Unit Branches The Senate Committee – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Which of these is an expressed power of Congress?
answer
admitting new states
question
Which of these actions is forbidden by the Constitution?
answer
creating a law ex post facto
question
What can happen if the president chooses to veto a law that has been passed?
answer
The president's decision can be overridden by a majority of Congress.
question
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution describes what kind of congressional powers?
answer
expressed
question
Which statement about Congress is accurate?
answer
It is based on the Constitution's bicameral legislature.
question
Why has the House of Representatives grown so much faster than the Senate?
answer
Representation is based on population, and the US has grown steadily.
question
Which statement applies to both senators and representatives?
answer
They can be expelled for breaking rules.
question
Congress checks on the power of the presidency by
answer
overriding a presidential reversal or veto.
question
After a bill has been introduced, what happens next?
answer
It is reviewed in committee.
question
According to the Constitution, how long is a senator's term?
answer
six years
question
Which statement about the bill process is accurate?
answer
A bill can have a second chance after a veto.
question
Which of these steps is second in the bill process?
answer
The bill passes in both houses.
question
What is the focus of Article I of the Constitution?
answer
describing the powers of the legislative branch
question
A group of people united to promote a cause is called a
answer
caucus.
question
Revenue bills can be proposed only by
answer
the House.
question
Which of these is an exclusive power of the House of Representatives?
answer
to impeach a government official
question
What happens first when a bill is introduced in the House?
answer
The bill is assigned to a committee, who looks into it and recommends changes.
question
The person who has the job of maintaining order in the House is the
answer
Speaker of the House.
question
Who in the House has the power to lead the caucus and control the agenda?
answer
the Speaker of the House
question
Read the quote from a member of the House. In order to do our job well, we spend a lot of time meeting with people who live in our states to tell them about what is happening in government and to listen to their ideas about how to improve life in our country. —Representative Mike Honda California District 17 San Jose, CA To which duty of a House member does this quote most likely refer?
answer
to meet with constituents in Washington D.C. and in the district
question
What is the hierarchy in the structure of the House?
answer
The Speaker is at the top, and the members are at the bottom.
question
How long is a representative's term of office?
answer
two years
question
How does the Speaker exert power over a committee?
answer
by appointing the chair and a majority of the members
question
Which describes a difference between the duties of House members and the duties of Senate members?
answer
Senate members represent state interests while House members represent district interests.
question
Which is the proper order of a bill becoming a law after it is introduced in the Senate?
answer
committee, debate, Senate approval, House approval, presidential action
question
Which group within the Senate has the most power over legislation?
answer
the majority party
question
The most powerful member of the Senate is
answer
the majority party leader.
question
How many senators represent each state?
answer
two
question
A senator can delay or impede a bill by
answer
using a filibuster.
question
Read Vice President Aaron Burr's quote about the Senate. [The Senate] is a sanctuary; a citadel of law, of order, and of liberty; and it is here - it is here, in this exalted refuge; here, if anywhere, will resistance be made to the storms of political phrensy and the silent arts of corruption. What was Burr most likely saying about the Senate?
answer
The Senate is the stable, righteous, and reliable arm of government.
question
Which statement correctly describes the Senate?
answer
It's the upper chamber of Congress and has one hundred members.
question
Which Senate committee is equally staffed by both parties?
answer
the joint committee
question
A senator's term of office is
answer
six years.
question
During the State of the Union address, the president is required to report to
answer
members of Congress.
question
A limitation on the president's power to appoint ambassadors is that
answer
the Senate must approve them.
question
What does the executive branch do?
answer
carry out laws
question
The State of the Union address requires the president to update the on what is going on in the country.
answer
Congress
question
Article II of the Constitution defines the roles of
answer
the president and the vice president.
question
The president signing a trade agreement with China is an example of
answer
making a treaty.
question
Which statement best explains why the Constitution limits the power of the executive branch?
answer
The Constitution limits the executive branch to keep the president from becoming too powerful.
question
A general limitation on the power of the president is
answer
the possibility of impeachment.
question
Which is an example of a presidential power that has no clear limitation?
answer
granting pardons
question
Which best describes how the Electoral College affects the executive branch?
answer
The Electoral College chooses the president and vice president.
question
What does the president do together with the State Department?
answer
negotiate and sign treaties
question
A qualification for president under Article II of the Constitution is
answer
being born in the United States.
question
A challenge that modern presidents face is
answer
leading their political party.
question
Who helped expand the power of the presidency?
answer
Theodore Roosevelt
question
The Executive Office of the President is led by
answer
the chief of staff.
question
Read the quote from President Theodore Roosevelt's autobiography. My view was that every executive officer . . . was a steward of the people. . . . I declined to adopt the view that what was imperatively necessary for the nation could not be done by the president unless he could find some specific authorization to do so. What did President Roosevelt believe about the powers of the president?
answer
Presidential power can extend beyond the Constitution when it is best for the nation.
question
Over time, the power of the presidency has expanded because
answer
the office of the president is important and the nation needs stronger leadership.
question
The president can quickly respond to economic, social, or political needs by
answer
signing executive orders.
question
Cabinet members report to the
answer
president.
