GoPo Chapter 4 Key Concepts

Advise and Consent

Power that allows senators to recommend or reject major presidential appointments, including cabinet members and federal judges.

Bicameral

Two-House Legislator

Caucuses

Congressional groups of like minded people, that usually unite around a particular belief or concern.

Enumerated Powers

(Also known as expressed powers) that are expressly given to the US Congress by the Constitution; they are listed out in Article I Section 8.

Implied Powers

Powers given to Congress based of of the necessary and proper clause that implies that the national legislature can make additional laws intended to take care of the items in the enumerated list.

House of Representatives

The most representative, more structured, level of Congress that is made of representation based on the census. 

Senate

The less representative, less structured, level of Congress that provides an equal 2 representatives per state.

17th Amendment

Allowed for the people to elect their senators. Transitioning from and elite democracy to a participatory democracy.

War Powers Act

The law reigns in executive power by requiring the president to inform Congress within 48 hours of committing U.S. forces to combat. Also, requiring Congress to vote within 60 days to approve any military force.

Speaker of the House

The only House leadership position mentioned in the Constitution. The leader of the majority party and wields significant power.

Whip

The leader of party discipline, they keep a tally of votes, communicate leadership views, and in charge of party discipline.

President of the Senate

The vice president, who is mostly absent, but has the power to break a tie in the Senate.

President pro tempore

Traditionally the most senior member of the majority party who acts as chair in the absence of the vice president.

Senate Majority Leader

More powerful than the vice president and pro tempore, they are the first person in debate, they set the legislative calendar, and determines which bills reach the floor for debate and which do not.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees focused on a particular policy area.

Ways and Means Committee

A committee exclusive to the House that determines tax policies.

Joint Committee

Members of both the House and Senate that address a long term issue or program.

Select/Special Committees

Temporary committee that handles a particular issue or investigation into a topic.

Conference Committees

Temporary committee that House and Senate members use to come together and reconcile two versions of a similar bill.

Germane Amendments

Amendments proposed that are directly related to the legislation under consideration at that time.

House Rules Committee

Sometimes referred to as the “traffic cop.” They decide which bills get talked about, for how long, what amendments are added and when bills are brought to the floor.

House Committee of the Whole

A state of operation where House rules are more relaxed. Created to allow longer debate among less people and to vote in a group rather than individually. The non-voting representatives (Guam, D.C., Puerto Rico…) are allowed to vote in this committee.

Discharge Petition 

Used only in the House in an attempt (usually by the minority party) to pull a bill out of committee and bring it to the floor for a vote.

Filibuster

A tactic in which a Senator can stall or kill a bill by talking for a very long time until the deadline for voting has passed or to block a nomination.

Hold

A measure to stall a bill.

Cloture Rule

(aka Rule 22 of the Senate.) It enables and requires a vote of sixty to stop debate on a bill and call for a vote.

Sponsor

The member who introduces the law and typically assumes authorship.

Riders

Nongermane amendments: typically added to benefit a member’s own programs or to enhance political chances of the bill.

Omnibus Bill

“Christmas Tree Bills” A bill with multiple riders, allowing multiple gifts to be delivered in the forms of special projects.

Pork-Barrel Spending

Legislative funding for unnecessary projects that favor the district of a particular legislator.

Logrolling

When one member of Congress supports the bill of another member of Congress in order to receive support for their own bill. Sometimes referred to as vote trading.

Mandatory Spending

Payment required by law or mandate for certain programs.

Deficit

The amount by which government expenditures are greater than        tax collections in a given year. (Spending - Revenue)

Discretionary Spending

Funding that congressional committees debate and decide how to divide up, that is not required.

Gridlock

The “congestion” of opposing forces that prevents ideas from moving forward.

Delegate Model

Those members of Congress who are trying to reflect the will of their own constituency.

Trustee Model

A Congressperson believes that they are entrusted by their constituency to use their best judgement, regardless of constituents may view an issue.

Politico Model

Prior to voting on a bill a member of Congress acts on behalf of which political calculations make the most sense to them at the time.

Baker Vs. Carr

6-2 win for Baker.

Gave SCOTUS the power to render judgment on the constitutionality of legislative districts and created the principle of “one person one vote.”

Gerrymandering

Illogical district lines drawn to give one party an advantage.

Shaw Vs. Reno

5-4 win for Shaw.

The court found that the North Carolina district, meant to ensure a “minority-majority” district, was still found to be racial gerrymandering. The court cited that it would set a dangerous precedent for racial inequality.

Racial Gerrymandering

The intentional drawing of legislative districts on the basis of race.

Power of the Purse

The power to control money in Congress.

Casework

The response or services that Members of Congress provide to constituents who request assistance.

Oversight

The United States Congress has the authority to conduct hearings, investigations, and budget reviews of the actions by the executive branch.

Reapportionment

The process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census.

Senate

The number of members is 100 and they are elected to office every six years.

Swing District

House districts that have close competitive elections and do not lean to a Democratic or Republican candidate.