AP GOV- Legislative Branch Vocab

bill of attainder

a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial (congress cannot pass these)

logrolling

An agreement between two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills.

filibuster

When Senators try to stall or kill a bill by speaking for an extremely long time.

pork barrel spending

Government spending for localized projects to bring money to a representative's district.

gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

ex-post-facto law

a law that punishes people for acts they committed before those acts became illegal.

cloture

requires 60 senators to end a filibuster

appropriation bills

types of bills that are usually divided up by the type of program or agency in order to have funding approved by congress

pocket veto

Takes place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it

earmarks

Special and specific spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.

constituency

A body of voters in specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body.

pigeonhole

To not assign not hear debate on a bill, thus killing it.

discretionary

What Congress chooses to fund annually.

Reapportionment

Happens when the census data shows a shift in the population and congressional seats are redistributed among the states in the House of Representatives.

redistricting

Redrawing of Congressional and other legislative districts lines following the census.

mandatory spending

Funding that is required by law.