U.S. Congress: Representation, Leadership, Committees, and Lawmaking

Constituents

The people a member of Congress represents.

Reapportionment

Reassigning the 435 House seats among the states after each census, based on population.

Redistricting

Redrawing district lines inside a state, usually after reapportionment.

Gerrymandering

Drawing district lines to help one party or group win.

Safe Seat

A district where one party almost always wins.

Incumbent

The person currently holding the office.

Earmarks

Money for a specific local project, tucked into a bill by a member of Congress.

Bicameralism

A two-chamber legislature (House and Senate).

Enumerated Powers

Powers specifically listed for Congress in Article I, Section 8.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House, chosen by the majority party.

Party Caucus

A closed meeting of a party's members to pick leaders and set strategy.

Majority Leader

The majority party's leader in a chamber. In the Senate, this is the top leader.

Minority Leader

The minority party's leader in a chamber.

Whip

A party leader who counts votes and pressures members to stick with the party.

Closed Rule

A House rule that limits debate and bans amendments.

Open Rule

A House rule that allows amendments from the floor and more debate.

President Pro Tempore

The senator who presides when the VP is absent. Mostly ceremonial.

Politico

A representative who acts as a delegate or trustee depending on the issue.

Filibuster

A Senate tactic of endless debate to delay or block a vote.

Cloture

A 60-vote Senate motion to end a filibuster.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee that handles bills in one policy area.

Select Committee

A temporary committee created for a specific purpose, like an investigation.

Joint Committee

A committee with members from both the House and Senate, mostly for study and oversight.

Seniority Rule

The majority-party member with the longest continuous service on a committee becomes its chair.

Conference Committee

A temporary committee that merges the House and Senate versions of a bill.

Delegate

A representative who votes how their constituents want.

Trustee

A representative who votes on their own judgment.

Logrolling

Trading votes: "You back my bill, I'll back yours."

Attentive Public

Citizens who closely follow politics and issues.

Discharge Petition

A petition with 218 signatures that forces a bill out of committee and onto the House floor.

Rider

An unrelated provision attached to a bill.

Pocket Veto

The President doesn't sign a bill, and Congress adjourns within 10 days, so it dies.

Override

Congress passes a bill over a veto with a 2/3 vote in both chambers.