AP Government Unit 4

incumbents

those individuals who already hold office who are running for reelection. they usually win the election

casework/ constituent services

activities of members of congress that help constituents as individuals, particularly by cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get

pork barrel

federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district

bicameral legislature

a legislature divided into houses. congress and all state legislatures except Nebraska's are this

House Rules Committee

the committee in the House that reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full house

filibuster

a strategy only in the Senate where opponents of a piece of legislation use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate form ever voting on a bill

Speaker of the House

an office mandated by the Constitution. example: Paul Ryan

majority leader

the principle partisan all of the Speaker of the House or the majority party's manager in the Senate. responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes on behalf of the party's legislative positions

whip

party leaders who work with the majority leader to count voted beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to the passage of a favored bill

minority leader

principal leader of the minority part in the House or Senate

standing committees

committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas

joint committees

committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses

conference committees

committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a bill in different forms. members create a compromise bill

select committees

committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation

oversight

congress's monitoring of the executive branch bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through committee hearings

committee chairs

leader of committees who schedule hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house; have important influence on the congressional agenda

seniority system

a simple rule for picking committee chairs by the member who has served on the committee the longest and whose party controls the chamber becoming chair

caucus

a group of members of congress sharing some interest or characteristic

bill

a proposed law drafted in legal language

bipartisan

of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies.

Christmas Tree Bill

referring to a bill that attracts many, often unrelated, floor amendments

closed rule

is a procedural maneuver that prohibits any amendments to bills up for a vote on the House floor, unless they are recommended by the committee reporting the bill

cloture

a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.

consitutent

being a voting member of a community or organization and having the power to appoint or elect

delegate

a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference

discharge petition

a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from the committee by "discharging" the committee from further consideration of a bill or resolution

earmark

a congressional directive that funds should be spent on a specific project

Franking Privilege

allows Members of Congress to transmit mail matter under their signature without postage

policy generalists

have vague and general ideals on policies

policy specialists

particular subject and become a subject matter expert to know about the laws and government in that area

open rule

a set of regulations for debate on the floor of the House of Representatives which permits general debate and allows members to offer amendments

override

use one's authority to reject or cancel

partisan

strong allegiance to one's own political party, often leading to unwillingness to compromise with members of the opposing party

party caucus

A meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of policy

pocket veto

A form of veto in which the president fails to sign a bill passed by both houses within ten days and Congress has adjourned during that time

president pro tempore

a high-ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate in the absence of the vice president

reapportionment

Redistribution of representation in a legislative body, especially the periodic re-allotment of US congressional seats according to changes in the census figures as required by the Constitution

redistricting

divide or organize into new political districts

resolution

a firm decision to do or not to do something

concurrent resolution

a resolution adopted by both houses of a legislative assembly that does not require the signature of the chief executive and that does not have the force of law

rider

an additional provision added to a bill or other measure under the consideration by a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill

safe seat

An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted

senatorial courtesy

a system in which the president submits the name of a candidate for judicial appointment to the senators from the candidate's state before formally submitting it for full senate approval

trustee

congressmen who use their own best interest

mark-up

process by which a U.S congressional committee or state legislative session debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation

logrolling

legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support in his or her

power, salary, and health benefits

why would someone want to be a congressman?

25 years old and citizen for 7 years

requirements to be a US House representative

30 years old and citizen for 9 years

requirements to be US Senator

reside in state

characteristic required for both House and Senate members

no

is the makeup of congress proportional to American society?

no

are men and women seen equally in elections?

election of incumbent

what is the most predictable aspect of congressional elections?

yes

are incumbents successful in reelection bids?

scandal/corruption, gerrymandering, and party favor flips

when are incumbents most vulnerable at election time?

senate

is filibustering in the Senate or House?

House Rules Committee in the House and filibustering in the Senate

what is a major difference in passing a bill between senate and House

conference, joint, standing, special/select

name all the committees in congress

long term

are standing committees long term or short term?

both

are joint committees long term or short term?

short term

are conference committees long term or short term?

long term

are special/ select committees long term or short term?

anyone

who can write a bill?

an elected member

who can purpose a bill to congress?

white house and interest groups

where does congress get ideas for bills?

polarized politics

refers to the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes

listen, ignore, or ideology

what are the three "roles" legislators can play when deciding their position on a policy?

lobbyists

former congress members who take part in trying to influence legislators

435

how many representatives in the House?

100

how many senators?

descriptive representation

representing constituents by reflecting their personal, politically relevant characteristics

substantive representation

speak for the interests of groups to which they do not belong

childcare, bias, consideration of risk

why are there not more women running/elected for congress?

advertising, credit claiming, position taking, weak opponents, and campaign spending

name the five advantages of incumbency

when an incumbent is not running

when does the most overturn occur?

the House

where do bills dealing with revenue originate?

60

how many votes are required for cloture?

by the majority party

how is the Speaker of the House elected?

vice president

who is president of the senate?

majority leader

who is the most powerful leader in the senate?

ways and means committee

committee that deals with taxes for the House

rules committee

committee that creates rule for the House