Chapter 11: Congress

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Apportionment

the process by which seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the fifty states

Bicameralism

the political process that results from dividing a legislature into two separate assemblies

Bill

proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature

Cloture

a parliamentary process to end a debate in the Senate, as a measure against the filibuster; invoked when 3/5 of senators vote for the motion

Collective Representation

the relationship between Congress and the United States as a whole, and whether the institution itself represents the American people

Conference Committee

a special type of joint committee that reconciles different bills passed in the House and Senate so a single bill results

Constituency

the body of voters, or constituents, represented by a particular politician

Delegate Model of Representation

a model of representation in which.representatives feel compelled to act on the specific stated wishes of their constituents

Descriptive Representation

the extent to which a body of representatives represents the descriptive characteristics of their constituencies, such as class, race, ethnicity, and gender

Enumerated Powers

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

Filibuster

a parliamentary maneuver used in the Senate to extend debate on a piece of legislation as long as possible, typically with the intended purpose of obstructing or killing it

Implied Powers

the powers not specifically detailed in the U.S. Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government

Inherent Powers

the powers neither enumerated nor implied but assumed to exist as a direct result of the country’s existence

Joint Committee

a legislative committee consisting of members from both chambers that investigates certain topics but lacks bill referral authority

Majority Leader

the leader of the majority party in either the House or Senate; in the House, the majority leader serves under the Speaker of the House, in the Senate, the majority leader is the functional leader and chief spokesperson for the majority party

Markup

the amending and voting process in a congressional committee

Minority Leader

the party member who directs the activities of the minority party on the floor of either the House or the Senate

Oversight

the right to review and monitor other bodies such as the executive branch

Politico Model of Representation

a model of representation in which members of Congress act as either trustee or delegate, based on rational political calculations about who is best served, the constituency or the nation

Pork-Barrel Politics

federal spending intended to benefit a particular district or set of constituents

President Pro Tempore

the senator who acts in the absence of the actual president of the Senate, who is also the vice president of the United States; the president pro tempore is usually the most senior senator of the majority party

Representation

an elected leader’s looking out for constituents while carrying out the duties of the office

Select Committee

a small legislative committee created to fulfill a specific purpose and then disbanded; also called an ad hoc, or special, committee

Speaker of the House

the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of the majority party; the Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president

Standing Committee

a permanent legislative committee that meets regularly

Surge-and-Decline Theory

a theory proposing that the surge of stimulation occurring during presidential election subsides during midterm elections, accounting for the differences we observe in turnouts and results

Trustee Model of Representation

a model of representation in which representatives feel at liberty to act in the way they believe is best for their constituents

(Party) Whips

in the House and in the Senate, a high leadership position whose primary duty is to enforce voting discipline in the chambers and conferences

House of Representatives

has developed a stronger and more structured leadership than the Senate. Because its members serve short two-year terms, they must regularly answer to the demands of their constituency when they run for election or re-election.

Senate

are further from the demands and scrutiny of their constituents. Because of their longer six-year terms, they see every member of the House face his or her constituents multiple times
before they themselves are force to seek re-election.

Incumbent

is the current holder of an office, position, or role. The term is most commonly used in politics to describe a person running for re-election to the exact same position they currently occupy.

Omnibus

packaged bills are called this