3.7 Legislative branch

Use the quotation to answer the question: "...shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States...to borrow Money...to regulate Commerce...to coin Money..." —U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8. To which branch of the government does the quotation refer?

• judicial

• legislative

• presidential

• executive

The diagram below shows some of the steps in creating a federal law. What is the next step in the lawmaking process?

• The bill goes to a debate in the House of Representatives

• The bill goes to the people for a final vote to determine if it becomes a law

• The bill goes to the President for signature to approve or veto to disapprove

• The bill goes to a conference committee to reach a compromise between the two houses.

Use the image to answer the question: Which of the following best summarizes the image?

• Most representatives do not belong to a political party

• The House is evenly divided between Republicans, Democrats, and Undecideds

• The Republicans have a majority

• The Democrats have a two-thirds majority

What do the lawmaking processes at the state and national levels have in common?

• Both the legislative and executive branch are needed to pass laws

• The judicial branch advises the legislative branch on new bills

• Only one house is needed to pass new legislation

• Only the executive branch can propose new bills

Which official chairs the proceedings of the US House of Representatives?

• Sergeant-at-Arms

• President pro tempore

• Speaker of the House

• Vice President of the United States

The table below compares different levels of government for the Legislative branch. Which phrase completes the table?

• Congress

• The Cabinet

• National council

• Joint Chief of Staff

Use the diagram to answer the question.

Which sentence fills in the second box correctly?

• The bill is assigned to a subcommittee

• The president submits his or her recommendations for improvement

• Amendments are added to make the two bills identical

• A conference committee merges the two bills

Why do most of the bills introduced in Congress never become a law?

• They are defeated in floor votes

• They never get out of committee

• They are vetoed by the President

• They are overruled by the US Supreme Court

The vice president serves as president if the president dies, leaves office, or is unable to fulfill his or her duties. What other job of the vice president is defined in the Constitution?

• presiding over the Senate

• attending funerals in foreign countries

• representing Washington, D.C., in the Senate

• negotiating treaties

What happens when the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill?

• The House bill is changed to conform to the Senate bill.

• The Senate bill is changed to conform to the House bill.

• A conference committee is appointed to resolve the differences.

• A standing committee from one house is chosen to resolve the issue.