GOV vocab chapter 5

Constituents

People represented by an elected official

Apportionment

The process of distributing seats in the House based on population

Appropriation

Money set aside by Congress for a specific purpose

Impeachment

Formal charge of wrongdoing against a government official

Oversight

Congress’s review and supervision of federal agencies and programs

Interest Groups

Organizations that try to influence public policy to benefit their members

Necessary & Proper Clause

Allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its powers

Indirect Tax

Tax collected by an intermediary, like sales tax

Direct Tax

Tax paid directly to the government, like income tax

Deficit

When the government spends more money than it collects

Commerce Clause

Congress can regulate trade between states and with other countries

Subpoenas

Legal orders to appear or produce documents in a court or investigation

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Court order to bring a prisoner before a judge to determine if detention is legal

Bill of Attainder

Law that punishes someone without a trial, illegal in the U.S.

Ex Post Facto Laws

Law that punishes actions retroactively, illegal in the U.S.

Levy

To impose a tax or fee

Litigation

Legal action or lawsuit

Reapportionment

Redistributing House seats after the census

Gerrymandering

Redrawing district lines to favor one party

Speaker of the House

Leader of the House of Representatives

Bill

A proposed law

Floor Leader

Party leader in Congress who guides strategy and debate

Chair

Person leading a committee

Whip

Party member who makes sure members vote according to the party line

Party Caucus

Meeting of party members in Congress

Standing Committees

Permanent committees that handle specific issues

Select Committees

Temporary committees for special purposes

Joint Committees

Committees with members from both House and Senate

Disfranchise

To take away the right to vote

President of the Senate

Vice President of the U.S., leads the Senate

President Pro Tempore

Senator who leads the Senate when VP is absent

Senate Majority Leader

Leads the majority party in the Senate

Seniority

Ranking based on length of service, often affects power

Rule

Regulation that guides how Congress debates and votes on bills

Filibuster

Long speech to delay or block a vote in the Senate

Cloture

Procedure to end a filibuster, requires 60 votes

Rider

Extra provision added to a bill, often unrelated

Joint Resolution

Law passed by both houses, often for special situations

Concurrent Resolution

Statement of opinion or action by both houses, doesn’t become law

Discharge Petition

Forces a bill out of committee and onto the floor

Committee of the Whole

Entire House acts as a single committee to speed up debate

Quorum

Minimum number of members needed to conduct business

Roll-Call Vote

Voting method where each member is recorded individually

Conference Committee

Resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

Pocket Veto

President indirectly vetoes a bill by not signing it before Congress adjourns