AP Gov 2.1 - 2.3 vocab

Trustee Model

A model of representation in which a member of the House or Senate follows his or her own conscience when deciding issue positions.

Instructed Delegated Model

A model of representation in which legislators, as representatives of their constituents, should vote in keeping with the constituents views. even if those views contradict the legislator's personal view.

Politico

A hybrid model of representation in which legislators vote in keeping with constituents views in important or high profile matters but rely on the trustee model for more mundane matters.

Pork Barrel

Legislators' appropriations of funds for special projects located within their congressional districts.

Earmarks

A designation within a spending bill which provides for a specific expenditure.

Case Work

Personal work by a member of Congress on behalf of a constituent or group of constituents, typically aimed at getting the government to do something the constituent wants done.

Congressional Oversight

The process by which the legislative branch "checks" the executive branch to ensure that the laws Congress has passed are being administered in keeping with legislators intent.

Agenda Setting

The determination by Congress of which public issues the government should consider for legislation.

Reapportionment

Reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives to each state based on changes in state populations since the last census.

Redistricting

The redraw of congressional district boundaries within each state, based on the reapportionment from the census.

Bill

A proposed piece of legislation.

Joint Referral

The practice, abolished in the 104th Congress, by which a bill could be referred to two different committees for consideration.

Lead Committee

The primary committee considering a bill.

Seniority System

The system in which the member with the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee in given preference when the committee chooses its chair.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in Congress, with a defined legislative jurisdiction.

Select Committee

A congressional committee created to consider specific policy issues or address a specific concern.

Joint Committee

A bicameral committee composed of members of both chambers of congress.

Subcommittee

A subordinate committee in congress that typically handles specific areas of a standing committee's jurisdiction.

Agency Review

Part of the committee or Subcommittee process of considering a bill, wherein committee members as executive agencies that would administer the law for written comments on the measure.

Hearings

Sessions held by committees or subcommittees to gather information and views from experts.

Markup

The process by which the members of legislative committee annotates a bill with suggested language for changes and amendments.

Report

A legislative committee's explanation to the full chamber of a bill and its intent.

Discharge Petition

A special tactic used to extract a bill from a committee to have it considered by the entire House.

Rules Committee

One of the most important committees in the House, which decides the length of debate and the score of amendments that will be allowed on a bill.

Unanimous Consent

An agreement by every senator to the terms of debate on a given piece of legislation.

Filibuster

A procedural move by a member of the senate to attempt to halt passage of a bill, during which the senator can speak for an unlimited time on the Senate floor.

Cloture

A procedural move in which a supermajority of 60 senators agree to end a filibuster.

Nuclear Option

A maneuver exercised by the president officer of the Senate in which a standard rule of the senate is overridden.

Conference Committee

A bicameral, bipartisan committee composed of legislators whose job it is to reconcile two versions of a bill.

Pocket Veto

A special presidential veto of a bill passed at the conclusion of a legislative session, whereby the president waits 10 days without signing the bill and the bill dies.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by the majority party.

House Majority Leader

The leader of the majority party, who helps the Speaker to develop and implement strategy and who works with other members of the House of Representatives.

Majority Whip

The go between with the majority leadership and party members in the House of Representatives.

House Minority Leaders

The leader of the minority party, whose job mirrors that of the majority leader but without the power that comes with holding a majority in the House of Representatives.

Minority Whip

The go between with the minority leadership, whose job mirrors that of the majority whip by without the power that comes from holding a majority in the House of Representatives.

President Pro Tempore

The Chair of the Senate in the Vice Presidents absence.

Senate Majority Leader

The most powerful position in the Senate; the legislative process and schedules debate on legislation.

Senate Minority Leader

The leader of the minority party in the Senate, who works with the majority leader in negotiating legislation.

Logrolling

The practice of members of Congress agreeing to vote for a bill in exchange for their colleague's vote on another bill.

Attentive Public

The segment of voters who pay careful attention to political issues.