Congress

Constituents

the residents of a congressional district or state.

reapportionment

The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.

redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

gerrymandering

the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.

safe seat

An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted.

incumbent

the current holder of the elected office.

bicameralism

The principal of a two-house legislature

enumerated powers

The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution.

speaker

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party.

party caucus

A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy. Called a conference by the Republicans.

majority leader

The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.

minority leader

the legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.

whip

Party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature.

closed rule

A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments.

open rule

A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.

president pro tempore

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

hold

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.

filibuster

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

cloture

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

senatorial courtesy

Presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.

standing committee

A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

special or select committee

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation.

joint committee

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

earmarks

Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.

seniority rule

A legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.

conference committee

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.

delegate

An official who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of legislator.

trustee

An official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator.

logrolling

Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators.

attentive public

Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully.

discharge petition

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

rider

A provision attached to a bill - to which it may or may not be related - in order to secure its passage or defeat.

pocket veto

A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for 10 days, the bill does not become law and does not return to Congress for possible override.

override

An action taken by Congress to reverse a presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber.