ap gov 2.1-2.3 vocab

advice and consent

Terms in the Constitution describing the U.S. Senate's power to review and approve treaties and presidential appointments.

bicameral

two house legislature

caucuses

meetings of party leaders to determine party policy or to choose the party's candidates for public office

coalitions

Individuals and/or groups that have common interests and perspectives

enumerated powers

powers only given to the national government

implied powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

House of Representatives

the lower house of Congress, consisting of a different number of representatives from each state, depending on population

Necessary and Proper Clause

Constitutional clause that gives congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper" for executing its powers

power of the purse

Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

Instituted the direct election of senators by the people of each state

War Powers Act (1973)

In 1973, Congress passed this law which requires that soldiers sent into military action overseas by the President be brought back within sixty days unless Congress approves the action.

senate

A council of representatives

discretionary spending

Federal spending on programs that are controlled through the regular budget process

Omnibus Bill

One very large bill that encompasses many separate bills.

pork barrel spending

legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states

President of the Senate

the presiding officer of a senate; in Congress, the vice president of the United States; in a state's legislature, either the lieutenant governor or a senator

President Pro Tempore

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

Rider

A provision attached to a bill - to which it may or may not be related - in order to secure its passage or defeat.

Rules Comittee (House)

A bill only gets to the floor of the house for debate only if it has been allowed by the comittee.

select committees

Congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose.

Senate Majority Leader

The chief spokesperson of the majority party in the Senate, who directs the legislative program and party strategy.

Speaker of the House

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives

sponsor

A person or group who introduces a bill.

unanimous consent

an agreement by every senator to the terms of debate on a given piece of legislation

Ways and Means Committee

House committee that handles tax bills

whip

a senator or representative who helps discipline the house.

cloture rule

a rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate

Committee of the Whole

A committee that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself.

deficit

An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues.

discharge petition

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

Filibuster

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

hold

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.

joint comittee

made up of members from both house and the senate

Logrolling

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills

mandatory spending

Federal spending required by law that continues without the need for annual approvals by Congress.

politico model

Members of Congress act as delegates and/or trustees depending on the issue

trustee model

a model of representation in which a member of the House or Senate follows his or her own conscience when deciding issue positions

Baker v. Carr (1962)

"one man one vote" this decision created guidelines for drawing up congresional districts and guaranteed a more equitable system of representation to the citizens of each state

delegate model

The view that an elected represent should represent the opinions of his or her constituents.

Gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Gridlock

A situation in which government is incapable of acting on important issues

"Lame-duck" President

president with no real power because his or her period in office will soon end

"one person-one vote" principle

the policy that every citizen's vote should be equal to every other citizen's vote no matter where the person lives

racial gerrymandering

the intentional drawing of legislative districts on the basis of race

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts.