ch 4, pt. 2

Discharge petition

a motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.

House Rules Committee

a powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the house floor, how long the debate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor.

Hold

a delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill.

Unanimous Consent Agreement

an agreement in the Senate that sets the the terms for consideration of a bill.

Filibuster

a tactic though which an individual senator may use the right o f unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation.

Cloture

a procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided 60 senators agree to it.

Veto

the power of a president to reject a bill passed by congress, sending it back to the originating b ranch with objections.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities.

Entitlement Program

a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income.

Committee of the Whole

consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation.

Mandatory Spending

spending by existing laws that is "locked in" the budget.

Discretionary Spending

spending programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president.

Budget Surplus

the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more than it spends.

Budget Deficit

the shortfall when a government takes in less money than it spends.

National Debt

the total amount of money owed by the federal government.

Delegate Role

the idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to carry out constituents' wishes.

Trustee Role

the idea that members of congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgment.

Politico Role

representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions.

Bipartisanship

agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation.

Gridlock

A slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship.

Divided Government

control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress split between the two major parties.

Lame Duck Period

period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block and nominees.

Markup

when a legislative ability committee meets to amend, debate, or rewrite a bill.

Pocket Veto

When the president kills a bill by letting it sit on his desk for 10 days without signing it while Congress is still in session.