Legislative Branch

Term

Amount of time served in elected position; Congressmen have 2 year terms and Senators have 6 year terms

Congressional Term

Begins January 3rd in odd number years. Each has two sessions.

Session

Meeting of the Legislative Branch. Period of time where those elected to Congress work. There are 2 sessions in every Congressional term. Similar to a school year.

Congressmen

Those elected to the House of Representatives. 2 year terms. Must be 25 years old, a citizen for 7 years and elected from district where they live.

Senators

Those elected to Senate. 6 year terms. Must be 30 years old, a citizen for 9 years and elected from the state where they live.

District

Portion of. the state that an elected official represents in the House of Representatives.

At-Large

Elected to represent an entire state in Senate.

Adjourn

When Congress stops working. Similar to ending school for the summer.

17th Amendment

People directly elect Senators instead of state legislatures.

27th Amendment

Raises for Congress don't go into effect until the next term.

Slander

Something said (spoken) that is not true.

Libel

Something written that is not true.

Reprimand

To official scold someone, usually by letter.

Censure

Vote of formal disapproval of a member of Congress. Misconduct and formal punishment read on Congress floor.

Expulsion

Member of Congress removed from office after a vote for treason or accepting bribes.

Census

Population count of a state to determine the number of Congressional districts in a state.

Reapportionment

The number of representatives each state will have for 10 years. Determined after the census.

Redistricting

The process of setting up new district lines after the census and reapportionment.

Gerrymandering

Drawing district boundaries to give one party an electoral advantage. Districts may look like a "Z" or "S".

Packing

Drawing district lines so they include as many of the opposing party's voters as possible. Crowding the opposition's voters into other districts to weaken the opponent's voter base.

Cracking

Dividing an opponent's voters into other districts to weaken the opponent's voter base.

The Connecticut Compromise (The Great Compromise)

Representation for states in House of Representatives based on population (for large states) and representation for states in Senate is equal (for small states). Compromise to get states to ratify the Constitution.

Bicameral

2 Houses

Purposes of Legislative Branch

Make laws

Committees

Helps Congress divide and organize work

Caucus

Closed meeting held by political parties to pick leaders

Leaders of House and Senate

Unify party members and get them to support party platforms by passing bills related to the goals of the party

Speaker of the House

Presides over the House of Representatives. Leader of majority party.

Majority and Minority Floor Leaders

Elected by party. Plans party legislative program. Steers important bills through Congress.

Majority and Minority Whips

Assistant Floor Leaders. Watch how members vote on bills. Make sure members present to vote.

Quorum

MInimum number of Representatives needed to conduct business

Committee of the Whole

100 members needed to debate and amend legislation before reporting back to a full House for a vote

Filibuster

Talking a bill to death

Cloture

Procedure to stop a filibuster by 60 or 3/5 Senate votes

Vice President

Not elected to Senate. Presides over Senate. Only votes to break ties.

Standing Committee

Permanent Committees that review bills based on topic/issue

Select Committee

Temporary or Specific Committee to study an issue i.e. Select Committee on Benghazi or Select Committee on Doping in Baseball

Joint Committee

Temporary or permanent committee; Member from both houses of Congress serve to coordinate work of both houses

Conference Committee

Temporary committee to reconcile a bill between House and Senate

Two types of Congressional Support

Trained Staff (Administrative Assistant, Legislative Assistant, Caseworker) and Support Agencies (Library of Congress, CBO, GAO, GPO)

Library of Congress

Research arm for Congress; Largest library in the world

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

Coordinates the budget work for Congress

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Watches how Congress appropriates money

Government Printing Office

Does printing for entire federal government

Ohio General Assembly

Legislative Branch in Columbus, Ohio

Council-Manager Form Of Council

Kent, Ohio city government; Council members and hired manager; weak Mayor