Virtual Civics/Michelena

The House:

How many members in the US House?

What is apportionment?

When does state membership in the House change?

Who draws the district boundaries for represent ion in the House?

What is "gerrymandering"?

What are the characteristics of most members of the House?

What does "substantive" representation mean?

What are the requirements to be elected to the House?

Is there term limits for Congressmen?

What is the effect of having an election every two years?

What is the most influential position in the House?

What does this person do?

What does the majority leader do?
 

What does the minority leader do?

What are the jobs of the whips?

What do the committee chairs do?

What are the three most powerful committees in the House?

The Senate:

û       How many seats in the Senate?  The House?

û       What are the requirements for serving in the Senate? 

û       Which chamber considers itself to be more elite?

û       How were senators originally selected?

û       How was the system changed? In what year did this happen?

û       What are the prototypical characteristics of a senator?

û       What does “substantive rather than descriptive” mean?

û       Give an example of this type of Senator and how he fits the category:

Power, Committees and Debates:

û       What is the role of the VP in the Senate?

û       What two leaders in the Senate hold the real power?

û       What is a constitutional power of the Senate?

û       What positions fall under this power?

û       How many standing committees in the Senate?

û       What type of debate is allowed in the Senate?

û       What is a filibuster used for?

û       Which Senators hold the record for the longest filibuster?  How long?  Why?

û       Has the filibuster increased or decreased in recent times?

Route of a Bill through Congress:

û       Define “bill”

û       How many bills are proposed each year?  How many pass?

û       What are public bills?  What are private bills?

û       What else does Congress pass?  What is the definition of this?

û       Does a joint resolution need presidential approval?

û       What is a concurrent resolution?

û       How does a bill begin?  Then what happens?

û       What happens to most bill in committee?

û       If accepted in committee, what happens to the bill?

û       Where do approved bills go?

û       If approved there, where does the bill go?

û       What is a “voice vote”?  What is a division/standing vote?  What is a teller vote?  What is a roll call vote?

û       What are the differences between hose House and Senate pass bills?

û       If the Senate and House approve a bill, where does it go? Who signs the bill?