Government Unit 3 Fill in the Blank

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Unit 3
The Legislative Branch
Ch 10 – Congress
Ch 11 – Powers of Congress
Ch 12 – Congress in Action
Ch 10 – Congress
• The Congress • _________ branch of the gov.’t (______ the
laws)
• Powers listed in the 1st __________ of the
Constitution
• Congress became the ___________ of the
branches of gov.’t WHY?
• B/c the founding fathers feared a
strong __________ after their
experience under a ________
_________ • Congress is bicameral (has 2 houses) for
several reasons:
• ________ – Britain’s parliament has 2
houses
________ • __________ – the Great Compromise
House of
______________
• ________ – the 2 houses could
act as a check on one another
• Terms + • Each congressional term lasts _____.
Sessions They start every _____ yr on Jan. 3rd.
The 112th congressional term began
in Jan. ’11.
• A session of Congress is the period of
time during which Congress
_____________ regularly to conduct
business each yr. The session lasts
most of the yr.
• If Congress isn’t in session, the
president may call Congress into a
special session to deal w/ some
____________ situation.
• Example: calling the Senate in to
ratify a _______. End Section 1
• The House of • Known as the “_____________”.
Representatives • Representation in the House is based on
states’ ___________.
• The # of representatives is fixed at ______
(since 1929). Each state is guaranteed at
least ______________ no matter how small
their population.
• The # of representatives each state gets is
reevaluated every 10 yrs after the _______.
• Members of the House are elected for ____.
• Elections take place on _____ yrs on the 1st
Tuesday following the 1st Monday in
November.
• Every 4 yrs the _________ is elected. Off-
year elections are election yrs when the
president is not up for election.
• No ______________.
• ___________ • To run for the House of
for House Representatives, the _____________
members requires that the person:
1. Must be at least _____ yrs old.
2. Must be a US citizen for at
least ______.
3. Must be an inhabitant of the
_______ from which he/she is
elected.
• _______ requires that he/she must live
in the __________ he/she represents.
• The House may _________ to seat a
member-elect by a 2/3 vote if they
believe he/she is ___________. They
can also expel a member for disorderly
behavior w/ a 2/3 vote.
• Congressional • Each state is divided into ____________
___________ districts (except in states w/ 1
representative) every _____ yrs.
• In 1842, a federal law required that
states draw up their own Congressional
districts + that they must be continuous
territory (not ___________), made up of
roughly equal ______________, and be
“compact” – comparatively small area.
• This law was often __________ by
the state legislatures + almost
never _______ by Congress. – Led
to some very oddly ________
districts.
• The Supreme Court has since declared
that congressional districts must be as
South Carolina has 6 Representatives. evenly divided by ________ as possible.
• Gerrymandering • Gerrymandering is the drawing electoral
district lines in order to limit the _________
strength of a particular group or _________.
• Gerrymandering is done in 2 ways:
1. To __________ the opposition’s voters
in one or a few districts, leaving the
other districts to the ________ party, or
2. To _______ the opposition as thinly as
possible among several districts,
limiting the opposition’s ability to _____
anywhere in the region.
• As congressional districts are drawn after a
________, whatever party is in power in each
state shortly after is especially important. B/c
although the __________________ declared
gerrymandering based solely on ____ to be a
violation of the 15th Amendment,
gerrymandering based on ____________ still
goes on today.
End Section 2
• The Senate • Known as the “_____________”.
• All states have __________ regardless of size
or population. _______________
• Members of the Senate are elected for __ yrs
+ represent the entire state.
• Elections take place on even yrs on the 1st
Tuesday following the 1st Monday in
November. ______ of the Senate is up for
election every ____ yrs (33 or 34), but never 2
from the same _________ at the same time.
• No ______________.
• Until the 17th Amendment (1912), Senators
had been chosen by state ________. It used
to be known as the “__________________”.
• B/c of its smaller size, Senators tend to get
more ______ coverage + are more likely to be
nominated for president or ______________.
• ____________ • To run for the Senate, the Constitution
for Senators requires that the person:
1. Must be at least ____ yrs old.
2. Must be a US citizen for at
least _______.
3. Must be an inhabitant of the
________ from which he/she is
elected.
• The Senate, like the House, may
_____ to seat a member-elect by a 2/3
vote if they believe he/she is
unqualified. They can also _______ a
member for disorderly behavior w/ a
2/3 vote.

