Across
- 8. The process of drawing the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage over the others.
- 10. A temporary committee formed to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate. It includes members from both chambers.
- 12. Committees made up of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They can be standing or temporary and work on shared issues.
- 17. Permanent committees in Congress that focus on specific areas, like education or agriculture. They review bills related to their topic.
- 19. An official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals. It is conducted every ten years in the U.S. and helps determine how many representatives each state gets in Congress.
- 20. A procedure for ending a debate in the Senate and forcing a vote on a bill. It requires a vote of at least 60 senators to pass.
- 23. The people who live in a particular area and are represented by a chosen official, like a member of Congress.
- 24. A proposal for a new law presented for discussion and approval in Congress.
- 25. The individuals who lead the majority and minority parties in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They help plan their party's strategy and speak on behalf of their party members.
Down
- 1. The ability of Congress to control the country's money, including taxing and spending. This power lets Congress decide how federal funds are spent.
- 2. Laws passed by Congress that fund specific projects in a legislator's district or state, often to gain favor with local voters, even if the project is not essential at the national level.
- 3. A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block a vote on a bill by extending the debate on it. Senators can speak for as long as they wish unless a cloture vote is passed.
- 4. A senior member of the Senate's majority party who acts as the leader of the Senate when the Vice President (who is the official Senate President) is not present.
- 5. When both houses of Congress vote again on a bill that the President has vetoed and manage to pass it with a two-thirds majority, the bill becomes a law despite the veto.
- 6. The process by which a government official, including the president, can be charged with wrongdoing and removed from office.
- 7. The leader of the House of Representatives. This person is elected by the members of the House and is responsible for running the House's meetings and leading its majority party.
- 9. Powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution but are assumed to be granted because they are necessary for Congress to carry out its enumerated powers.
- 11. Elections held in the middle of a president's four-year term. During these, voters choose all the members of the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate.
- 13. Specific powers given to Congress by the Constitution, like the power to collect taxes, coin money, and declare war.
- 14. A specific geographical area within a state represented by a member in the House of Representatives. Each district elects one representative.
- 15. The power of the President to reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming a law unless Congress overrides the veto.
- 16. A system where the legislature is divided into two separate groups or chambers. In the United States, Congress is bicameral, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
- 18. Assistants to the party leaders who help get members to participate in votes and stick to the party's position on issues.
- 21. A rule made by the government. A bill becomes a law once it has been approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President (or if a presidential veto is overridden by Congress).
- 22. Temporary committees created for a specific purpose, often to investigate particular issues not covered by standing committees.