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Incumbency advantage
An incumbent is a government official who currently holds office. Because the officeholder has name recognition, casework, campaign financing, and usually redistricting on his side, the incumbent usually has an advantage over his challenger.
Seniority
Years of consecutive service on a particular congressional committee.
Redistricting
The way state legislatures redraw House districts after a census-based reapportionment.
Reapportionment
When districts are shifted based on population changes in states found in the census taken every decade.
Gerrymandering
Redrawing a congressional district to intentionally benefit one political party or redistricting with a specific goal
Majority-minority districts
A district where the majority of the population is a racial minority.
Delegate
A legislator whose primary responsibility is to represent the majority view of his constituents.
Trustee
A legislator who is obligated to consider the views of his constituents, but not obligated to vote according to those views is he feels that they are misguided.
politico
A member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that constituents care about (such as immigration reform) and as a trustee on more complex or less salient issues (some foreign policy or regulatory matters).
Standing committees
Permanent committees that specialize in a particular area of legislation.
Select committees
Committees that are usually temporary created for a specific purpose outside the expertise of the select committees.
Joint committees
Like standing committees, but with members of both the House and the Senate.
Filibuster
A delaying tactic, used in the Senate, that often involves speech making to prevent action on a piece of legislation.
Majority/minority leader
The most powerful position in the Senate and House (after Speaker) and their minority party counterparts, respectively.
Majority/minority whip
The discipline officer of the the chambers who either keep track of vote count or rally support for pieces of legislation.
President Pro-tempore
leader of the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. . The President pro-tempore is third in line for succession to the President. Usually given to the most senior member of the majority party.
Bicameral legislature
a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
Conference committee
a joint committee of Congress made up of Senators and House of Representatives that meets to resolve differences between bills from their respective legislatures
Constituents
the people who are able to vote on the position
House Rules committee
one of the most power committees. Determines which bills make it to the floor and how those bills can be debated
incumbent
the person currently in the position
legislative oversight
Congress's monitory of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings
logrolling
vote trading; voting yea to support a colleague's bill in return for a promise of future support
Majority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding a majority of seats in the House or the Senate
Markup session
a process in which legislative committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor in either house for a vote
Minority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate
'Pork'
The extra, added information on a bill that will benefit a certain group of voters.
Speaker of the House
majority party leader of the House of Representatives. Has power to decide which bills are addressed, and works with the President on legislation
Whip
a senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking
Founder's Intentions
The Legislative branch would be the strongest branch.
Separate the making of laws from the Executive branch.
The process was intentionally made to be slow.
Bicameralism
balances large and small states.
The House has
435 voting representatives, 2 year terms, initiates impeachment, always initiates tax or financial legislation
The Senate has
100 voting representatives, two from each state, 6 year terms, tries impeached officials
The most powerful committee in the house
Rules Committee
Debates in the House
limited to 1 hour, very formal, and focused on spending money
Debates in the Senate
unlimited debate, less formal, more focused on military policy and foreign affairs
leader of senate
Vice President
senate minority leader
The party officer in the Senate who commands the minority party's opposition to the policies of the majority party and directs the legislative program and strategy of his or her party.
committee
On average, House members typically develop more expertise within niches in comparison to Senate members.
Some committees are equal, while others are not
Committee Chair
Strong, powerful, dominant role who schedules hearings, hires staff, organizes subcommittees, and manages bills on the floor
Seniority System
Members who have served in the committee for the longest time, due to age, often become chair of the committee.
open rule
Less strict time limits for debate and allows amendments from the floor
closed rule
Strict time limits on debates and does not permit amendments from the floor.
public bill
- Proposed legislation that deals with matters of general public concern.
private bill
A proposed legislation that deals with specific, private, personal matters that is not always widely known.
appropriation bill
A proposed legislation that deals with spending money
simple resolution
Measures dealing with organizing and "House-keeping" that only affect one House.
joint resolution
Similar to a law, in the aspect that both houses need to agree, however the president carries the force of the law.
concurrent resolution
Both Houses must agree on legislation, however the president lacks the force of the law.
Reconciliation
a process made to limit debates around certain issues that are related to the budget process, avoiding a filibuster.
sausage making
Presidents attempt to persuade Congress that what they want is what Congress also wants.
Christmas tree bill
Bill with a lot of extra information tagged on to benefit a certain group of people (pork). In the Senate, there is no limit to the number of amendments, so senators will try to attach riders that benefit their home state.
