A | B |
bicameral | two houses |
Great Compromise | set up bicameral Congress |
Article I | established the Legislative branch of government |
25 | minimum age to be member of House of Representatives |
7 | number of years you must be a citizen to be a US Representative |
435 | total number of members in US House of Representatives |
2 | term of US Representatives |
population | how each states number of representatives is determined |
gerrymandering | establishing oddly-shaped districts for political reasons |
30 | minimum age for Senators |
9 | how long US Senators have to be citizens |
6 | term length of Senators |
100 | total number of Senators |
$145,100 year | current salary of Congressmen |
27th Amendment | limits Congressional pay raises |
franking privileges | sending job related mail without paying postage |
immunity | legal protection in certain circumstances |
expulsion | punishment for serious misconduct |
censure | punishment for lesser offenses; formal disapproval |
party whip | keeps track of party members' votes |
Speaker of the House | member of majority party in the House |
President Pro Tempore | officially presides over Senate in Vice Presidents absence |
President of the Senate | Vice President of the US |
standing committee | permanent committee that specializes in a particular topic |
select committee | temporary committee to deal with issues needing special attention |
joint committee | includes members of both Senate and House of Reps |
committee membership | based on seniority |
expressed powers | are written in the Constitution |
implied powers | based on the elastic clause |
impeachment | removal of government official for wrong-doing |
draw up impeachment articles | House of Reps |
holds trial to determine guilt in impeachment trials | Senate |
appropriations bills | deal with money and always begin in the House of Reps |
approves foreign treaties and approves Presidential appts | Senate |
bill | proposed law |
pigeonhole | set aside a bill; kills it |
filibuster | used by Senators to defeat a bill by continuously talking until bill is withdrawn |
cloture | limits a filibuster to 1 hour |
pocket veto | no action taken by President, so bill dies |
2/3 | Congressional votes needed to override Presidential veto |