AP Government Congress Vocab, Ap Gov: Congress

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.