Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

What is one power of the U.S. Senate?

1. To initiate revenue bills

2. To nominate Supreme Court justices

3. To ratify international treaties

4. To declare war

The correct answer is: To ratify international treaties

The power of the U.S. Senate to ratify international treaties is an essential function in the legislative process. The Constitution grants the Senate the authority to provide “advice and consent” on treaties negotiated by the President. This means that for a treaty to become legally binding, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority of Senators present. This requirement emphasizes the Senate's role as a check on the power of the executive branch in foreign affairs, ensuring that there is a significant consensus among lawmakers before the United States commits to international agreements. This power underlines the collaborative nature of governance, as it requires input from both branches of government—the executive, which negotiates treaties, and the legislative, which ratifies them. In contrast, the ability to initiate revenue bills is specifically granted to the House of Representatives, not the Senate. The nomination of Supreme Court justices is primarily the role of the President, with the Senate's role being to confirm those nominations rather than initiate them. Lastly, the power to declare war rests with Congress as a whole, requiring approval from both the House and the Senate, rather than being a specific power of the Senate alone.