yrs of citizenship

Question 8

Senate: vice president and officers

Answer 8

i. president of senate- no vote unless Senate is equally divided
ii. pro tempore in charge if VP is absent

Question 9

Senate: impeachment trials

Answer 9

i. sole power for trials
ii. Chief Justice for President impeachment trials
iii. two-thirds of Senate present must vote guilty

Question 10

Senate

Answer 10

• unanimous consent
• originally elected by state legislature, now by people (after 1913)
• 6 year terms

Question 11

filibuster (Senate)

Answer 11

stalling tactic to prolong a decision

Question 12

Congress

Answer 12

• always elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
• new Congress meeting on January 3 (Monday)

Question 13

Congress elections and rules/procedures: meets

Answer 13

every January 3

at least once a year

Question 14

Congress elections and rules/procedures: quorum

Answer 14

minimum number of people to hold vote- half

Question 15

Congress elections and rules/procedures: records

Answer 15

each house has a journal of proceedings to publish

Question 16

Congress elections and rules/procedures: adjounment

Answer 16

cannot adjourn for more than three days without consent of other house

Question 17

Lawmaking: tax/money bills

Answer 17

begins in the House of Representatives

Question 18

Lawmaking: all bills

Answer 18

must pass through House and Senate

Question 19

Lawmaking: veto

Answer 19

2/3 of Congress can vote yes or override veto

Question 20

Lawmaking: 10 days

Answer 20

President must sign/ veto, or it just becomes a law

Question 21

Lawmaking: presidential role

Answer 21

sign/veto every order, resolution, vote, bill

Question 22

Powers granted to Congress:

Answer 22

1. taxation- lay and collect taxes; trade (tariffs)
2. credit: borrow money
3. commerce: regulate international and national trade
4. naturalization, bankruptcy: make laws
5. money: coin money
6. counterfeiting: provide punishment
7. post office: establish post office and post roads
8. patents, copyrights: offices funded by Congress
9. federal courts: constitute tribunals (make other courts)
10. international law: define and punish marine piracies and felonies
11. war: declare war and letters of marque (retaliation) and reprisal (rules concerning capture)
12. army: raise money to support army
13. navy: provide and maintain navy
14. regulation of armed forces: make rules for military
15. militia: provide and call forth for rebellions and repel invasions
16. regulation of militia: provide money for organization and training of militia
17. DC: Congress is in charge
18. elastic charge: make proper and necessary laws

Question 23

Powers denied to Congress

Answer 23

• Habeas Corpus: cannot be held in prison for more than 24 hours without charges placed except in cases of rebellion or invasion
• illegal punishment: no bill of attainder or ex-post-facto law shall be passed
• direct taxes: no tax on items from any state or taxation based on population
• export tax: cannot tax state exports
• no favorites: no state can be favored; all have to be treated equally
• public money: no money can be taken from the treasury without appropriation law
• titles of nobility: no title (ie king, duke, noble) without the consent of Congress, no person in office can accept gifts from foreign people

Question 24

powers denied to states

Answer 24

a. powers denied to Congress also are denied to states
b. no taxes on imports except if for inspection
c. no troops or war/peace treaties

Question 25

ex-post-facto law

Answer 25

a law that would make an act a criminal offense after it was committed (ie if John stole a candy bar in January and a law was passed that stealing a candy bar is a felony in March that same year, John cannot be tried since the crime was committed before the law was passed)

Question 26

bill of attainder

Answer 26

a law that condemns (jails) a person without a trial