End Section 3
• The ______ • There are ___ members of Congress.
member of The average member is:
Congress • ________
• _______
• _________ yrs old
• _____________ class
• ____________
• Married
• ____ children
• College educated (1/3 _________)
• The average Senator is serving a ___
term + Representative a ____.
• The _____ of a • A Congressman has many different duties to
Congressman perform. He/she must be a:
• Legislator: ______________
• Representative of his/her constituents:
• 4 types:
1. ______ – Congressman votes based
on what he/she thinks is best
2. __________ – Congressman votes
based on what his/her constituents
would want
3. ______ – Congressman votes based
on his/her party’s platform
4. ________ – Combination of all of the
above
• Committee member: _____________
before sending them to the house floor +
overseeing executive agencies
• Servant of their constituent: help
constituents/provide _________
• Politician
• ____________• While there are ___________ in Congress,
for some Congressmen are __________ on their
Congressmen salary
• Salary: __________ – Congress sets its own
salary. BUT, if it passes a law to get a raise, it
doesn’t take effect until after the next ______!
• Federal income tax deduction to maintain 2
_________.
• ________ allowances
• __________
• Retirement plan
• Given an _____ in DC + funds for an office in
home state + for _________
• Franking privilege – _____________
• Gym/pool access, free parking at the Capitol
+ DC’s major airports
• ________ from libel/slander for anything said
or written on the house floor or in __________
End Section 4
Ch 11 – __________ of Congress
• Powers of • The national gov.’t’s powers are known as
Congress delegated powers (powers granted to it by the
(Review ________________)
from Unit 1) • 3 types of ____________ powers:
1. Expressed (or enumerated) – spelled out
in the Constitution
2. Implied – powers that are reasonably
____________ by the expressed powers
- the “Necessary + Proper Clause” or
the “Elastic Clause”
“…to make all Laws which shall be necessary
and proper for carrying into Execution the
foregoing Powers and all other Powers vested by
this Constitution in the Government of the
United States, or in any Department or
Officer thereof.” - Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18
3. Inherent – powers that national gov.’ts
have ____________ possessed
- Ex. Controlling __________ +
diplomacy
• Examples of • Create a national public _______
things system
Congress • Require people to _______
________ do: • Set a minimum age for marriage,
drivers’ licenses, or __________
• Censor a newspaper __________
• Abolish _______ trials
• Confiscate all _____________
• __________ the • Ever since the __________ of the
Constitution Constitution, there has been a _____ over
how to interpret it.
• The strict constructionists (led by Thomas
Jefferson) believed that Congress should
only be able to exercise the expressed
powers + those ________ to carry out the
expressed powers.
• They believed “that government is
best which governs _______.”
• Wanted the states’ gov.’ts to have
the most ________
• The loose constructionists – or ________
constructionists (led by Alexander
Hamilton) believed that Congress should
have most ______ power except for those
explicitly _______ to it by the Constitution.
• Wanted the national gov.’t to have
the most ___________
• The loose constructionists have had
more ___________ in the beginning +
throughout history due to various
factors:
• _______
• _________ crises/national
emergencies
• Advances in transportation +
________________
• The people’s demand for more
__________
• General __________ among the
people (consensus)
• But the ________ continues today…
End Section 1
• Congress’s • The power to tax (a charge levied by the gov.’t
power to _____ on people or property to raise $ to meet _____
______ – although they can serve other needs
ex. protective tariff). The gov.’t will collect over
$___________ each year.
• There are 4 ________ on Congress’s taxation
power:
1. May tax only for ______ purposes, NOT
private ________
2. May NOT tax __________
3. Direct taxes must be distributed among
the states based on __________ (except
income taxes – 16th Amendment)
HOWEVER, Congress hasn’t collected
any direct taxes other than income since
the 1800s.
4. ______________ (gas, tobacco, alcohol)
must be the same in all _________.
• Other • ___________ $
expressed $ • The US gov.’t regularly _______ more $
powers of than it raises. The deficit is the ______
__________ owed by the gov.’t.
• Regulate _____________
• _________ (b/w the states, NOT in one
state)
• _________
• 3 Restrictions:
1. Cannot tax __________
2. Cannot favor the ______ of one
state over another
3. Cannot require ________ going
from one state to another to pay
a tax
• _______ $
• ______________ Regulation
End Section 2
• Other • ___________________ (shares w/ president)
expressed • Issues w/ ____________
powers of • ______________
Congress
• ______________ issues
• __________________ (shares w/ president)
• Raise + support an army, navy, etc
• Declare _______
• Ratify ___________ (the Senate)
• ______________________
• Sets process by which immigrants become ______
• ________ Power (tampering w/ mail is a FEDERAL crime)
• Copyrights + ___________
• Regulate Weights + _____________
• Power over _______________
• Includes DC, Puerto Rico, ____________, national
parks, etc
• ____________ Powers
• Creates all federal courts except for Supreme Court
End Section 3
• The _______ • Implied – powers that are reasonably
powers __________ by the expressed powers
- the “Necessary + Proper Clause”
or the “Elastic Clause”
“…to make all Laws which shall be
necessary and proper for carrying
into Execution the foregoing
Powers and all other Powers
vested by this Constitution in the
Government of the United States,
or in any Department or Officer
thereof.” - Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18
• The Necessary + Proper Clause is what
makes our Constitution _______. W/o it, the
Constitution would have quickly become
__________.
Expressed Powers Implied Powers
- Punish tax ___________
Lay + collect ________ - Regulate sales of commodities
- Set conditions for states to get federal funding

