Answers -- Fun, Facts, and Trivia
December 2001 Issue

The Dirksen Center wants to help teachers teach better by giving them the opportunity to use technology to create, customize, and share online learning activities in their classrooms. The Center wants to help students learn more by bringing educational resources together in one place that provide new ways to learn about Congress interactively.

A bill is sent to the president for final action if the House and the Senate approve it. A bill becomes a law when signed by the president. Congress can override a veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses if the president vetoes a bill. A bill becomes a law if the president does not sign or veto the bill within ten days. If Congress adjourns within this ten-day period, the bill is dead. This month our Fun, Facts, and Trivia includes an opportunity for students to write their own bill. Teachers, now you can have your students write, print, and send their bill to Congress in five easy steps. Find Write Your Own Bill at: http://yourcongress.com/writebill.asp.

Which committee is it?

1. Legislation that has been passed in different forms by each chamber is reconciled into a single bill by...

A. standing committees
B. select committees
C. special committees
D. conference committees
E. secret committees

2. True or False: To stop a bill from passing their chamber, it takes only 41 Senators.
Answer: True -- (cloture vote on filibuster)

Formalization Fun!

1. A filibuster is a marathon speech that may go on for hours with the Senator yielding the floor only to members who support his or her position. (Link to answer and definition: http://www.congresslink.org/glossary.html#F)

A. delay in legislation
B. congressional obstruction
C. filibuster
D. long-winded oratory

2. When the president rejects a bill by refusing to sign it after Congress has adjourned, this is known as a pocket veto. (Link to answer and definition: (Link to answer and definition: http://www.congresslink.org/glossary.html#P)

A. pocket veto
B. line-item veto
C. cloture
D. rider

Answers to November' s issue of Fun, Facts, and Trivia link here: (http://www.webcommunicator.org/funfactstrivia1101ans.htm)

Do you have or know of an online activity you would like The Dirksen Congressional Center to feature on its new Web site for students -- Congress for Kids?The Center is currently seeking online activities that provide new ways to learn about Congress and the workings of the federal government interactively.

If you have questions or suggestions for online activities, contact Cindy Koeppel .