AP Government - Congress

Incumbents

Those already holding office. In congressional elections, they usually win.

Casework

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.

Pork Barrel

The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature divided into two houses. The U.S. Congress and every American state legislature except Nebraska's are this.

House Rules Committee

A powerful committee unique to the House of Representatives that determines the rules for debate and amendment of legislation. It plays a key role in controlling the legislative agenda and ensuring that bills proceed efficiently through the House.

Filibuster

A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate. Today, 60 members present and voting can halt this.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, responsible for leading debate, controlling the agenda, and ensuring order during sessions. Also has power over committee assignments.

Majority Leader

The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's manager in the Senate. The majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions.

Minority Leader

The principal leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.

Standing Committees

Separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas.

Joint Committees

Congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.

Conference Committees

Congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.

Select Committees

Congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation.

Oversight power

The power for Congress to investigate the executive branch. Congress' monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings and investigations to ensure that laws are implemented effectively and to hold officials accountable.

Committee Chairs

The most important influencers of the congressional agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

Seniority system

A simple rule for picking committee chairs, in effect until the 1970s. The member who had served the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of the party loyalty, mental state, or competence.

Caucus (congressional)

A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.

Bill

A proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language. Anyone can draft one of this, but only a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate can formally submit it for consideration.

Impeach

The first step of the process to remove a president from office in which someone is accused of misconduct. It takes place in the House and is started by the Judiciary committee.

Subpoena

Legal order to appear in congress to testify

Revenue bill

Proposed law to raise money - Tax; Article I of the Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in the House of Representatives.

Appropriation

Money that Congress has allocated to be spent

Authorization

Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency; authorization bill may grant permission to spend a certain amount of money, but that money is not available until it is appropriated

Veto

A president's attempt to kill a bill. It is a presidential check on the legislative branch

Examples of Denied powers

Tax exports, suspend writs of habeas corpus, pass bills of attainder, pass ex post facto laws

Checks and balances

Limits and controls each branch has on the other to keep one branch from gaining more power.

Where money bills originate

The House of Representatives

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

Support agency for Congress that coordinates the budget work of congress

President Pro Tempore

The second in command in the Senate. they serve as a substitute when the Vice President is busy. The position is appointed by the majority party and is 4th in line for presidential succession.

President of the Senate

The position is automatically held by the Vice President. Breaks ties.

Whips

Leadership positions in both the House and Senate that primarily assists floor leaders; they “whip” up votes of their party members and act as a go-between members and leadership.

Quorum

Minimum number of Representatives that must be present in order for a vote to take place in the House

25 years

Minimum age for a U.S. Representative

30 years

Minimum age for a U.S. Senator

2 years

Term of office for a U.S. Representative

6 years

Term of office for a U.S. Senator

Gerrymander

The practice of drawing district boundaries in a way that gives one political party an advantage over others, often resulting in oddly shaped districts.

Reapportionment

The term for the distribution of House of Representative seats among the states based on census results

Census

A formal count of the population every ten years. The results are used to determine the distribution of representatives for the House.

Redistricting

The process of dividing a state into sections based on population in order to determine the constituency for a Representative

Constituents

People represented by elected officials

Pocket Veto

The President's option to set a bill aside for ten days. If Congress is out of session on the 10th day, then the bill dies.

Lobbyists

Hired by interest groups to persuade Congress to vote in favor of their ideas.

Mark-up

Revisions and additions to legislation made by committees and subcommittees. These changes are not part of a bill unless approved by the house of which the committee is a part.

Christmas Tree Bill

A bill with a lot of riders (additions to legislation that generally have no connection to the legislation)

Logrolling

Vote trading; voting to support a colleague's bill in return for a promise of future support

Earmark

Practice of congressmen of securing ("appropriating") federal money ("pork") for projects that will benefit their constituents. Major incumbent advantage & source of budget increases

Discharge Petition

A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition to have it brought to the floor

Cloture

A procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill (end a filibuster); requires 60 votes.

Franking Privilege

The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for postage.

Signing Statements

A formal document that explains why a president is signing a particular bill into law. These statements may contain objections to the bill and promises not to implement key sections.

Oversight

Effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies

President pre tempore

Serves as president of the senate in the absence of the Vice President, chosen by the majority party

Pork Barrel

Legislation that provides funding for local projects, often to benefit specific constituents or regions.

Mandatory Spending

Government spending required by existing law, including programs like Social Security and Medicare.

Discretionary Spending

Spending that Congress can adjust yearly, which includes funding for education, defense, and infrastructure, as opposed to mandatory spending that is required by law.

Deficit Spending

The practice of spending more money than the government receives in revenue, often through borrowing. This is used to stimulate economic growth during downturns.

bill to law process

introduction, committee review, debate, and whole chamber votes —> next chamber (repeats process) —> POTUS

Ways and Means Committee

A committee in the House of Representatives responsible for taxation and revenue-related measures, playing a crucial role in shaping fiscal policy.

Advice and Consent

The Senate's authority to approve or reject presidential appointments and treaties, ensuring checks and balances in government.

US v. Lopez

A landmark Supreme Court case from 1995 that limited Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause by ruling that the Gun-Free School Zones Act exceeded federal powers.

incumbency advantage

The electoral edge afforded to incumbents, often due to name recognition, established donor networks, and access to media coverage, making it challenging for challengers.

entitlement programs

Government programs that provide financial benefits to eligible individuals, primarily related to social welfare and insurance. Examples: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.

trustee model

A model of representation where legislators act according to their own judgment and conscience, prioritizing the greater good over their constituents' direct preferences.

delegate model

A model of representation where legislators act according to the preferences and interests of their constituents, prioritizing voters' direct wishes in decision-making.

politico model

A model of representation that combines elements of both the trustee and delegate models, where legislators balance their own judgment with the preferences of their constituents in decision-making.

Congressional committees

Groups within Congress that specialize in specific areas of legislation, conducting hearings, and managing the legislative process. The majority party controls the majority of committee seats and chairs.

Rules unique to the House of Representative

that govern procedure, debate, and the legislative process, including strict limits on debate time and the ability to impose rules on bills. speaking time is limited to 1 hour. amendments must be germane.

Legislative checks on the Executive

The mechanisms through which Congress oversees and limits the powers of the President, including the ability to approve appointments, ratify treaties, and conduct investigations.

Legislative checks on the Judiciary

The methods Congress uses to regulate and oversee the judicial branch, including the power to confirm judges, alter the structure of the courts, and propose constitutional amendments.

Congressional Leadership

Refers to the elected officials who guide and manage the legislative agenda in Congress, such as the Speaker of the House, Majority and Minority Leaders, and Whips. Selected by party members each Congress.

Powers unique to the Senate

The specific authorities that the Senate possesses, including the power to confirm presidential appointments, ratify treaties, and conduct impeachment trials.

Rider

An additional provision added to a bill that may not be related to the main topic of the legislation, often used to secure its passage by attaching it to a must-pass bill or appropriations measure.

Votes needed to pass federal legislation

Requires a simple majority of those present, but it oftentimes complicated by the use of the filibuster in the Senate.