- Establish the Federal
__________ $ Reserve System of ________

Establish - Regulate + limit __________________
_______________ laws

Raise armies + a ______ - ________ Americans into the military

- Establish a ________________
Regulate commerce
- Ban ___________ in workplaces + public facilities
(interstate + ________)
- Regulate banking

- Prohibit mail _________
Establish ____________
- Bar the shipping of certain items in the mail
End Section 4
• The • Propose ______________ – or call on a national
___________ convention to do so (never happened).
powers of • If no candidate wins a majority of electoral
Congress votes, the House ______ the President from the
top 3 candidates w/ each ______ getting one vote.
• The ______________ has the power to impeach
(to accuse or _____ a high official). Impeachment
requires a simple majority vote. If impeached, the
__________ tries, or judges, the official (if a
president, the ____________ presides). A guilty
verdict requires a 2/3 majority vote.
• 2 presidents have been impeached –
_____________ (1868) + Bill Clinton (1998)
• The Senate has 2 __________ powers – all major
_____________ made by the president must be
confirmed by the Senate in a simple majority
vote. Also, the Senate must ratify any ________
negotiated by the president by 2/3 majority vote.
• Congress can ___________ any matter that falls
w/in the scope of its legislative powers.
End Section 5
Ch 12 – Congress in Action
• The officers in • At the beginning of each _____, Congress
Congress must choose its officers for each chamber.
The House of
The Senate
Representatives

Speaker of the House President of the Senate President Pro Tempore
John Boehner (R – OH) V.P. Joe Biden (D) Dan Inouye (D – HI)

