U.S. Congress: Key Terms and Procedures for Legislative Process

Filibuster

Delay or block a vote on a bill or other measure by extending debate on it

Cloture

Cloture is the only way to end a filibuster and force a vote on the matter at hand

Conference committees

Committee composed of members from both the House and the Senate, formed to reconcile differences between the two chambers' versions of a bill

Congressional oversight

The review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation

Constituent

A person represented by an elected official; typically a voter in a legislator's district.

Discharge Petition

A procedure in the House of Representatives to force a bill out of committee and onto the floor for a vote, even if the leadership opposes it.

Discretionary Spending

Government spending that is decided through the annual budget process; not required by existing laws (e.g., military, education).

Earmarks

Provisions in legislation that direct funds to specific local projects, often inserted by members of Congress to benefit their districts.

Franking

The privilege allowing members of Congress to send mail to constituents without paying postage, used for official communication.

Gerrymandering

Drawing district boundaries in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage over others.

Gridlock

A situation where no progress is made in passing laws, often due to political conflict or divided government.

House of Representatives

The lower chamber of the U.S. Congress, with 435 members whose representation is based on population.

Incumbents

Politicians who currently hold office and are running for re-election.

Joint Committee

A committee made up of members from both the House and Senate, often for investigations or administrative tasks.

Logrolling

An agreement between legislators to support each other's bills or projects.

Majority Leader

The head of the party with the most seats in the House or Senate; helps coordinate legislative strategy.

Mandatory Spending

Government spending on programs required by law, such as Social Security and Medicare.

Minority Leader

The leader of the party with fewer seats in either the House or Senate; leads opposition and strategy.

Party Polarization

The growing ideological gap between political parties, often leading to increased partisanship and division.

Pork Barrel

Government spending on localized projects secured mainly to bring money to a legislator's district, often seen as wasteful.

President pro tempore

A senior member of the majority party in the Senate who presides when the Vice President is absent.

Reapportionment

The process of redistributing seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes from the census.

Regulatory Policy

Government rules made by agencies to control or influence behavior in areas like health, safety, and the economy.

Rules Committee

A powerful House committee that determines the rules for debate and amendment of bills on the floor.

Select Committees

Temporary committees formed for a specific task or investigation, often disbanded after completing their work.

Senate

The upper chamber of Congress, made up of 100 members (2 per state), with equal representation for all states.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer and top leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by the majority party.

Standing Committee

Permanent committees in Congress that handle legislation related to specific policy areas.

Unanimous Consent

A Senate procedure where no member objects to a proposal, allowing for faster decision-making.

Whips

Party officials who ensure that members vote according to party lines and help gather support for legislation.