Understanding Congress: Structure and Elections

Bicameralism

Two-house legislature structure in Congress.

Incumbents

Current officeholders running for re-election.

Franking Privilege

Free mailing for Congress members.

Descriptive Representation

Mirroring constituents' characteristics in Congress.

Substantive Representation

Representing interests of specific groups.

House Requirements

Must be 25 years old, citizen for 7 years.

Senate Requirements

Must be 30 years old, citizen for 9 years.

Pork Barrel

Federal funds for local projects.

Credit Claiming

Helping constituents achieve specific goals.

Filibuster

Unlimited debate to delay legislation.

Cloture

Vote to end a filibuster, requires 60 votes.

Speaker of the House

Majority party leader, 2nd in presidential succession.

Majority Leader

Schedules bills and gains support for votes.

Minority Leader

Leads the party not in power.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees handling specific policy areas.

Joint Committees

Members from both House and Senate.

Conference Committees

Reconcile different bills from both Houses.

Select Committees

Temporary committees for specific duties.

Committee Chairs

Schedule hearings and manage committee activities.

Seniority System

Tradition for selecting committee chairs based on tenure.

Caucus

Group of Congress members with shared interests.

Legislative Oversight

Monitoring agencies and policies established by Congress.

Campaign Spending

House winners spend over $1.5 million; Senators over $8 million.

Open Seats

Vacancies without incumbents, leading to turnover.

Political Shifts

Changes in party control during elections.

Trustees

Members using best judgment for constituents' interests.

Instructed Delegates

Members mirroring constituents' preferences.

Politicos

Combination of trustees and instructed delegates.

Lobbyists

Individuals influencing legislators on behalf of groups.

Interest Groups

Organizations advocating for specific policy outcomes.

Congressional Research Service

Tracks progress of bills in Congress.

Government Accountability Office

Provides legal options and settles claims against government.

Congressional Budget Office

Analyzes the president's budget proposals.