Bell Work Define the following terms in your own words: President pro tempore Unanimous consent Hold Filibuster Cloture resolution

In Lak’ech by Luis Valdez Tu eres me otro yo Si te hago daño a ti, Me hago daño a mi mismo Si te amo y respeto Me amo y respeto yo You are my other me If I do harm to you, I do harm to myself If I love and respect you I love and respect myself

Bell Work Define the following terms in your own words: President pro tempore Unanimous consent Hold Filibuster Cloture resolution

The Senate at Work Because each state gets equal representation, a majority of senators represent a small minority of the population. The Senate deliberates, or formally discusses, public policies. Senate rules are more flexible, allowing all senators maximum freedom to express their ideas.

Leadership in the Senate Leadership in the Senate closely parallels leadership in the House, but the Senate has no Speaker. The vice president serves as the Senate’s president, but only votes to break a tie. In the absence of the vice president, the president pro tempore, elected from the majority party, presides. The Senate’s most important officers are the majority and minority leaders.

Lawmaking in the Senate Procedures for moving a bill through the Senate are less formal than in the House. The Senate brings bills to the floor by unanimous consent. Through a filibuster, a single senator or a group of senators can prevent a bill from coming to final vote. Senators can end a filibuster by voting for a cloture resolution.

Purpose of Committees The real work of crafting bills takes place in the committee rooms. Committees help ease the workload and are the key power centers in Congress. Committees allow members of Congress to divide their work among many smaller groups. Committees select the few bills that are to receive further consideration. Committees educate the public about key problems and issues.

Kinds of Committees Standing committees continue from one legislative session to the next. Nearly all standing committees have several subcommittees. Select committees study one specific issue. Joint committees have members from the House and Senate. A conference committee is set up when the House and Senate have passed different versions of a bill.

Choosing Committee Members The career of a member of Congress can be greatly influenced by committee assignments. Chairpersons of standing committees are among the most powerful people in Congress. The selection of chairpersons has been guided by the unwritten rule of seniority in the past, but chairpersons are elected through a secret ballot.

Who are the most important officers in the Senate?  A.majority leader and minority leader  B.vice president and president pro tempore  C.president pro tempore and minority leader  D.majority leader and Speaker

How can one senator prevent a bill from coming to a final vote?  A.with unanimous consent  B.with a cloture resolution  C.with a censure  D.with a filibuster

If a vote in the Senate results in a tie, who can vote to break the tie?  A.vice president pro tempore  B.president pro tempore  C.president  D.vice president

How does the Senate bring bills to the floor?  A.by order of the Rules Committee  B.by unanimous consent  C.by approval of the committee chairs  D.in the order they appear on the calendar

What is the result of the frequent use of the filibuster in the Senate?  A.The power of the majority party to pass its legislation has increased.  B.The Senate has become far more powerful than the House of Representatives.  C.Any major bill requires 60 votes to pass.  D.The House's influence on legislation has increased.

Which of the following describes the Senate in contrast to the House?  A.The Senate is larger.  B.Time limits on debate are shorter in the Senate.  C.Senate rules are more flexible.  D.Senate party leaders have more influence over their members.

In the Senate, what is a power of the vice president?  A.take part in Senate debates  B.vote on all bills  C.select a president pro tempore to preside  D.put questions to a vote

What must the Senate pass to end a filibuster?  A.a hold  B.a cloture resolution  C.a censure  D.a quorum

Who is responsible for making sure the party's senators are present in the chamber when key votes come up?  A.whip  B.president pro tempore  C.majority leader  D.minority leader

Which of the following is true of the Senate?  A.Each senator represents half of his or her state.  B.Larger states have more senators than smaller states.  C.The majority of senators represent a majority of the population.  D.All states are equal in the Senate.

Reflection If the vice-president of the United States is president of the Senate, why do you think he doesn't usually attend?