Majority Floor Leader Minority Floor Leader Majority Floor Leader Minority Floor Leader
Eric Cantor (R – VA) Nancy Pelosi (D – CA) Harry Reid (D – NV) Mitch McConnell (R- KY)

Majority Whip Minority Whip Majority Whip Minority Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R- CA) Steny Hoyer (D – MD) Richard Durbin (D – IL) Jon Kyl (R – AZ)
• The Speaker • The most _______ member of Congress.
of the House • 2nd in line for ___________ after the v.p.
• He/she is the elected leader of the House
+ the chosen leader of its ______ party.
• Presides + ____________ of the House.
• No member may ______ until recognized
by the Speaker.
• _________ + applies the House rules,
refers bills to _________, rules on points
of order, puts motions to _____, decides
the outcome of votes, signs all
resolutions + bills passed by the House,
+ ________ the members of all select +
conference committees (but not standing
committees).
• The President • The Constitution names the ____________ as the
of the Senate President of the Senate
• __________ members, puts questions to a vote, +
many of the other presiding duties
• The President of the Senate __________ take the
floor to speak or _______ + may only vote to break
a _____.
• B/c he isn’t a _________ of the Senate (+ often not
even a member of the majority party), he won’t
have much _________ w/in the Senate, unless he
builds relationships w/ Senators (more _________
if the v.p. was once a member of the Senate)

• The President • _________ by the Senate
Pro Tempore • Always a leading member of the majority party
(or Pro Tem) (usually the ___________ serving member)
• Presiding officer when the v.p. is ________ (often)
• 3rd in line for ___________ after v.p. + the speaker
• The Majority + • Floor leaders do not hold _________
Minority Floor positions in either house, but are party
Leaders officers chosen by their _____ in each
chamber.
• They try to carry out the _________ of
their parties + steer floor action to their
parties’ __________.
• Serve as chief ____________ for their
parties in their chamber.
• The majority floor leader largely
controls the order of _________ on the
floor in his chamber.
• The Majority + • Chosen by their parties to _____ their
Minority ______ parties’ floor leaders in each chamber.
• Serve as links b/w the parties’
__________ + the other members.
• Check w/ party members + tell leaders
which _________ + how many votes
can be __________ for any particular
vote.
• Make sure that all party members are
___________ for any important votes.
• Committee • Most of the work in Congress (especially in
___________ the House) is done in ______________.
• Committee chairmen are members who
head the standing committees in each
chamber.
• Chosen from the majority party by the
________________.
• Committee chairmen decide ________ their
committees will meet, which _____ they will
take up, whether they will hold _________
hearings, + what _________ the committee
should call.
• The seniority rule is a custom that gives the
most important ______ in the formal + party
organization to the longest _____ members
of Congress.

End Section 1
• Committees • Serve as a way to ______ up the work.
• Not mentioned in the _____________.
• Congress is “a collection of committees that comes
together periodically to approve one another’s actions.”
- Representative Clem Miller (D. – CA)
Congressional Committees

Standing Committees – ____________ committees in
each chamber.

Select (or Special) Committees - _____________
committees set up for a specific _____________.
(Often to investigate a current issue – ex. Watergate + 9/11)

Joint Committees – composed of members of ______
chambers, may serve as a standing or select
committees.

Conference Committees – temporary joint committee
formed when both houses pass 2 different _______
of the same bill + need to __________.
• Standing • The # of committees ______ in each chamber.
committees • _______ committees have 10-75 members +
_________ committees have 14-28 members.
• Representatives are normally assigned to ___
committees + Senators to _____ committees.
• Committees are where most bills receive their
most thorough ___________ + where the fate
of the bills are usually ___________.
• Most standing committees are divided up into
__________________.
• Some committees are more prominent – leads
to more prominence, or _________, for those
committee members.
• The majority party in each __________ always
holds a majority of the _____ on each standing
committee.
End Section 2
• The origin • About _____ measures are introduced
of ______ every Congressional term, but fewer
than ____% ever become law.
• A bill is a ____________ presented to
the House or Senate for consideration.
• Most bills originate in the __________
branch. But many are drafted by
special ____________, Congressmen,
or even ______ (or at least the idea for
a bill).
• Bills can originate in either chamber,
except for ____ bills, which can only
start in the ________.
• A rider is a provision that would not
pass on its own, so it is attached to a
______________ to insure it passes.
• Types of bills
+ resolutions

