American Government - Congress Rules & Operations

Article I, Section 5

This article grants Congress the authority to establish its own rules, discipline its members, and expel them when necessary.

Congressional Committees

These are specialized groups within Congress that focus on distinct legislative areas to ensure efficient lawmaking and oversight.

Standing Committees

These are permanent committees that handle recurring legislative matters and provide expertise on ongoing national issues.

Select Committees or (Ad Hoc Committees)

These are temporary committees formed to address specific issues that do not fall under the jurisdiction of standing committees.

Appropriations Committees

These committees oversee the allocation of government funds, ensuring proper budgeting and distribution.

Armed Services Committees

These committees focus on national defense, military policy, and the armed forces.

Judiciary Committees

These committees handle legal affairs, judicial appointments, constitutional amendments, and oversight of the federal courts.

Veterans' Affairs Committees

These committees address policies related to former military personnel, including healthcare, benefits, and pensions.

Homeland Security Committee

This House committee handles legislation and oversight related to national security, disaster response, and border control.

Joint Committees

These committees consist of members from both the House and Senate and primarily conduct research, investigations, and fact-finding missions.

Conference Committees

These are temporary committees that reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill to create a final version for approval.

House Rules Committee

This committee controls the scheduling of bills for debate and establishes the rules for floor proceedings in the House.

Steering Committee

This committee assigns members to committees and shapes their legislative influence.

Ranking Committee Member

This is the highest-ranking member of the minority party on a committee and acts as its primary spokesperson.

Seniority System

This system grants leadership and committee roles based on a legislator's length of service.

Lobbyists

These are individuals who attempt to influence lawmakers and government officials on behalf of special interest groups or organizations.

Interest Groups

These are groups that advocate for specific policy goals and seek to influence public policy and legislation.

1946 Legislative Reorganization Act

This law required lobbyists to register with the government and disclose their affiliations to increase transparency in lobbying activities.

United States v. Harris (1954)

This Supreme Court case upheld the 1946 Legislative Reorganization Act requiring lobbyists to disclose their activities.

1995 Lobbying Disclosure Act

This law strengthened lobbying regulations by requiring lobbyists to register and report their activities.

Grassroots Lobbyists

These are ordinary citizens or activists who attempt to influence public policy through petitions, demonstrations, and public campaigns.

Expulsion

This is the rarest form of congressional discipline, requiring a two-thirds vote to remove a member from office due to misconduct.

Censure

This is a formal reprimand condemning a member's actions, which requires a two-thirds vote for approval.

Congressional Record

This is the official publication that documents all proceedings, debates, and legislative activities in Congress.

House of Representatives

435 members, each representing a congressional district, with seats determined by population.

Senate

100 members, with each state represented by two senators.

Years per term in Congress

Two years per term, with each term consisting of two sessions.

Joint Sessions

These are occasions when both the House and Senate meet together for events such as the State of the Union address.

Reapportionment

This is the process of redistributing House seats among states based on population changes recorded in the decennial census.

Census

This is a nationwide population count conducted every ten years to determine congressional representation and influence federal funding allocations.

Redistricting

This is the process of redrawing congressional district boundaries to reflect population shifts and ensure equal representation.

Gerrymandering

This is the manipulation of district boundaries to favor a particular party or group, often leading to unfair electoral advantages.

Racial Gerrymandering

This occurs when district lines are drawn based on racial demographics, potentially violating voting rights protections.

Federal Election Commission

This is an independent agency that enforces campaign finance laws, monitors political contributions, and ensures election transparency.

Enumerated Powers

These are specific powers granted to Congress by the Constitution, such as levying taxes, regulating commerce, and declaring war.

Implied Powers

These are powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are considered necessary to carry out the enumerated powers.

Necessary and Proper Clause

This clause grants Congress the authority to pass laws necessary for executing its enumerated powers.

Constitutional Amendment Powers

This refers to Congress's ability to propose amendments to the Constitution, requiring approval from both chambers and ratification by the states.

Impeachment

This is the constitutional process by which a high-ranking government official is charged with misconduct, potentially leading to removal from office.

Senate Trial

After an official is impeached by the House, this is the next step.

Two-Thirds Supermajority

This is the minimum percentage of votes required from senators to remove an official from office.

Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump

As of April 2025, these were the only three U.S. Presidents to have been impeached, though none were removed from office.

Bill Proposal

This is the initial stage of the legislative process, in which a lawmaker drafts an idea for new legislation for review.

Committee Review

A proposed bill is assigned to a committee for analysis, debate, and decision on whether it should move forward for a vote.

Conference Committee

This is a temporary committee formed when the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill, reconciling the differences before final approval.

Pocket Veto

This occurs when the President does not sign a bill within 10 days while Congress is not in session, causing it to fail without a formal veto.

Veto Override

This occurs when Congress overrides a presidential veto by passing a bill again with a two-thirds majority in both chambers.

Lobbying

This is the practice of attempting to influence government officials and lawmakers to support or oppose specific policies or legislation.

Lobbyist

This is a professional advocate who works on behalf of an interest group, corporation, or organization to influence public policy.

Interest Group

This is a group of individuals with shared concerns who aim to influence public policy and legislation in their favor.

