Unit 2 AP Gov Vocab

Bicameral Legislature

A two-house legislative structure consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives, designed to provide both equal and proportional representation within Congress.

Enumerated Powers

Specific powers granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, including taxation, regulating commerce, declaring war, and controlling the budget.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution but inferred from the Necessary and Proper Clause, allowing Congress to make laws necessary to execute its constitutional responsibilities.

The Senate

The upper chamber of Congress with 100 members, providing equal representation for states and handling broader, long-term policy.

The House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress with 435 members apportioned by state population, focusing on immediate, constituent-centered issues.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the majority party, responsible for setting legislative agendas.

President Pro Tempore

A senior member of the Senate’s majority party who presides over the Senate in the vice president’s absence.

The Legislative Process

The multi-step process through which Congress drafts, debates, amends, and votes on bills.

Committees

Specialized groups within Congress that review, amend, and advance bills and other legislative matters.

Riders

Additional provisions attached to a bill, unrelated to the main subject of the legislation, often used to pass controversial measures.

Pork-Barrel Legislation

Funding allocated to specific local projects within larger bills to benefit particular districts or states.

Discharge Petition

A House mechanism to bring a bill out of committee and to the floor for debate without a committee report.

Filibuster

A procedural tactic in the Senate allowing a senator to prolong debate to delay or prevent a vote on a bill.

Cloture

A Senate procedure requiring a three-fifths majority to end a filibuster.

Logrolling

The practice of legislators exchanging support for each other’s proposals or bills to secure enough votes for passage.

Gridlock

A situation where partisan divisions result in stalled legislative action, often preventing the passage of policies.

Trustee Model of Representation

A model where representatives make policy decisions based on their own judgment rather than strictly following constituent preferences.

Delegate Model of Representation

A model where representatives vote based solely on the expressed desires of those they represent.

Politico Model of Representation

A hybrid model that balances individual judgment of representatives with constituents' preferences.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party or group.

Formal (Expressed) Powers

Constitutionally granted powers of the president, such as vetoing legislation and commanding the armed forces.

Informal Powers

Powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution but developed through practice and tradition.

Faithful Execution Clause

Article II clause providing the basis for the president’s authority to enforce laws.

Veto

The president’s authority to reject a bill passed by Congress, which can be overridden by a two-thirds vote.

Pocket Veto

Occurs when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjournment, effectively killing the bill.

Executive Orders

Directives from the president to federal agencies with the force of law.

Signing Statements

Written pronouncements issued by the president when signing a bill into law.

Executive Privilege

The president’s right to withhold information from Congress or the courts, especially in matters of national security.

“Advice and Consent”

The Senate’s power to approve or reject presidential appointments and treaties.

Divided Government

A situation where the executive and legislative branches are controlled by different political parties.

Bully Pulpit

The president’s platform to directly engage with the public and influence opinion.

State of the Union Address

An annual address the president delivers to Congress to outline legislative priorities.

Mandatory Spending

Budgetary spending required by law for entitlement programs.

Discretionary Spending

Spending authorized annually by Congress, covering areas like defense and education.

Bureaucracy

A hierarchical organization within the executive branch responsible for implementing laws.

Civil Service

A merit-based system of hiring and promotion for government employees.

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

A law that established a merit-based system for hiring federal employees.

Delegated Discretionary Authority

The power of federal agencies to interpret legislation and make decisions.

Rulemaking Authority

The process by which bureaucratic agencies create specific rules based on legislative directives.

Executive Departments

The 15 main administrative units of the federal government, each led by a Cabinet Secretary.

Executive Agencies

Sub-agencies within executive departments that focus on specific functions.

Independent Agencies

Agencies outside the executive departments with specialized functions that operate independently.

Independent Regulatory Commissions

Agencies established by Congress to regulate specific industries with independence from executive control.

Government Corporations

Government-owned entities that provide services like private businesses.

Iron Triangles

Stable alliances among congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups that influence policy.

Issue Networks

Temporary coalitions of interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and congressional committees formed around a specific issue.

Compliance Monitoring

The process by which federal agencies ensure that laws are followed.

Congressional Oversight

The process by which Congress reviews the federal bureaucracy’s implementation of laws.

Power of the Purse

Congress’s authority to control agency funding.

Judiciary Act of 1789

A law that established the federal judiciary, creating a three-tiered system.

Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear and decide cases.

Federal District Court

The lowest tier of the federal judiciary, exercising original jurisdiction.

Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals

The middle tier of the federal judiciary, exercising appellate jurisdiction.

Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)

The highest court in the federal judiciary, serving as the final arbiter of constitutional issues.

Judicial Review

The authority of courts to determine the constitutionality of laws.

Writ of Certiorari

An order issued by the Supreme Court to a lower court to send records for review.

Stare Decisis

The legal principle of relying on precedent in judicial decision-making.

Life Tenure

The provision allowing federal judges to serve for life.

Judicial Ideology

The underlying beliefs that influence how justices decide cases.

Strict Construction (Originalism)

A judicial philosophy focusing on a literal interpretation of the Constitution.

Living Constitution (Judicial Pragmatism)

A judicial philosophy that interprets the Constitution as a dynamic document.

Judicial Activism

A philosophy where judges play an active role in shaping policy.

Judicial Restraint

A philosophy encouraging judges to avoid overturning laws unless clearly unconstitutional.

Checks on the Judicial Branch

Actions by other branches to limit judicial power.