______ ____________

Joint Concurrent Resolutions -
Resolutions - Resolutions - a measure
Public Bills – Private Bills –
a proposal for a statement of dealing w/ a
apply to the apply to certain
some action ________ on an matter in one
________ as a _________ or
that has the issue, doesn’t ______, doesn’t
whole _________
____________ have the force have the force
if passed of law of law

Doesn’t require
Ex. $ paid to Usually deals Doesn’t
the president’s
Ex. a tax or individuals for w/ unusual or require the
signature –
copyright law losses from ___________ president’s
often about a
gov.’t matters ___________
procedure
• Passing a bill • A proposed bill is put on the ________________.
in the House • The clerk numbers + titles it. It is printed + all
members receive a copy – 1st __________.
• The bill is referred to the appropriate ___________
committee, which decides whether or not the bill is
worthy of ___________.
• Most bills are _______ in the committees.
• Bills that a committee wish to consider are often
______________ in subcommittees to gather
information.
• Once a subcommittee completes its work, the bill is
sent back to the ____ committee, which then has 5
options:
1. ________ to report the bill (to pigeonhole it)
2. Report the bill ____________ to the full House
3. Report the bill in ________ form to the full House
4. Report the bill w/ an ________________
recommendation - rarely happens
5. Report a committee bill – a bill that the
committee ___________ for 1 or more referred to it
• Once sent to the House, the _____ Committee can
kill the bill by refusing to put it on a ________ to be
heard by the House. If they do put the bill on the
calendar, they can put _______ rules on it (such as
limiting the amount of time it can be debated on the
floor).
• If a bill reaches the floor, it receives its 2nd reading.
• Floor debate is extremely ______, no member may
speak for more than 1hr (unless given __________
__________ to continue) + the Speaker can force
anyone to stop debating if they get ____________.
Anyone can demand a vote on the issue which
allows only 40 min more of ___________.
• When voting occurs, separate votes are taken on
the bill + on each _____________ to the bill.
• The bill, if approved, is printed in its _____ form. If
approved in its 3rd reading, it is sent to the ______.
End Section 3
• Passing a bill • Mostly the same as it is in the House,
in the Senate but not quite as ________.
• A senator introduces a bill. It is given a
# + title, then read _______ before being
sent to committee.
• __________ committee process.
• If a bill is reported to the floor, the
majority floor leader calls for debate at
his/her _________. The major difference
is the almost __________ time senators
have to debate a bill. A filibuster is an
attempt to “___ a bill to death”. It occurs
when a __________ of senators seek to
delay or prevent the Senate action on a
measure. Even the _____ of a filibuster
has been known to kill bills.
• ___________ • Before being sent to the president to
committees sign, a bill must pass through the House
+ the Senate in ____________ form.
• So what happens if they pass different
versions, + can’t _______ to either one?
• A conference committee is formed
from members of each of the
respective _________ committees.
• Once they’ve ironed out their
different versions, they send it back
to __________ which must pass or
reject it as it is. It’s usually ______.
• The • Once a bill reaches the president, he
president’s has 4 options:
__________ 1. Sign it into ______
2. Veto it (refuse to _______)
- Congress can override w/
a 2/3 vote –
_______
3. ______ the bill to become a law
w/o signing it – by not acting w/in
________ (excluding Sundays) of
receiving it.
4. Use a pocket veto – if Congress
will _________ its session w/in 10
days of submitting the bill to the
president + he doesn’t sign it, the