Topic 2.2

Speaker of the house

Presiding officer of the house of rep chosen by majority party; Hold immense power over legislation/Floor debate

Majority and minority leaders

Party floor leaders who direct their respective parties, legislative strategies and coordinate party policy in Congress

Party whips

Congressional party leaders responsible for counting votes

President pro tempore

Constitutional officer who preside over the Senate in the absence of the vice president

Standing committees

Permanent congressional committees that specialize in specific legislative areas and handle most bill reviews

Select committees

Temporary congressional committees created for a specific temporary purpose of investigation

Joint committees

Committees containing members from both the house and Senate formed to address, broad issues or conduct studies rather than process bills

Congressional oversight

Congress power to monitor/review executive branch agencies and the implementation of legislation through hearings

Discharge petition

House mechanism requiring a majority vote(218 signatures) To force a bill out of a reluctant committee directly to the house floor

pork barrel spending

Legislative provisions that allocate federal spending for specific local projects in a members district/state to win favor with constituents

Logrolling

Practice of vote trading among legislators where members agreed to support each other‘s bills

Discretionary spending

Federal spending authorize annually through appropriations bills by Congress

(Ex. Defense, education, national parks)

Mandatory spending

Federal spending required by existing law for entitlement programs like SSN and Medicare

Baker v. Carr 1962

Supreme Court case ruling that redistricting issues present justiciable questions under the 14th amendment equal protection clause (one person one vote)

Shaw v. Reno 1993

Supreme Court case ruling that legislative redistricting strictly based on race must meet strict scrutiny under the equal protection clause banning racial gerrymandering