Congress Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, leadership roles, committees, and rules governing the U.S. Congress.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislative assembly composed of two separate houses, such as the U.S. Congress, which consists of a House of Representatives and the Senate.

Bill

A statute in draft before it becomes law.

Caucus

An association of members of Congress created to advocate on behalf of a political ideology, a constituency, or regional or economic interests. Almost a hundred of these groups now exist, and they rival political parties as a source of policy leadership.

Cloture Rule

Rule 22 of the Senate, providing for the end of debate on a bill if three-fifths of the members agree. A cloture motion is brought to the floor if sixteen senators sign a petition. The purpose is to end a filibuster and to force a vote on a bill.

Conference Committee

A special type of joint committee appointed to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation.

Constituency

The body of voters who elect a representative for their area.

Filibuster

A prolonged speech or series of speeches made to delay action on legislation in the Senate. The purpose is to kill the bill by talking it to death. The idea is that through continuous talking you would prevent the bill from coming to a vote.

Impeach

A formal accusation against a public official by the lower house of a legislative body.

Majority Leader

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Minority Leader

The head of the minority party in each house of Congress, chosen by the caucus of the minority party. This person formulates the minority party’s strategy and program.

President Pro Tempore

A position created in the Constitution to serve as presiding officer of the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. Typically held by the senior member of the majority party in the Senate. This person is in direct line of succession to the presidency.

Quorum

The minimum number of representatives required to be in attendance to conduct official business.

Seventeenth Amendment

A constitutional amendment ratified in 1913 requiring the popular election of U.S. senators. Senators were previously chosen by state legislatures.

Speaker of the House

The constitutionally mandated presiding officer of the House of Representatives. The Speaker is chosen in the caucus of the majority party and is empowered to recognize members to speak on the floor, to rule whether a motion is germane, to assign bills to committee, to appoint House members to select and joint committees, and to appoint the majority members to the Rules Committee.

Standing Committees

The permanent committees of each house with the power to report bills.

Whip

Members of the party leadership in each house who help the party leader stay informed about what the party members are thinking, round up members when important votes are taken, and attempt to keep a nose count of how the voting on a controversial issue is likely to go.