Part 1 Terms Chapter 11

Biacameralism

The system of having two chambers within one legislative body, like the House and Senate in the U.S. Congress.

pork barrel

Legislative appropriations that benefit specific constituents, created with the aim of helping local representatives win reelection.

descriptive representation

When a member of Congress shares the characteristics (such as gender, race, religion, or ethnicity) of his or her constituents.

substantive representation

When a member of Congress represents constituents' interests and policy concerns.

Trustee Model

Model of representation in which a memebr of Congress represents contituents intrests while also taking to account national, collective, and moral concerns that somethings cause the memebr to vote agsint the preference of a majority of constituents

Delegate Model

Model of representation in which a member of Congress loyally represents constituents' direct interests.

Politico

A member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that constituents care about (such as immigration reform) and as a trustee on more complex or less salient issues (some foreign policy or regulatory matters).

Casework

Assistance provided by members of Congress to their constituents in solving problems with the federal bureaucracy or addressing other specific concerns.

Electoral Connection

the idea that congressional behavior is centrally motivated by members' desire for reelection

incumbency advantage

The relative infrequency with which members of Congress are defeated in their attempts for reelection.

Redistricting

Redrawing the geographic boundaries of legislative districts. This happens every 10 years to ensure that districts remain roughly equal in population.

Apportionment

The process of assigning the 435 seats in the House to the states based on increases or decreases in state population.

Baker v. Carr

case that established the principle of one man, one vote. This decision created guidelines for drawing up congressional districts and guaranteed a more equitable system of representation to the citizens of each state

Gerrymandering

attempting to use the process of re-drawing district boundaries to benefit a political party, protect incumbents, or change the proportion of minority voters in a district

Gridlock

An inability to enact legislation because of partisan conflict within Congress or between Congress and the president.

Logrolling

A form of reciprocity in which members of Congress support bills that they otherwise might not vote for in exchange for other members' votes on bills that are very important to them.

Earmarks

Federally funded local projects attached to bills passed through Congress.

Seniority

The informal congressional norm of choosing the member who has served the longest on a particular committee to be the committee chair.

Speaker of the House

The elected leader of the House of Representatives.

majority leader

The elected head of the party holding the majority of seats in the House of Senate

Whip System

An organization of House leaders who work to disseminate information and promote party unity in voting on legislation.

minoirty leader

The elected head of the party holding the minority of seats in the House or Senate

President Pro Tempore

A largely symbolic position usually held by the most senior member of the majority party in the Senate.

Roll Call Vote

A recorded vote on legislation; members may vote yes, no, abstain, or present.