question
The purpose of the office of the president is to
answer
help run the government.
question
Which is the most accurate description of the office of the president?
answer
groups of advisers who help the president
question
Which combination would the president most likely use to convince Congress to pass an economic stimulus bill?
answer
formal and informal powers
question
The executive department that regulates airlines is
answer
the Department of Transportation.
question
The executive branch under the president, including the cabinet, is called the
answer
federal bureaucracy.
question
Cabinet members offer advice to
answer
the president.
question
Which executive department would most likely try to stop a terrorist attack?
answer
the Department of Homeland Security
question
To become leaders of the executive bureaucracy, cabinet members are approved by
answer
the Senate.
question
A major role for executive departments is
answer
protecting the public welfare.
question
Which executive agency would most likely investigate cases of espionage?
answer
the Central Intelligence Agency
question
Which describes cabinet members?
answer
They lead executive departments.
question
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and NASA are both examples of
answer
Independent agencies.
question
What is the function of cabinet members in the federal bureaucracy?
answer
They oversee large executive departments and report to the president.
question
Read this introduction to an informative essay about the Secret Service. Part of the executive branch, the Secret Service was created by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. At the time, it belonged to the Department of Treasury and protected US currency. Since then, the role of the Secret Service has grown and changed. Now part of the US Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service protects government leaders as well as the nation's currency. Which statement could be added to the introduction as the writer revises the essay?
answer
President Lincoln created the Secret Service to investigate and prevent the practice of counterfeiting.
question
Read this excerpt from the body paragraphs of an informative essay. The Secret Service guards government leaders and protects money. The agency also investigates financial crimes. How could this excerpt be improved as the writer revises the essay?
answer
The writer could include more details and factual support.
question
Read this prompt for an informative essay. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides a number of services to the American public. These services protect consumers from harmful food, dietary supplements, and pharmaceuticals. Choose one of the services the FDA performs to discuss in an informative essay. Do outside research and write an essay about this service and the manner in which the agency provides this service to the public. What will be the topic of the essay?
answer
a service provided by the FDA
question
This flow chart shows some of the steps to writing an informative essay. This flow chart shows the
answer
drafting process.
question
Read this excerpt from the body paragraphs of an informative essay. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a warning when a foodborne illness breaks out. The agency informs the public about foods to avoid on their website and in public statements. The FDA also tells consumers what to do if they become sick. Which detail would provide helpful, factual support to this excerpt?
answer
examples of foodborne illnesses
question
To show how a new body paragraph relates to a previous topic, a writer should
answer
include an effective transition.
question
Read this sentence from an informative essay. After the Civil War, the amount of counterfeit money in circulation was a big problem for the government. The sources for this fact are an article entitled "Know Your Money" from the US Secret Service website and an encyclopedia article entitled "United States Secret Service" by Michael Ray. How should the sources be listed in a parenthetical citation?
answer
(Know Your Money; Ray)
question
A student is writing an informative essay about the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). How would FEMA's website differ from an outside source?
answer
The FEMA website would be more likely to have accurate information than an outside source.
question
Read this conclusion from an informative essay. The Secret Service provides an important service in protecting the nation's money as well as the nation's leading government officials. The agency was created so that valuable human and financial resources are safe. This excerpt is an example of a strong conclusion because it
answer
sums up the key points in the essay and presents a final opinion.
question
Read this citation for an informative essay. Davis, Victoria. Joining the Secret Service. Washington, D.C.: Free Print Press, 2013. This citation is for
answer
a book.
question
Within the hierarchy of the federal bureaucracy, the cabinet is
answer
higher than independent agencies.
question
Read part of an outline for an informative essay about the Food and Drug Administration. II. The FDA labels processed foods. A. FDA labels identify the ingredients used to make products. B. FDA labels explain the nutrition content of food. C. FDA labels explain if the product might harm people who have allergies. III. The FDA warns the public about harmful food. A. The FDA issues a warning when a foodborne illness breaks out. B. The FDA tells consumers which foods to avoid. C. The FDA tells consumers what to do if they get sick. Which statement would best connect the two sections?
answer
The Food and Drug Administration not only informs consumers about food content, it also warns them when they are at risk from the foods they eat.
question
How is the lawmaking power of the House limited?
answer
The Senate can oppose its bills.
question
How many steps must be taken for a House bill to become law?
answer
six
question
What is the Senate's only defense to a filibuster?
answer
invoking cloture
question
A duty of the president is to head
answer
the executive branch.
question
How are independent executive agencies different from cabinet executive agencies?
answer
They are more specialized.
question
Who would the president most likely ask for advice about reforming labor practices?
answer
a cabinet member
question
The role of the Senate in regard to treaties is to
answer
approve international treaties.
question
Regulatory agencies oversee the nation's
answer
economy.
question
According to Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, each state representative must have
answer
reached a minimum age of twenty-five years old.
question
A responsibility of the vice president is
answer
to become president if necessary.
question
The role of the president has evolved over time because
answer
the needs of the nation have changed.
question
The lawmaking responsibility of the members of the House is to
answer
propose, amend, and vote on bills and resolutions.
question
Protection of habeas corpus means that
answer
citizens cannot be held without legal action.
