Congress Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to Congress.

Constituency

The residents in the area from which an elected official is chosen.

Article I, Section 8

The section of the Constitution that outlines the powers of Congress.

Necessary and proper clause

The clause granting Congress the ability to create laws needed to execute its powers.

Federalist 51

An essay by James Madison discussing the structure of government and the separation of powers.

Pork barrel legislation

Legislation that provides funding for localized projects to benefit a specific area.

Logrolling

The practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics, by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation.

Oversight

Congress's responsibility to monitor and review the actions of the executive branch.

Congressional Budget Office

A federal agency that provides economic data to Congress.

Census

A systematic and regular count of a population.

Apportionment

The process of dividing the seats in the House of Representatives among the states.

1842 Apportionment Act

Legislation that established the formula for apportioning House seats.

1929 Reapportionment Act

Legislation that established a permanent method for apportioning congressional seats.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing district boundaries for electoral purposes.

Gerrymandering

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

Malapportionment

The uneven distribution of representatives to citizens, resulting in unequal representation.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

A Supreme Court case that established the principle of 'one man, one vote'.

Majority-minority district

An electoral district in which the majority of the constituents are racial or ethnic minorities.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

A Supreme Court case that ruled that redistricting must not discriminate based on race.

Incumbency

The current holding of a political office.

Incumbency advantage

The electoral advantage held by an officeholder.

Sophomore surge

The increase in votes that a congressional candidate typically receives when running for re-election.

Franking privilege

The privilege of sending mail without payment of postage.

Casework

The assistance provided by members of Congress to their constituents.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money to elect candidates.

House majority leader

The leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives.

Whip

A member of Congress tasked with party discipline and mobilizing votes.

Minority leader

The leader of the minority party in the House or Senate.

Senate Majority leader

The head of the majority party in the Senate.

Committee Chair

The leader of a committee, responsible for guiding its activities.

Standing committee

A permanent committee that meets regularly.

Mark up session

A session in which a committee debates, amends, and votes on a bill.

Joint committee

A committee composed of members from both houses of Congress.

Conference Committee

A committee formed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Select committee

A temporary committee formed for a specific purpose.

Caucuses

Groupings of members of Congress with shared interests.

Simple resolution

A statement adopted by one house of Congress.

Joint resolution

A resolution passed by both the House and Senate, with the force of law.

Discharge petition

A petition that, if signed by a majority of House members, can bring a bill out of committee for consideration.

House Rules Committee

The committee responsible for determining the rules of debate for bills in the House.

Committee of the Whole

A device in which the House sits as a committee to facilitate debate (Cannot Vote)

Quorum

The minimum number of members required to conduct business.

Roll-call vote

A voting process in which each member's vote is recorded.

Holds

A tactic by which a senator can prevent a motion from reaching a vote.

Unanimous consent agreement

An agreement in which all senators agree to a particular procedure.

Filibuster

A prolonged speech or debate in the Senate to delay or prevent a vote.

Cloture

A procedure for ending a filibuster in the Senate.

Veto

The power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Pocket veto

A special type of veto exercised by the president when Congress adjourns.

Veto override

A procedure by which Congress can reverse a president's veto.

Entitlement program

A government program that guarantees certain benefits to a particular group.

Mandatory spending

Expenditures required by existing law for certain programs.

Discretionary spending

Spending that is subject to the annual budget process.

Budget surplus

A situation in which income exceeds expenditures.

Budget deficit

A situation where expenditures exceed income.

National debt

The total amount of money that a country's government has borrowed.

Delegate role

A member of Congress who votes according to the preferences of their constituency.

Trustee role

A member of Congress who votes based on their personal judgment.

Politico role

A member of Congress who acts as a delegate or trustee depending on the situation.

Substantive representation

When members of Congress represent the interests of certain groups.

Bipartisanship

The cooperation of two political parties.

Gridlock

A situation in which there is difficulty passing laws due to political differences.

Divided government

A situation in which one party controls the Presidency while another party controls Congress.

Lame duck period

The time between the election and the inauguration of a new officeholder.

Fiscal Policy

The use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy.

Name of current Speaker of the House

Mike Johnson

Name of current Senate Majority Leader

John Thune

Name of current President of the Senate

J.D*ck Vance