CH 4 KEY terms AP gov

Earmarks

Provisions in legislation that allocate specific funds for local projects or targeted interests.

Reapportionment

The reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives among states based on population changes recorded by the census.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing district boundaries after a census so that each district contains roughly equal population.

Rucho v. Common Cause

A Supreme Court ruling that partisan gerrymandering is a political question beyond the jurisdiction of federal courts.

Pork barrel

Legislative spending secured primarily to bring federal money and projects to a representative's specific district.

Legislative oversight

Congress's power to review, monitor, and supervise executive branch agencies and government actions.

Logrolling

An agreement or favor-trading between lawmakers, such as voting for each other's proposed bills or earmarks.

Impeachment

The formal process of bringing charges against a public official for misconduct, which does not inherently result in removal from office.

Census

An official count of a population taken every ten years to determine demographic data and representation.

Gerrymandering

The redrawing of electoral district lines to manipulate boundaries for political advantage.

Incumbent

An official who currently holds office and is seeking re-election.

Baker v. Carr

A landmark Supreme Court decision ruling that federal courts have the power to decide legislative redistricting disputes.

Majority-minority district

An electoral district in which a racial or ethnic minority makes up the majority of the population.

Shaw v. Reno

A Supreme Court decision ruling that redistricting plans based predominantly on race are subject to strict legal scrutiny.

Franking privilege

The policy allowing members of Congress to transmit official mail without paying postage.

Minority leader

The leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Speaker of the House

The leader and presiding officer of the House of Representatives.

Whip

A party official responsible for counting and corralling votes for legislation in the House or Senate.

Committee chairs

The leaders who oversee congressional committees.

Conference committees

Temporary joint committees created to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Joint committees

Committees composed of members from both the House and Senate to address shared legislative issues.

Majority leader

The leader of the majority party in either chamber, serving as second-in-command in the House and primary leader in the Senate.

Select committees

Non-permanent committees created to investigate specific issues such as scandals or crises.

Standing committees

Permanent policy-area committees where most legislative drafting and review occur.

Ways and Means Committee

A major House committee that handles tax legislation, revenue generation, and social programs.

Bill

A proposed piece of legislation presented to Congress that may become law if passed.

Discharge petition

A petition used to force a bill out of a House committee and bring it to the floor for a vote.

Cloture

A Senate procedure used to end debate on a bill and bring it to a vote.

Filibuster

A legislative tactic in the Senate used to delay or block a vote on a bill.

Hold

An informal request by a senator to delay action or express dissatisfaction with a bill.

House Rules Committee

The committee that sets the schedule, debate limits, and amendment rules for bills on the House floor.

Authorization Bill

A legislative act that establishes, continues, or changes a discretionary government program or an entitlement, specifying the maximum amount of money that may be spent.

Budget

A formal financial plan estimating government revenues and proposing allocations for expenditures over a specific fiscal period.

Budget Resolution

A legislative agreement passed by both houses of Congress that sets overall spending limits and revenue targets, guiding the federal budget process without requiring presidential signature.

Casework

Assistance provided by members of Congress to individual constituents who need help navigating federal agencies or resolving government-related problems.

Closed rule

A procedural rule set by the House Rules Committee that sets strict time limits on debate and prohibits amendments to a bill on the floor.

Congressional Budget Office

A nonpartisan agency within the legislative branch that provides Congress with economic analysis, budget projections, and cost estimates for proposed legislation.

Cracking

A gerrymandering technique that spreads voters of a particular party or demographic group across multiple districts to dilute their voting power.

Debt

The cumulative total amount of money owed by the federal government resulting from accumulated annual budget deficits over time.

Deficit

The annual financial shortfall that occurs when federal government expenditures exceed federal revenues within a single fiscal year.

Discretionary spending

Federal budget expenditures that Congress must explicitly authorize and approve each year through annual appropriations bills.

Entitlements

Federal government programs that guarantee specific benefits to individuals who meet legally established eligibility requirements, such as Social Security or Medicare.

Expenditures

Total government spending on public goods, services, transfers, and interest payments during a fiscal year.

Income Tax

A tax levied directly on personal earnings or corporate profits, forming the largest source of federal revenue.

Mandatory spending

Federal spending authorized by permanent laws that occurs automatically each year without requiring annual congressional appropriations bills.

Office of Management and Budget

An executive branch agency responsible for assisting the President in preparing the annual federal budget proposal and overseeing executive agency performance.

Packing

A gerrymandering technique that concentrates voters of an opposing party into a single district to minimize their influence in surrounding districts.

Reconciliation

An expedited Senate procedure that allows budget-related legislation to pass with a simple majority, bypassing the filibuster.

Regressive Tax

A tax structure in which lower-income individuals pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes compared to higher-income individuals.

Revenues

The total funds collected by the government through taxes, fees, and other sources to finance public spending.

Riders

Provisions added to a bill that are unrelated to its primary subject matter, often attached to secure passage or force executive action.

Senate Finance Committee

A standing committee in the Senate responsible for writing tax policy, overseeing Social Security, and handling revenue-related legislation.

Seniority System

A custom in Congress where committee leadership roles and preferred assignments are traditionally given to members with the longest continuous service.

Social Security Act

A landmark 1935 law establishing a federal social insurance program providing financial assistance to retirees, unemployed individuals, and disabled citizens.

Uncontrollable Expenditures

Federal spending determined by the number of eligible beneficiaries or prior legal commitments, which Congress cannot easily alter through annual appropriations.