Chapter 13: Congress

Partisan polarization

A vote in which majority of Democratic legislators opposes a majority of Republican legislators

Bicameral legislature

Lawmaking body with two chambers

Filibuster

A way to defeat a bill in the Senate with prolonged speech(s)

Marginal districts

Districts in where representatives win in close elections, meaning less than a margin of 55%

Safe districts

Districts in where representatives win by margins of 55% or more

Conservative coalition

Alliance between Republicans and conservative Democrats

Majority leader

Legislative leader elected by the majority party in the House or Senate

Minority leader

Legislative leader elected by the minority party in the House of Senate

Whip

Senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what their party members are thinking

Speaker

The presiding officer in the House and the leader of his/her party in the House

Party vote

90% or more Democrats in either chamber voter against 90% or more Republicans. Loose measure is when a party vote is at least 50%

Caucus

Association of congressional members to advocate a political ideology or to advance a specific interest

Standing committees

Permanent committees that are responsible for legislation in a certain subject matter

Select committees

Committees that are appointed for a limited time

Joint committees

Committees that have both representatives and senators

Simple resolution

Expression of opinion in either the House or Senate to settle procedural matters

Concurrent resolution

Expression of opinion without force of law that needs approval of both the House and Senate but not the president

Joint resolution

Formal expression that a congressional opinion needs to be approved by both chambers and by the President

Discharge petition

Anyone in the House can petition a bill on the floor after a committee has had the bill for 30 days

Restrictive

Order from the House Rules Committee that certain kinds of amendments are only allowed.

Closed

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate

Open rule

An order from the House Rules Committee that allows a bill to be amended on the floor

Quorum

The minimum number of members who need to be present for business in Congress

Riders

Amendments that are unrelated to the bill

Cloture

A rule that ends the Senate filibuster (60 votes)

Double tracking

Procedure to keep the Senate filibuster going, and the disputed bill is temporarily shelved.

Voice vote

Members shout yea or nay to quickly vote

Division vote

Members stand and are being counted during the vote

Roll-call vote

Members answer yea or nay to their names - so the names of who voter in which way are recorded

Teller vote

Members pass between two tellers, the yeas first and then the nays

Veto

When the president does not approve a bill

Divided government

One party controls the White House, and another controls one or both chambers of Congress

Unified government

The same party controls the White House and both chambers of Congress

Earmarks

Provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific projects

Pork-barrel legislation

Gives tangible benefits to the constituents in districts in the hope of winning their votes in return

Franking privilege

Ability for members to mail letters free of charge by using their signature for postage