Congress

bicameral

a type of legislative body that consists of two separate chambers or houses, typically known as the upper and lower house

17th Amendment

established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote

advice and consent

refers to the constitutional process by which the Senate provides its advice and consent to presidential appointments and treaties

coalitions

alliances among various interest groups, organizations, or individuals to collectively influence policy decisions and achieve common goals

power of the purse

the constitutional power of Congress to control government spending and taxation, serving as a crucial check on the executive branch

caucuses

meetings of members of a political party or faction to discuss and decide on policies, strategies, and candidate selections

enumerated powers

specific powers granted to the federal government by the Constitution

implied powers

authority granted to the federal government that is not explicitly stated in the Constitution but is necessary to implement its enumerated powers

necessary and proper clause

Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, grants Congress the power to make all laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers

War Powers Act (1973)

aims to limit the President's ability to engage U.S. forces in hostilities without congressional approval

cloture rule

legislative procedure used in the U.S. Senate to end a filibuster or bring a debate to a close, allowing for a vote on the matter at hand

filibuster

a legislative tactic used in the U.S. Senate to delay or block a vote on a bill or nomination by prolonging debate or using other procedural means

germane

directly relevant to the bill

hold

informal practice where a senator signals to Senate leadership their objection to a bill or nomination

logrolling

legislators exchange support for each other's proposed legislation, helping to secure the passage of bills that may not have sufficient individual support

omnibus bill

a single piece of legislation that packages together multiple related or unrelated measures, often used to facilitate the passage of several pieces of legislation at once

pork-barrel spending

practice in which lawmakers allocate government funds for local projects, primarily to benefit their constituents and secure political support

rider

an additional provision or amendment attached to a bill, often unrelated to the bill's main subject, used to secure passage or defeat of the rider itself, or the bill it's attached to

Committee of the Whole

a procedural device where the entire legislative body (like the House or Senate) temporarily operates as a committee

conference committee

a temporary joint committee formed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate to reconcile differences in legislation that has passed both chambers

discharge petition

a mechanism in the House of Representatives allowing a majority of members to force a bill out of committee and onto the floor for a vote, bypassing the committee and leadership

joint committees

a legislative committee made up of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, designed to focus on specific issues or areas of policy, allowing for more comprehensive oversight and analysis

Rules Committee

committee in the U.S. House of Representatives that establishes the rules for debate on bills and resolutions, determining how and when legislation will be considered

select committee

temporary congressional committees established to investigate specific issues, conduct hearings, and report their findings to the full chamber

Ways and Means Committee

primarily responsible for overseeing taxation and revenue-raising measures

deficit

occurs when an entity, typically the government, spends more money than it receives in revenue over a specific period, leading to a shortfall that must be financed through borrowing

discretionary spending

portion of the federal budget that Congress allocates each year through the appropriations process, covering areas like defense, education, and infrastructure

mandatory spending

government expenditures required by law, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, that are not subject to annual appropriations bills and require legislative action to change

Baker v Carr

“one person, one vote”

delegate model

elected officials act on behalf of their constituents, making decisions that reflect the preferences and interests of the people they represent

one person, one vote

a principle that asserts each individual's vote should carry equal weight in the electoral process, ensuring fairness and equality in democratic representation

politico model

combines aspects of both the delegate and trustee models, suggesting that lawmakers act as delegates on highly public issues while taking on the role of trustees on more complex or less visible matters

Shaw v Reno

the Court ruled that while race can be a factor in redistricting, it cannot be the predominant factor, and such redistricting plans must be subject to strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

trustee model

elected officials should act in the best interests of their constituents, using their own judgment to make decisions rather than strictly adhering to public opinion