Unit 2

Apportionment

The process that determines the number of representatives a state is allotted in the House of Representatives.

Reapportionment

The redistribution of seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes.

Census

A population count that occurs every 10 years to inform reapportionment.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing district lines to benefit a particular political party; prohibited.

Speaker of the House

Elected leader of the House of Representatives who assigns committee memberships and schedules bills.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or prevent a vote on a bill by engaging in prolonged debate.

Joint Resolution

Legislation used for continuing or emergency resolutions, declaring war, or amending the constitution.

Concurrent Resolution

Resolutions that make or amend rules that apply to both houses but do not require the president's signature.

Executive Order

A directive issued by the president that manages the operations of the federal government.

Iron Triangle

A relationship between Congress, Bureaucracy, and interest groups that can shape policies.

Judicial Review

The power of the judicial branch to determine whether laws or actions are constitutional.

Chief Executive

The role of the president in overseeing the federal bureaucracy and administration of laws.

Pardons

The power of the president to forgive individuals for federal crimes, effectively eliminating penalties.

Mandatory Spending

Expenditures that are required by law and cannot be easily changed, like national debt payments.

Discretionary Spending

Government spending that is not mandatory and can be adjusted by Congress in the yearly budget.

Judicial Restraint

The philosophy that judges should avoid making policy and limit their role to interpreting the law.

Judicial Activism

The approach where judges are willing to interpret the Constitution boldly to address social issues.

Dissenting Opinion

An opinion issued by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion in a Supreme Court ruling.

Federal Bureaucratic Agencies

Agencies created by Congress to oversee specific areas of public policy and government functions.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

An agency responsible for regulating environmental protection and enforcing laws aimed at maintaining clean air and water.

Department of Education

The federal agency that manages national education policies, funding, and programs.

Department of the Treasury

The agency responsible for managing government revenue, including the issuance of currency and collection of taxes.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The principal federal investigative agency and domestic intelligence service responsible for upholding and enforcing federal laws.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

An independent agency responsible for gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world.

Social Security Administration (SSA)

An agency that administers social security, including retirement and disability benefits.