Legislative Lobbying

This type of lobbying involves direct communication with lawmakers to advocate for specific laws or policies.

Regulatory Advocacy Lobbying

This type of lobbying targets regulatory agencies to influence the creation and enforcement of rules governing industries and businesses.

Budget Advocacy Lobbying

This lobbying effort focuses on influencing public spending decisions, particularly in areas like education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946

This law was the first to require lobbyists to register with the federal government and disclose their activities.

Lobbying Reform Legislation of 1995

This law updated lobbying regulations by increasing disclosure requirements and expanding the definition of lobbying activities.

Taxes

These are mandatory financial contributions imposed by the government to fund public services, infrastructure, and national defense.

Proportional or Flat Tax System

This tax system charges the same rate to all income levels, so everyone pays the same proportion of their income.

Sales Tax

This is a consumption-based tax on goods and services at the point of sale, varying by state and locality.

Income Tax

This tax is charged on an individual's earnings from wages, salaries, investments, and other sources of personal income.

Real Estate Tax

This tax applies to property sales, capital gains from real estate transactions, or ongoing property ownership in certain areas.

Social Security Tax

This payroll tax funds retirement benefits, disability insurance, and survivor benefits for eligible workers and their families.

Medicare Tax

This federal tax helps finance hospital insurance and medical coverage for individuals over 65 and those with certain disabilities.

Internal Revenue Code

This collection of laws and regulations governs the U.S. federal tax system.

Tax Reform Act of 1986

This law simplified the federal tax code by reducing tax brackets, closing loopholes, and eliminating many deductions.

$169,300 per year, with adjustments over time for inflation and cost of living

In 2008, this was the standard salary for a member of Congress.

Progressive Tax

This tax system imposes higher rates on higher incomes to distribute the tax burden more equitably.

Regressive Tax

This tax system requires lower-income individuals to pay a higher proportion of their income, often seen in sales and payroll taxes.

Internal Revenue Service

This agency is responsible for enforcing tax laws, collecting federal taxes, and processing tax returns.

Tariffs

These are taxes imposed on imported goods to protect domestic industries or generate government revenue.

Fiscal Policy

This policy involves the use of taxation and government spending to influence the economy, particularly to manage growth and control inflation.

Budgeting Process

The President submits an annual budget proposal with input from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Congress reviews it to determine funding allocations.

Budget Authority

Maximum amount of money available to a federal agency for a specific purpose.

Budget Outlays

These are the actual expenditures made by government agencies during a fiscal year.

Ways and Means Committee

This House committee is responsible for overseeing taxation, tariffs, and revenue-related policies.

Finance Committee

This Senate committee handles legislation related to taxation, debt management, and fiscal policy.

Authorization Committees

These committees approve government programs and set spending limits before funds are allocated.

Appropriations Committee

This committee is responsible for distributing funds to government agencies based on approved budgets.

Budget and Impoundment Control Act

This 1974 law established procedures for Congress to control federal spending and prevent the executive branch from withholding funds.

Congressional Budget Office

This agency provides independent economic and budgetary analysis to assist Congress in policymaking.

Gramm-Rudman Act

This 1985 law aimed at reducing federal deficits by imposing spending limits and automatic cuts if deficit targets were not met.

Budget Enforcement Act (BEA)

This 1990 law introduced caps on discretionary spending and set rules to control federal budget deficits.

Mandatory Spending

These are government expenditures required by law, including programs like Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlement programs.

Discretionary Spending

This spending is subject to annual review and adjustment, covering areas such as defense, education, and infrastructure.

Balanced Budget Act

This 1997 law helped reduce deficits and contributed to a temporary budget surplus.

Interstate Commerce Commission

This agency, established in 1887, regulated railroad operations and interstate trade.

Surface Transportation Board

This agency, created in 1995, oversees transportation industries, including railroads, trucking, and pipelines.

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Founded in 1824, this bureau manages policies and programs related to Native American tribes.

Department of Commerce

This executive department oversees trade, economic development, and business regulations.

Executive Agreements

These are international agreements negotiated by the President that do not require Senate approval and function as treaties in foreign relations.

U.S. Mint

This federal institution is responsible for producing coins and maintaining national gold and silver reserves.

Federal Reserve System

Established in 1913, this central banking system regulates the money supply, interest rates, and financial stability.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

This bureau produces approximately 38 million paper currency notes daily to meet circulation demands.

U.S. Postal Service

As of 2007, this office operated around 37,000 post offices nationwide, providing mail delivery services.

Intellectual Property Rights

These legal protections grant exclusive rights to inventors and creators over their inventions, trademarks, and copyrighted works.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

This office ensures the protection of new inventions and trademarks from unauthorized use.

Copyright Office

This division of the Library of Congress registers and protects creative works from unauthorized use.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

This 1964 resolution gave the President broad military authority in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

National Guard

These are state-based military forces that can be activated for national defense or disaster response by federal or state governments.

Twenty-Third Amendment

Approved in 1961, this amendment granted residents of Washington, D.C., the right to vote in presidential elections.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

This is a court order requiring authorities to present a detained individual before a judge to determine the legality of their detention.