15 named examples with their significance, drawn from the Panther database. Read them, then test yourself.
In test mode, tap an example to reveal why it matters.
The examples
Affordable Care Act: Survival Under Attack (2010-present)(2015)(tap to reveal)- Survived NFIB v Sebelius (2012) 5-4. Survived King v Burwell (2015). 50+ House repeal votes. Senate repeal failed 51-49 (McCain). Shows interaction of all three branches. Roberts upheld despite being conservative appointee.
Andrew Johnson Impeachment (1868): Reconstruction and Tenure of Office Act(1868)(tap to reveal)- Andrew Johnson was impeached in February 1868 for firing Edwin Stanton in breach of the Tenure of Office Act. The Senate acquitted him by one vote (35-19) in May 1868.
Bill Clinton Impeachment (1998-99): Partisan Process and Senate Acquittal(1998-99)(tap to reveal)- Clinton was impeached by the House in December 1998 on perjury and obstruction charges arising from the Lewinsky affair. The Senate acquitted him in February 1999; neither article got a simple majority.
Congress of Vienna (1815)(tap to reveal)- The Congress of Vienna (1814-15) redrew the map of Europe after Napoleon and established the Concert of Europe as a system of great power management.
Congressional Gridlock: Debt Ceiling and Government Shutdowns (2023-25)(2023)(tap to reveal)- Freedom Caucus threatened default in 2023 over spending cuts. Government shutdowns threatened multiple times. Kevin McCarthy removed as Speaker (first time in US history). Shows Congress as limit on presidential power.
Inflation Reduction Act (2022): Reconciliation and the Legislative Process(2022)(tap to reveal)- The IRA (2022) committed 369 billion dollars to climate and clean energy - the largest US climate spend in history. It passed via reconciliation 51-50 with Harris as tiebreaker; no Republican voted for it.
January 6th, Impeachment, and Congressional Oversight (2021-22)(2021)(tap to reveal)- Capitol stormed. Trump impeached twice (first president). Second acquittal 57-43 (short of 2/3). January 6th Committee produced 845-page report but no criminal referral acted upon immediately. Shows impeachment as political not judicial process.
Laken Riley Act 2025 - detention without bail for charged non-citizens(2025)(tap to reveal)- Laken Riley Act 2025 - non-citizens charged with theft subject to mandatory detention without bail.
NATO Withdrawal Controversy: Congressional Power vs Presidential Authority (2025-26)(2025)(tap to reveal)- In 2023, Congress passed Section 1250A of the 2024 NDAA, requiring two-thirds Senate consent or an Act of Congress before any presidential withdrawal from NATO. Rubio co-sponsored the provision before becoming Secretary of State. In early 2026, Trump stated he could withdraw unilaterally without congressional approval, directly contradicting the statute. This follows earlier threats to NATO commitments and withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and WHO.
New Deal and Great Society: Federal Power Expansion (1933-68)(2025)(tap to reveal)- FDR's New Deal (1933): federal government took responsibility for economic recovery, social security, banking regulation. LBJ's Great Society (1965): Medicare, Medicaid, federal education funding. ER 2025 praised use of New Deal/Great Society as historical evidence that federalism is not in decline - federal power has expanded in waves. Essential for 'federalism is in decline' questions.
The Filibuster: Senate Obstruction and Reform Debate (2021-present)(2021)(tap to reveal)- 60-vote threshold for cloture. Biden's voting rights legislation blocked despite Senate majority. Democrats used reconciliation for IRA to bypass. Shows how constitutional design creates gridlock and minority veto.
War Powers Resolution 1973 and the Iran Strikes 2026: Congressional Power Ignored(1973/2026)(tap to reveal)- War Powers Resolution passed 1973 over Nixon's veto. Requires consultation with Congress before hostilities, 48-hour report, 60-day withdrawal unless Congress authorises. Ignored by Reagan (Lebanon, Grenada), Clinton (78-day Kosovo campaign exceeded 60-day limit), Obama (Libya 2011 - claimed air strikes were not hostilities), Trump (Soleimani strike 2020). February 2026: Trump launched major airstrikes on Iran killing Supreme Leader Khamenei, targeting ballistic missile sites and naval capabilities. Congress was notified shortly before strikes via the Gang of Eight but not formally authorised. Trump sent the required notification letter days after the strikes began, not before. On 4 March 2026 the Republican-led House voted down a War Powers Resolution to block further strikes, 212-219.
Amy Coney Barrett and Merrick Garland: The Politics of Appointments(2024)(tap to reveal)- Merrick Garland (Obama nominee, 2016): Senate refused to hold hearings - 8 months from election. Amy Coney Barrett (Trump nominee, 2020): confirmed 8 days before election. ER 2024 praised this contrast as the clearest evidence of political nature of Supreme Court appointments process. Demonstrates Senate partisan control over Court composition.
Ketanji Brown Jackson: Supreme Court Appointment (2022)(2022)(tap to reveal)- KBJ was confirmed 53-47 in April 2022 as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, replacing Stephen Breyer. Three Republican senators supported her.
Texas 2026 Senate Republican primary: Cornyn v Paxton, the most expensive Senate primary in US history(2026)(tap to reveal)- The 2026 Texas Republican Senate primary between 23-year incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton consumed over $122 million in spending, surpassing Arizona 2022's $109.5m record. Cornyn outspent Paxton roughly 17 to 1 on TV ads through three outside Super PACs (Texans for a Conservative Majority $23.3m, Lone Star Freedom Project $17.8m, dark-money group One Nation $10.9m). Paxton won anyway, with Trump's endorsement, on 26 May 2026.