week 4

Bicameral legislature

A legislature that has two chambers (the House and the Senate, in the case of the United States).

Bill

A proposed law (legislative act) within Congress or another legislature.

Cloture

A parliamentary maneuver that, if a three-fifths majority votes for it, limits Senate debate to 30 hours and effectively defeats a filibuster.

Conference committee

A temporary committee formed to negotiate differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill.

Constituency

The people residing within the geographic area represented by an elected official.

Filibuster

A procedural tactic in the U.S. Senate that prevents a bill from coming to a vote by holding the floor.

Gerrymandering

The process by which the party in power draws election district boundaries to enhance the reelection prospects of its candidates.

Incumbent

The current holder of a particular public office.

Jurisdiction

The policy area in which a particular congressional committee is authorized to act.

Law

A legislative proposal that is passed by both the House and the Senate and is not vetoed by the president.

Lawmaking function

The authority of a legislature to make the laws necessary to carry out the government’s powers.

Midterm election

The congressional election that occurs midway through the president’s term of office.

Oversight function

A supervisory activity of Congress that ensures the executive carries out the laws faithfully.

Party caucus

A group that consists of a party’s members in the House or the Senate, electing the party’s leadership and setting policy goals.

Party leaders

Members chosen by the Democratic or Republican caucus to represent the party’s interests in each chamber.

Party unity

The degree to which a party’s members act as a unified group in legislative action.

Pork

Spending whose tangible benefits are targeted at a particular legislator’s constituency.

Reapportionment

The reallocation of House seats among states after each census due to population changes.

Redistricting

The process of altering election districts to equalize population, occurring every 10 years.

Representation function

The responsibility of a legislature to represent various interests in society.

Seniority

A member of Congress’s consecutive years of service on a particular committee.

Service strategy

Use of personal staff by members of Congress to perform services for constituents.

Standing committees

Permanent congressional committees responsible for a particular area of public policy.

Veto

The president’s rejection of a bill, preventing it from becoming law unless overridden by Congress.