AP Government Congress Test Review

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to Congress and the legislative process useful for exam preparation.

House Rules Committee

A committee in the House of Representatives that determines the rules for debates on bills.

Open Rule

A procedural rule that allows for unrestricted debate and amendments on a bill.

Closed Rule

A rule that prohibits amendments to a bill, allowing only up or down votes.

Restrictive Rule

A rule that allows some amendments to a bill but not others during debate.

Continuous Body

A legislative body that is never entirely up for election at the same time.

Delegate Role

A role where representatives act according to the wishes of their constituents.

Trustee Role

A role where representatives use their own judgment to make decisions for their constituents.

Floor Debate

A bill is brought to the floor for the entire body to amend and debate on. (Please note the House and Senate do this separately.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the United States who presides over the Senate.

Majority leader

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

Minority Leader

The Legislative leader elected by the minority voters in seat of the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader

The head of the majority party in the Senate, responsible for legislative agenda.

President Pro-Tempore

Serves in absence of the President of the Senate (Vice-President) to reside over the Senate.

Riders

Amendments or provisions added to a bill that may not be related to the bill's main topic.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in Congress that addresses specific areas of legislation.

Select Committee

A temporary committee formed to hold hearings and investigate specific issues.

Conference Committee

A committee formed to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill.

Discharge Petition

A device that allows members of the House to force a bill to the floor for debate.

17th Amendment

Amendment that allowed for the direct election of U.S. Senators.

Gerrymandering

The deliberate manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a political party.

Incumbency

The status of currently holding an office, often providing advantages in elections.

V-Safe Districts

Electoral districts that are considered safe for one party, with little competition.

V-Marginal Districts

Electoral districts with competitive elections that can easily switch parties.

Filibuster

A tactic used to delay or block legislative action in the Senate.

Cloture

A procedure to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.

Divided Government

A situation where the presidency and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by different parties.

Mandatory Spending

Spending that is required by law, such as entitlement programs.

Discretionary Spending

Optional spending that is subject to annual budget decisions.

Baker v. Carr

A landmark Supreme Court case that ruled on redistricting and the principle of 'one person, one vote'.

Shaw v. Reno

A Supreme Court case concerning racial gerrymandering and equal protection.

Pork Barrel Legislation

Government spending for localized projects secured solely to bring money to a representative's district.

Key Differences in the House of Representatives

• Must be 25 years of age

• Citizen of U.S for 7 years

• 435 members

• 2 year term

• Many rules / formal

• Limited debate time

• Inhabit the state you’re from (with exceptions)

Key differences in the Senate

• Must be 30 years old

• Citizen of U.S for 9 years

• 100 members

• 6 year term

• Few rules / less formal

• No time limit