Unit Two Vocab

Congress

The bicameral legislative branch of the federal government, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives

Senate

House of Representatives

Lower chamber of Congress; 435 members, apportioned by population, 2-year terms

Apportionment

The process of distributing House seats among states based on population after each census

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional district boundaries, done by state legislatures every 10 years

Gerrymandering

Drawing district lines to give one party an electoral advantage

Incumbent

A current officeholder running for reelection; incumbents have a strong electoral advantage

Filibuster

A Senate tactic where a member speaks indefinitely to delay or block a vote

Cloture

A vote to end a filibuster; requires 60 senators to invoke

Unanimous Consent

An agreement by all senators to set terms for debating a bill

Standing Committee

A permanent congressional committee that handles legislation in a specific policy area

Select Committee

A temporary committee created for a specific purpose or investigation

Joint Committee

A committee with members from both the House and Senate

Conference Committee

A temporary joint committee that reconciles differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

Markup

The process by which a committee revises and amends a bill before sending it to the floor

Rider

An unrelated provision added to a bill to help it pass or to sneak through legislation

Pocket Veto

When the president kills a bill by not signing it within 10 days while Congress is adjourned

Line-Item Veto

The power to veto specific parts of a bill (presidents don't have this; ruled unconstitutional)

Override

Congress can override a presidential veto with a 2/3 vote in both chambers

Discharge Petition

A petition signed by a majority of House members to force a bill out of committee

Rules Committee

House committee that sets the terms for debate on a bill (time limits, amendments allowed)

Pork Barrel Legislation

Spending on projects that benefit a specific district to help a member get reelected

Earmark

Funds designated for a specific project in a member's district

Logrolling

Vote trading — members agree to support each other's bills

Casework

Services performed by members of Congress to help constituents with government problems

Delegate Model

The idea that representatives should vote however their constituents want

Trustee Model

The idea that representatives should use their own judgment to vote for the public good

Politico Model

Representatives act as delegates sometimes and trustees other times depending on the issue

President Pro Tempore

The senator who presides over the Senate in the VP's absence; usually the longest-serving majority senator

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Representatives; second in line to the presidency

Majority Leader

The floor leader of the majority party in each chamber

Minority Leader

The floor leader of the minority party in each chamber

Whip

A party official who ensures members vote along party lines

Expressed Powers (Article II)

Powers explicitly given to the president by the Constitution

Commander in Chief

The president's role as head of the military

Executive Order

A directive issued by the president that has the force of law without congressional approval

Executive Agreement

An international agreement made by the president without Senate ratification

Treaty

A formal agreement with a foreign nation that requires 2/3 Senate approval

Veto

The president's power to reject legislation passed by Congress

Signing Statement

A written statement by the president when signing a bill, often noting how they interpret it

State of the Union

The president's annual address to Congress outlining legislative priorities

Bully Pulpit

The president's ability to use the prestige of the office to influence public opinion

Cabinet

The heads of the 15 executive departments who advise the president

Bureaucracy

The complex system of federal agencies and departments that implement policy

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Agencies that directly support and advise the president (e.g., NSC, OMB, CEA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Prepares the federal budget and oversees executive agencies

Iron Triangle

The stable relationship between congressional committees, interest groups, and bureaucratic agencies

Issue Network

A looser, more complex web of relationships among groups that influence policy

Spoils System (Patronage)

Giving government jobs to political supporters rather than based on merit

Civil Service

The system of hiring government workers based on merit through competitive exams (Pendleton Act)

Merit System

Hiring and promotion based on qualifications and performance, not political connections

Bureaucratic Discretion

The ability of agencies to make choices about how to implement laws

Regulation

Rules issued by bureaucratic agencies that have the force of law

Rulemaking

The process by which agencies create regulations to implement laws

Judicial Review

The power of courts to strike down laws or executive actions as unconstitutional

Original Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a case first (Supreme Court has this in limited cases)

Appellate Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts

Stare Decisis

The principle of following precedent in court decisions ("let the decision stand")

Precedent

A prior court ruling that guides future decisions on similar issues

Judicial Activism

The philosophy that courts should interpret the Constitution broadly and take an active role in policy

Judicial Restraint

The philosophy that courts should defer to elected branches and interpret the Constitution narrowly

Strict Construction

Interpreting the Constitution only based on its literal text

Loose Construction

Interpreting the Constitution more broadly, inferring powers beyond the text

Majority Opinion

The official ruling of the Supreme Court, agreed upon by more than half the justices

Dissenting Opinion

A written opinion by justices who disagree with the majority ruling

Concurring Opinion

A written opinion by justices who agree with the ruling but for different reasons

Amicus Curiae Brief

A "friend of the court" brief filed by outside parties to provide additional perspective

Writ of Certiorari

An order by the Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision; requires 4 of 9 justices (Rule of Four)

Solicitor General

The government official who represents the federal government before the Supreme Court

Senatorial Courtesy

The tradition of consulting senators from a nominee's home state before appointing federal judges