AP GOVPOL Mr. Lee Vocab 112

Baker v. Carr

Helped establish the "one person-one vote" principle that greatly expanded democratic participation and the voting rights of minorities

Cloture rule

Requires 2/3s supermajority to close up or stop debate on a bill and call for a vote

Committee of the Whole

Allows for longer debate among fewer people, vote as a group instead of individuals, and when they are done reshaping/examining a bill, returns it to Congress

Committee on Committees (R) and Steering and Policy Committee (D)

Both determine which of their members are assigned to the standing committees

Conference chair

Takes care of party matters like heading the organization of party centered groups

Conference committees

Created temporarily to compromise on similar bills that passed each house

Congressional oversight

Ensures that executive branch agencies carry out the policy/program as defined by Congress

Deficit

The difference between spending and revenue

Delegate model

Members of Congress trying to reflect the will of their constituency

Discharge petition

Brings a bill out of a reluctant committee to keep bills moving

Discretionary spending

Optional spending that congressional committees debate and decide how to divvy

Earmark/Pork barrel spending

Funds directed for a specific purpose

Expressed powers

Powers specifically stated in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution

Filibuster

Stall or even kill a bill by speaking for a long time to let time run out on a bill

Floor leaders

Lead debate among their party and guide discussion from their side of the aisle

Germane

Staying on the topic of a bill

Gerrymandering

Illogical district lines drawn to give the advantage to one party

Gridlock

Congestion from opposing sides that nothing can move forward

Hold

Measure to stall a bill

House Judiciary Committee

Draft crime bills that define illegal behavior and outline appropriate punishments

Implied powers

Powers not stated but required to fulfill duties via necessary and proper clause

Joint committees

Unite members from the House and the Senate and do routine research activities

Logrolling

Trading votes to gain support for a bill

Marginal seats/Swing districts

Districts with closer elections where the vote may go either way

Markup session

Process by which the bill is altered by conference committees

Multiple referral

Allowing several committees to review a bill simultaneously

Non-germane amendments/Riders

Additional bills that attach onto often an unrelated bill for someone else's benefit

Omnibus bill

A very large bill that takes care of several facets of laws or multiple programs

Politico model

Attempts to blend delegate and trustee model

President of the Senate

Vice president is the leader of the senate and can cast a vote to break a tie only

President pro tempore

Temporary president from the majority when the vice president is not in Senate

Reapportionment

Changing the distribution of US congressional seats according to census changes

Redistricting

Reshaping of congressional districts every ten years

Rules Committee

Reflects the will of House leadership and majority caucus and nothing gets to the House floor for debate unless it's allowed by this

Whip

Deputy floor leader in charge of party discipline and tallies votes for optimum voting

Safe seats

Districts where a party wins more than 55% of the vote consistently

Ways and Means Committee

Committee exclusive to the House that determines tax policy

Select committees

Created for a particular and temporary purpose to perform a study/investigation

War Powers Act

Gives president 48 hours to start combat and 60 days to fight, with an optional 30 day extension. If Congress does not approve funding, US forces must withdraw

Senate majority leader

Sets legislative calendar and determines which bills reach the floor for debate

Unanimous consent

Approval of all Senators

Sequential referral

Allowing one committee priority to review a bill before others

Trustee model

Representatives believe they are entrusted by their constituents to use best judgment regardless of how constituents may view an issue

Shaw v. Reno

Decided racial gerrymandering was unconstitutional

Standing committee

Permanent committees focused on particular subjects under rules of each house

Speaker of the House

Top of power pyramid in the House, recognize member for speaking, organizes committees, and has great influence in law making

Sponsor

Member who introduces a bill and typically assumes authorship