ap gov congress and interest groups

trustee

• makes decisions based on their knowledge and judgment, an elected official who uses their own judgment, expertise, and conscience to make devisions for the public good

• trustee role:: idea that members of Congress should act as trustees

delegate

• a person who acts as the voters’ representative at a convention to select the party’s nominee

partisan

• to strongly support one political party or ideology, unwilling to compromise with opposing views, leads to legislative gridlock

politico

• representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions

grassroots lobbying

• mobilizing interest group members to pressure their representatives by contacting them directly through phone calls, email, and social media

incumbency advantage

• institutional advantages helf by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election

speaker of the house

• leader of the house of res, chosen by an election of its members

committee chair

• leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee’s agenda

majority leader

• head of the party with the most seats in Congress, chosen by the party’s members

minority leader

• head of the party with the second-highest number of seats in Congress, chosen by party’s members

president pro tempore

• senior senator of the majority party, elected to preside over the us senate in the absence of vp

committee chairs

• powerful majority party members leading congressional committees, controlling the agenda, scheduling meetings, deciding which bills get heard, managing hearings, and guiding legislation

whips

• senator or representative who works with the party leaders to communicate views, solicit support before votes are taken, and keep track of how voting is likely to go

standing committee

• permanent legislative panel in Congress established by chamber rules specializing in specific policy areas to handle bills, conduct oversight, and streamline majority legislative workload

select committee

• temporary congressional group formed for a specific purpose or crisis

conference committee

• temporary, joint committee of House and Senate members formed to resolve differences between the two chambers’ version of a bill, creating one final, identical bill that both House and Senate must approve of before going to the president

joint committee

• congressional group with members from both House and Senate formed to handle specific tasks, promotes cooperation between the chambers on issues of mutual interest

legislative caucus

• group of lawmakers with shared interests, ideologies, or backgrounds who meet to strategize and develop policy

rules committee

• powerful standing committee controlling the flow of legislation to the House floor, decides when and under what rules bills are debated and voted on

• gatekeeper for major legislation, usually controlled by the speaker

house and senate floor

• main chamber where all members gather to debate, amend, and vote on bills

rider

• controversial, unrelated provision added to a major bill to get it passed

• aka stealth legislation

germane

• amendment or provision directly relevant, pertinent, and closely related to the specific subject matter of the bill or motion it’s attached to

• ensures House focuses on one topic at a time, unlike Senate which allows broader non-germane amendments

pork barrel legislation

• legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states

logrolling

• trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation

oversight

• efforts by Congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals

filibuster

• tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation

cloture

• procedure through which senators can end a filibuster and proceed to action, provided 3/5 senators agree to it

veto

• formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of congress

pocket veto

• informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a sessions

discretionary spending

• spending for programs and policies at the discretion of congress and the president

entitlements

• benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income

mandatory spending

• spending required by existing laws that is “locked in” the budget

pluralism

• theory of governmental influence that views the distribution of political power among many competing groups as serving to keep any one of them in check

purposive incentives

• non-material rewards from joining an interest group, appealing to members’ values rather than money or social status

material incentives

• tangible or valuable benefits that motivate people to join or participate in an interest group or political movement

lobbying

• interacting with government officials in order to advance a group’s public policy goals

revolving door

• movement of individuals between government and lobbying positions