U.S. Government and Civics Flashcards

Which constitutional amendment established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote?

Answer: Seventeenth Amendment

The Seventeenth Amendment (1913) transferred the election of U.S. Senators from state legislatures to direct popular vote.

What is the primary function of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?

Answer: Overseeing the federal budget process and regulatory review

OMB, part of the Executive Office of the President, prepares the federal budget and reviews agency regulations.

Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the President must notify Congress within how many hours of committing U.S. armed forces into hostilities?

Answer: 48 hours

The War Powers Resolution requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops into hostilities.

Which principle prevents any single branch of the U.S. government from becoming too powerful by giving each branch authority to limit the others?

Answer: Checks and balances

Checks and balances is the specific mechanism by which each branch can limit the power of the others.

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to whom?

Answer: The states or the people

The Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the United States nor prohibited to states are reserved to the states or the people.

Which federal agency is responsible for implementing and enforcing U.S. immigration laws within the country's borders?

Answer: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforces federal immigration laws in the interior of the United States.

How many electoral votes does a presidential candidate need to win the U.S. presidency?

Answer: 270

A candidate must receive at least 270 of the 538 total electoral votes to win the presidency.