Topic 2.2 Congress: Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress

appropriations bill

An act of Congress that actually funds programs within limits established by authorization bills. Appropriations usually cover one year. money set aside for specific spending on roads, schools, other governments in states, etc

bipartisan

The adjective bipartisan can refer to any political act in which both of the two major political parties agree about all or many parts of a political choice. Bipartisanship involves trying to find common ground, but there is debate whether the issues needing common ground are peripheral or central ones.

authorization bill

An act of Congress that establishes, continues, or changes a discretionary government program or an entitlement. It specifies program goals and maximum expenditures for discretionary programs.Authorizations bills can recommend funding levels for the agencies and programs they authorize, but their recommendations are non-binding. It is the appropriations bills that determine how much funding those agencies and programs will get.

budget process

the procedure by which Congress assesses revenues and sets budgets. The House and Senate create their own budget resolutions, which must be negotiated and merged. Both houses must pass a single version of each funding bill. Congress sends the approved funding bills to the president to sign or veto.

budget resolution

Its purpose is to create enforceable parameters within which Congress can consider legislation dealing with spending and revenue. The budget resolution also often includes other matters such as reconciliation directives or procedures necessary to carry out the Budget Act. How much money can they spend?

bundling

Bundling refers to the legal practice of combining several small individual campaign contributions into one large contribution.

casework

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get the work that a lawmaker does to help constituents with a problem

continuing resolutions

A emergency budget extension measure that Congress passes when a full budget law has not been completed by the beginning of the new fiscal year (October 1). Avoids government shutdown. laws that allow agencies to spend at the previous year's level.

deficits and debts

When the government runs a deficit, the debt increases; when the government runs a surplus, the debt shrinks. The national debt enables the federal government to pay for important programs and services even if it does not have funds immediately available, often due to a decrease in revenue. Decreases in federal revenue coupled with increased government spending further increases the deficit. They do this to control the economy

earmarks

Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.
If the Administration asks for $100 million for formula grants, for example, and Congress provides $110 million and places restrictions (such as site-specific locations) on the additional $10 million, the additional $10 million is counted as an earmark.

entitlements

Entitlement programs are either financed from Federal trust funds or paid out of the general revenues. Those paid out of the general revenues are income redistribution programs intended to address problems such as illness and poverty.

filibuster and cloture

Senate Rule XXII, however, known as the cloture rule, enables Senators to end a filibuster on any debatable matter the Senate is considering. Sixteen Senators initiate this process by presenting a motion to end the debate

fiscal policies of Congress

the U.S. Congress passes laws and appropriates spending for any fiscal policy measures

Congress has a big role to play in fiscal policy. It is one of the bodies that help shape the country's spending and tax policies

fiscal year

The accounting period for the federal government that begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.

based on planning for the fed budget

Hastert Rule

A rule adopted by Republicans in the U.S. House, under which a Republican Speaker will not bring a measure to the floor for a vote unless it has the support of a majority of the Republican members
This is to make sure their stuff gets passed

hearings

sessions held by committees or subcommittees to gather information and conduct reviews of what needs to be addressed and make sure everything is running smoothly, or review bills, etc.

investigative powers

The power, exercised by the House, the Senate, or both chambers jointly, to investigate problems facing the state

Senate investigations have uncovered wrongdoing, punished transgressors, and produced legislation aimed at prohibiting similar abuse

Maybe there is a governor, let’s say in Kentucky, who is abusing his powers to make laws, and they are violating constitutional rights

logrolling

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills

I scratch your back, you scratch mine

nuclear option

The term "nuclear option" is an analogy to nuclear weapons being the most extreme option in warfare. The nuclear option can be invoked by a senator raising a point of order that contravenes a standing rule.

They can override a standing rule in a dire situation

OMB v CBO

Office of Management & Budget (OMB) is the government office that manages the federal budget.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a government agency that provides economic data to Congress.

Basically, this is all of the big picture money managing

omnibus

An omnibus spending bill is a type of bill in the United States that packages many of the smaller ordinary appropriations bills into one larger single bill that can be passed with only one vote in each house of Congress.

They can spend more on more in one pass

oversight

Congressional oversight is oversight by the United States Congress over the executive branch, including the numerous U.S. federal agencies. Congressional oversight includes the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation.

make sure that president can not just do whatever whenever (make trites go to war etc)

pork

metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured
Public works projects, certain national defense spending projects, and agricultural subsidies are the most commonly cited examples.

riders

Amendments to bills, often in the form of appropriations, that sometimes have nothing to do with the intent of the bill itself and many times are considered to be pork barrel legislation

This is like a ride along on a bill in order to get something else done sometimes in hopes of not getting noticed so that things some but not all want passed will be passed by all to pass the main thing

Senatorial Advice and Consent

Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
this is to make sure that one party cannot make huge decisions like this without being backed my another branch

subpoena powers

Allows them to force people to show in court or submit documents

when a investment firm is under investigation for insider trading or any other illegal activities they might be subpoenaed for documents that would show this