AP Gov unit 2 vocab

16th Amendment

Permits Congress to levy an income tax, passed in 1913.

17th Amendment

Establishes the direct election of senators.

22nd Amendment

Limits presidents to two terms, passed in 1951.

25th Amendment

Allows the vice president to become acting president if the president is temporarily disabled, passed in 1967.

Administrative discretion

The authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A 'friend of the court' brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision.

Appellate Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear an appeal from a lower court.

Appropriations bill

A bill passed annually to fund an authorized program.

Attorney General

The head of the Department of Justice, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Authorization bill

An act that establishes a discretionary government program or entitlement.

Bicameral legislature

A legislature divided into two chambers.

Bill

A proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language.

Budget

A policy document that allocates burdens (taxes) and benefits (expenditures).

Budget resolution

A bill setting limits on expenditures based on revenue projections, agreed by both houses of Congress.

Bully Pulpit

The president's use of prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the public.

Bureaucracy

A large, complex organization of appointed officials who implement policies.

Bureaucrat

Appointed government officials who implement policies of Executive and Legislative branches.

Cabinet

The group of presidential advisors who head executive departments.

Casework

Helping constituents cut through bureaucratic red tape to receive benefits.

Caucus

A meeting to determine which candidate delegates from a state party will support.

Civil Service

Promotes hiring on the basis of merit and establishes a nonpartisan government service.

Class Action Lawsuits

A technique allowing groups with similar complaints to combine grievances into a single suit.

Closed rule

No amendments may be offered except those recommended by the committee.

Cloture

A Senate motion to end a filibuster requiring a 3/5ths vote.

Committee chairs

Important influences on the congressional agenda who manage committee bills.

Conference Committees

Temporary committees formed to resolve differences in House and Senate bills.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

Research agency of Congress providing analyses of budget proposals.

Continuing resolutions

Laws allowing agencies to spend at the previous year’s level.

Courts of Appeal

Courts with the power to review final decisions of district courts.

Deficit

Occurs when government spends more money than it receives in taxes in a fiscal year.

Delegate role of Representation

Members of Congress cast their votes based on the wishes of their constituents.

Deregulation

The withdrawal of governmental authority to control some private sector practices.

Discharge Petition

A device by which any member of the House can petition to bring a bill to the floor.

District courts

Trial courts where most federal litigation begins.

Divided Government

One party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Ex Post Facto law

A law applied to an act committed before the law was enacted.

Exclusionary Rule

Guideline that prohibits evidence obtained by illegal searches from being admitted in court.

Executive Agreement

A pact between the president and a foreign state that does not require Senate approval.

Executive Order

A directive issued by the President with the force of law.

Executive Privilege

The President's power to refuse to disclose confidential information.

Expenditures

Money spent by the government in any one year.

Express Powers

Specifically granted powers to the federal government by the Constitution.

Federal debt

All of the money borrowed by the government that is still outstanding.

Federal Reserve System

Created by Congress in 1913 to regulate the lending practices of banks.

Filibuster

A method of delaying action on a bill through long speeches.

Franking Privilege

The right of members of Congress to mail newsletters to constituents at government expense.

Governmental corporations

Provide services that could be handled by the private sector.

Gridlock

The inability of the government to act due to rival parties controlling different parts.

Hatch Act

Prohibits government workers from active participation in partisan politics.

House Rules Committee

Committee that reviews most bills coming from a House committee for a floor vote.

House Ways and Means Committee

Responsible for originating all revenue bills.

Impeachment

The political equivalent of an indictment for removing a discredited president.

Income tax

A portion of money required to be paid to the government from earnings.

Incrementalism

The best predictor of this year’s budget is last year’s budget plus a little more.

Incumbent

An officeholder seeking reelection.

Independent executive agencies

Executive agencies not part of the cabinet or regulatory commissions.

Independent regulatory agency

Agencies responsible for a sector to protect public interest.

Iron Triangles

Alliances among agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees.

Joint committees

Special committees composed of members from both chambers.

Judicial Activism

Philosophy that judges must make bold decisions to correct injustices.

Judicial implementation

How court decisions are translated into actual policy.

Judicial Restraint

Judges using precedents and framers' intent to decide cases.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to decide if legislative and executive actions comply with the Constitution.

Justiciable disputes

Cases that can be settled by legal methods.

Lame-Duck Period

Time when the President's term is ending, leading to reduced influence.

Legislative oversight

The process of monitoring bureaucracy and its administration of policy.

Legislative veto

Clause allowing Congress to override executive actions.

Line-Item Veto

An executive's power to veto specific parts of bills.

Logrolling

Tactic of mutual aid and vote trading among legislators.

Majority leader

The principal partisan ally of the Speaker, soliciting support for legislation.

Marbury v. Madison

1803 Supreme Court case establishing the concept of judicial review.

Merit system

Government workers hired based on qualifications and exams.

Minority leader

The minority party’s counterpart to the majority party leadership.

National Security Council (NSC)

A committee linking the president’s key foreign and military advisors.

Nuclear option

Procedure allowing the Senate to override rules by a simple majority.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Office responsible for preparing the budget for Congress.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Responsible for hiring for most agencies.

Original intent

Theory that judges should determine the intent of the framers.

Original jurisdiction

Authority given to a court where a case is first heard.

Oversight

Congressional review of the activities of an executive agency.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

Created the federal Civil Service in 1883.

Pocket veto

Occurs when Congress adjourns within 10 days and the president takes no action on a bill.

Policy implementation

The stage of policymaking between establishing a policy and its results.

Political Questions

Conflicts between the president and Congress.

Pork barrel

List of federal projects available to cities and institutions.

Precedent

How similar cases have been handled in the past used as a guide.

Presidential coattails

Voters supporting congressional candidates of the president’s party.

Regulation

Use of governmental authority to control practices in the private sector.

Revenues

Money received by the government in a given year.

Rule of Four

The Supreme Court will hear a case if four justices agree.

Select committees

Committees appointed for a specific purpose.

Senate Finance Committee

Responsible for writing the tax code.

Senatorial Courtesy

Senate tradition of not confirming nominations opposed by home state senators.

Seniority system

Rule reserving committee chairs to long-serving members.

Social Security Act of 1935

Passed to provide sustenance to older Americans, now threatened by demographic changes.

Solicitor General

Responsible for handling appeals on behalf of the US government.

Speaker of the House

Next in line to succeed the president; presides over the House.

Spoils System

Hiring government workers based on connections instead of merit.

Standard operating procedures

Detailed rules to help bureaucrats implement policies uniformly.

Standing Committees

Permanent congressional committees handling legislation and overseeing bureaucracy.