AP Gov-Congress and President Exam Fall 2023 with
complete solution
Bicameral Legislature
A lawmaking body made up of two
chambers or parts. The U.S. Congress is a bicameral
legislature composed of a Senate and a House of
Representatives.
Powers of Congress
Collect taxes, borrow money, regulate commerce with other nations, coin money,
declare war, control armed forces, make necessary laws, and more.
Article 1 Section 8
lists specific powers of Congress, including the power to establish and maintain an army
and navy, to establish post offices, to create courts, to regulate commerce between the
states, to declare war, and to raise money. It also includes a clause known as the
Elastic Clause which allows it to pass any law necessary for the carrying out of the
previously listed powers.
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
The final paragraph of Article 1, section 8, of the Constitution,
which authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and
proper" to carry out the enumerated powers. Sometimes
called the "elastic clause" because of the flexibility that it
provides to Congress
Power of the Purse
Congress can refuse to appropriate funds the President requests
Rules Committee of the House
an arm of the party leadership, especially of the Speaker—reviews most bills and sets
the rule—that is, the procedures—under which they will be considered by the House.
Trustee
A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the
entire society.
Delegate
A representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituency.
Politico
Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and
partisan roles
Committee System
Members of Congress are assigned to committees to investigate the merits and
problems with suggested bills, sometimes holding public hearings to learn more before
sending it to the full House or Senate for debate and a vote.
Hold
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the
consideration of the bill or nomination.
Pork Barrel
, the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and
win votes
Earmarks
"Hidden" congressional provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific
projects or that exempt specific persons or groups from paying specific federal taxes or
fees
Standing Committees
Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for
legislation within certain subject areas. Examples are the House Ways and Means
Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Discharge petition
A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty
days, may petition to have it brought to the floor. If a majority of the members agree, the
bill is discharged from the
committee. The discharge petition was designed to prevent a committee from killing a
bill by holding it for too long.
conference committee
made up of representatives and senators appointed to
resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of a bill before final passage,
example of a joint committee.
filibuster
An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus
preventing the Senate from taking action on it, cloture resolution to end it.
Cloture Resolution
A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate. Designed to prevent "talking a bill to
death" by filibuster. To pass in the Senate, three-fifths of the entire Senate membership
(or sixty senators) must vote for it.
Veto
it refers to the power of a president to disapprove a bill; it may be overridden by a two-
thirds vote of each house of Congress.
Pocket Veto
One of two ways for a president to disapprove a bill sent to him by Congress. If the
president does not sign the bill within ten days of his receiving it and Congress has
adjourned within that time, the bill does not become law.
Line-item veto
The power of an executive to veto some provisions in an appropriations bill while
approving others. Current Status: the president does not have the right to exercise a
line-item veto and must approve or reject an entire appropriations bill.
Constituents
People a member of Congress represents
Logrolling
An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills
Divided government
Governance divided between the parties, as when one holds the presidency and the
other controls one or both houses of Congress.
Gridlock
complete solution
Bicameral Legislature
A lawmaking body made up of two
chambers or parts. The U.S. Congress is a bicameral
legislature composed of a Senate and a House of
Representatives.
Powers of Congress
Collect taxes, borrow money, regulate commerce with other nations, coin money,
declare war, control armed forces, make necessary laws, and more.
Article 1 Section 8
lists specific powers of Congress, including the power to establish and maintain an army
and navy, to establish post offices, to create courts, to regulate commerce between the
states, to declare war, and to raise money. It also includes a clause known as the
Elastic Clause which allows it to pass any law necessary for the carrying out of the
previously listed powers.
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
The final paragraph of Article 1, section 8, of the Constitution,
which authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and
proper" to carry out the enumerated powers. Sometimes
called the "elastic clause" because of the flexibility that it
provides to Congress
Power of the Purse
Congress can refuse to appropriate funds the President requests
Rules Committee of the House
an arm of the party leadership, especially of the Speaker—reviews most bills and sets
the rule—that is, the procedures—under which they will be considered by the House.
Trustee
A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the
entire society.
Delegate
A representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituency.
Politico
Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and
partisan roles
Committee System
Members of Congress are assigned to committees to investigate the merits and
problems with suggested bills, sometimes holding public hearings to learn more before
sending it to the full House or Senate for debate and a vote.
Hold
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the
consideration of the bill or nomination.
Pork Barrel
, the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and
win votes
Earmarks
"Hidden" congressional provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific
projects or that exempt specific persons or groups from paying specific federal taxes or
fees
Standing Committees
Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for
legislation within certain subject areas. Examples are the House Ways and Means
Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Discharge petition
A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty
days, may petition to have it brought to the floor. If a majority of the members agree, the
bill is discharged from the
committee. The discharge petition was designed to prevent a committee from killing a
bill by holding it for too long.
conference committee
made up of representatives and senators appointed to
resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of a bill before final passage,
example of a joint committee.
filibuster
An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus
preventing the Senate from taking action on it, cloture resolution to end it.
Cloture Resolution
A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate. Designed to prevent "talking a bill to
death" by filibuster. To pass in the Senate, three-fifths of the entire Senate membership
(or sixty senators) must vote for it.
Veto
it refers to the power of a president to disapprove a bill; it may be overridden by a two-
thirds vote of each house of Congress.
Pocket Veto
One of two ways for a president to disapprove a bill sent to him by Congress. If the
president does not sign the bill within ten days of his receiving it and Congress has
adjourned within that time, the bill does not become law.
Line-item veto
The power of an executive to veto some provisions in an appropriations bill while
approving others. Current Status: the president does not have the right to exercise a
line-item veto and must approve or reject an entire appropriations bill.
Constituents
People a member of Congress represents
Logrolling
An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills
Divided government
Governance divided between the parties, as when one holds the presidency and the
other controls one or both houses of Congress.
Gridlock
