Gov Semester 2

Bicameral

A legislature divided into two houses, specifically the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Article 1

The section of the Constitution that establishes the Legislative Branch.

Congressmen

Members of the U.S. Congress, totaling 535, consisting of 100 senators and 435 representatives.

Legislate

To create, enact, or modify laws.

Apportion

To distribute seats in a legislative body according to the population of the states.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one political party over another.

Senate

The upper house of Congress, consisting of 100 members with two from each state.

Continuous body

A legislative body that staggers its terms so that only a portion of its members are up for election at any given time.

Expressed Powers

Powers explicitly stated in the Constitution that Congress can exercise.

Commerce Power

The authority of Congress to regulate trade between states and with foreign nations.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly detailed in the Constitution but suggested by the expressed powers.

Necessary & Proper Clause

Part of the Constitution that grants Congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper for executing its powers.

Elastic Clause

Another term for the Necessary & Proper Clause, allowing for flexibility in Congress's powers.

Strict Constitutionalist

A belief that Congress should only exercise explicitly stated powers and narrowly defined implied powers.

Liberal Constitutionalist

A viewpoint that supports a broad interpretation of congressional powers.

Confirm appointments

Senate's power to approve or reject presidential nominations to executive and judicial positions.

Ratify treaty

The Senate's authority to approve treaties negotiated by the president.

Electoral duties

House's responsibility to break ties in presidential elections.

Pocket veto

A situation where a president does not sign a bill into law within ten days, resulting in its defeat if Congress adjourns.

Filibuster

A strategy used by senators to delay or prevent a vote by prolonged speaking.

Pork Barrel Spending

Government funds allocated for projects in a politician's local district.

Pigeonhole Bill

When a committee sets aside a bill to prevent it from progressing.

Bill Becomes Law

The process a proposed legislation must follow to become law.

Appropriations

The allocation of funds for government spending, which must start in the House of Representatives.

Vote on the House

The process where members of the House of Representatives vote on proposed legislation.

Vote on the Senate

The process where the Senate votes on bills passed by the House of Representatives.

Presidential Signatures

The act of the president signing a bill into law.

Veto

The president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress.

War Power

Congress's authority to declare war and authorize military force.

Domestic Power

Congress's power to regulate immigration, naturalization, and public services.

Legislative Branch

The part of government responsible for making laws.

Representation

The action of speaking or acting on behalf of someone.

Committees

Sub-groups within Congress that review, amend, and discuss bills.

Sevant of people

The role of congressmen to serve and advocate for their constituents.

Census

An official count of the population, typically conducted every ten years.

Reapportion

The process of redistributing seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes after a census.

Senior senator

A longer-serving senator from a state.

Junior senator

A senator who has served a shorter term from the same state.

Voting delegates

Members of Congress who represent the interests of their constituents when voting.