2.2 AP Comp Gov Vocab

cloture rule

Forces a ⅗ vote to end filibuster. (anyone in senate can filibuster but only house leadership can)

Committee of the Whole

The whole membership of a legislative house sitting as a committee and operating under informal rules.

conference committees

Composed of both Senate and House members to make compromises.

deficit

More spent than revenues generated.

discharge petitions

Used to force a bill to be discharged from committee.

discretionary spending

Spending on programs controlled through budget.

filibuster

Prolonged debate to delay vote.

germane

An amendment to a bill relevant to the subject being amended.

hold

A procedural practice in the Senate that allows a senator to temporarily block a bill or nomination from being considered

joint committees

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

logrolling

Trading favor in return for compromises

mandatory spending

funding for Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits, and other spending required by law

omnibus bill

a single legislative bill that combines multiple, often unrelated, smaller bills into one large package, allowing for a single vote on a wide range of issue

pork-barrel spending

legislator's practice of slipping funding for a local project into a larger appropriations bill.

President of the Senate

the Vice President of the United States, who is constitutionally designated to preside over the Senate and has the power to cast tie-breaking votes when necessary

president pro tempre

a Senate leadership position where a Senator, usually from the majority party, is elected to preside over the Senate when the Vice President (who is the nominal President of the Senate) is absent

riders

an additional provision or amendment attached to a bill, often unrelated to the main subject of the bill, which is used to secure its passage by attaching it to a must-pass piece of legislation

rules committee

Permanent committee that determines the rules of debating

select committe

Committee formed around a specific, non permanent issue

sente majority leader

the elected leader of the political party with the most seats in the Senate,

speaker of the house

Recognizes representatives to speak during debate, second in line for pres after VP , voted on by the majority party

sponsor

ontroduces and/or authors a bill

unanimous consent

a procedure in the Senate where a legislative action is approved without a formal vote, as long as no single Senator objects to it

ways and means committee

the oldest committee of the United States Congress, and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives.

whip

an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline