ap gopo chapter 11 quiz

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Tennessee state legislature drew up district lines that were malapportioned (not equal) which led to equality in state legislature called "One Man, One Vote"

Wesberry v. Sanders (1963)

Supreme Court Case that applied "One Man, One Vote" to the national government

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Supreme Court case that prohibited racial gerrymandering

Elastic Clause

Gives congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out all expressed powers

Seventeenth Amendment

Amendment that established the direct election of United States senators in each state

Presentment Clause

States that a bill that passes both the Senate and the House of Representatives must be presented to the President before it becomes law

Advice and Consent

The role of the Senate to confirm presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts and international treaties

Appropriation

A law of Congress that provides an agency with budget authority. When bills are passed, many of them still require funding

Casework

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals, particularly by cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get (individual favor)

Closed rule

Rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits the opportunity to consider amendments, other than those reported by the committee reporting the bill

Cloture

A procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill

Committee of the Whole

A committee in the House of Representatives that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself

Conference committee

Congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House passed a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill

Congressional caucus

Group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Many are composed of members from both parties and houses

Constituents

The residents of a congressional district or state

"Delegate" representation

When representatives follow the expressed wishes of the voters

Discharge petition

A tool in the House of Representatives that states that after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, a petition may bring it to the floor

Divided government

Government divided between the parties when when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.

Filibuster

Strategy in the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill

Franking privilege

The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge

Gerrymandering

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

Hold

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

Incumbency advantage

The electoral edge held by those that are already hold office

Legislative oversight

Congress's monitoring of the executive branch bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through committee hearings

Logrolling

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills

Mark up

Revisions and additions to legislation made by committees and subcommittees. These changes are not part of a bill unless approved by the house of which the committee is a part of

Open rule

House Rules Committee rule that allows amendments to a bill

"Politico" representation

A mix between delegate and trustee representation

Pork barrel

Federal projects, grants and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district

Quorum

The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress

Reapportionment

Process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

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.

Rider (nongermane amendment)

Amendment to a bill that has little to do with that bill. Usually only happens in the Senate because of theclosed rule in House

Rules Committee

A standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the house

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

Single member district system

System in which the people elect one representative per district. With a winner-take-all rule, this system strengthens the two major parties and weakens minor parties.

Standing committee

Permanent committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas

"Trustee" representation

A type of representation in which the people choose a representative whose judgment and experience they trust. The representative votes for what he or she thinks is right for the their constituents

Unanimous consent

A motion by all members of the Senate who are present to set aside formal rules and consider a bill from the calendar