AP GOV Unit 2(2.1-2.3)

formal power

The powers of the president that are explicitly granted by the Constitution or by statute.

bicameral

A legislature consisting of two houses, like the U.S. Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

naturalization

The legal process by which a non-citizen acquires citizenship of a country.

hearings

A formal meeting of a legislative committee to gather information from witnesses and experts on a bill or a public issue.

revenue bills

Legislation for raising money for the government. The Constitution requires that it originate in the House of Representatives.

hold

A procedural tactic in the Senate where a senator can prevent a bill or resolution from being brought to the floor for a vote.

filibuster

A prolonged speech or series of speeches in the Senate used to delay or prevent a vote on a bill.

entitlement programs

Government programs that provide benefits to all individuals who meet a certain set of eligibility criteria, such as Social Security and Medicare.

Medicare

A federal health insurance program for people 65 or older and younger people with certain disabilities.

infrastructure

The fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area, such as transportation and communication systems, power plants, and schools.

pork-barrel legislation

The appropriation of government spending for localized projects primarily to bring money to a representative's district, often in a way that is not essential to the nation as a whole.

partisan voting

Voting along party lines, where a member of a legislature votes in favor of their political party's position.

reapportionment

The process of re-distributing seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes, which happens every 10 years following the census.

gerrymandering

The practice of drawing legislative district boundaries to benefit a specific political party or group.

constituencies

The people or area that an elected official represents.

trustee

A representative who votes on legislation based on their own conscience and judgment, believing they are acting in the best interests of their constituents.

divided government

A situation where one party controls the presidency while the other party controls one or both houses of Congress.

lame duck president

An elected official whose successor has been elected but has not yet taken office.

informal power

The powers of the president not explicitly written in the Constitution but that are necessary for the president to carry out their duties, such as the power to persuade.

continuous body

A legislative body that achieves stability by staggering the terms of its members.

oversight

Congressional review of the activities of the executive branch to ensure that it is implementing laws correctly and efficiently.

mark-up

The process by which a congressional committee debates, amends, and rewrites a bill.

Rules Committee

A committee of the House of Representatives that sets the rules for debate on a bill, including the time limit and whether amendments can be offered.

discharge petition

A procedure in the House of Representatives to force a bill out of a committee that has been holding it for a certain number of days.

cloture

A procedure in the Senate to end a debate and take a vote. It requires the approval of 60 senators.

Medicaid

A joint federal and state program that provides health care to low-income individuals and families.

budget deficit

When government spending exceeds revenue, resulting in a negative balance.

logrolling

A legislative practice where two or more legislators agree to trade votes for each other's proposed legislation.

republicanism

The principle of a government where the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

federal budget

The government's plan for spending and collecting revenue, submitted by the president to Congress each year.

Speaker of the House

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

Committee of the Whole

A procedural device in the House of Representatives where the entire House acts as a single committee to consider a bill.

conference committee

A temporary joint committee of the House and Senate created to reconcile differences between versions of a bill.

mandatory spending

Federal spending that is required by law and includes entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

Social Security

A federal program that provides retirement and disability benefits to workers and their families.

discretionary spending

Federal spending that is subject to the annual appropriations process, such as defense and education.

redistricting

The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries. This is often done by state legislatures after the census.

gridlock

The inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government and are unwilling to compromise.

Polarization

The divergence of political attitudes away from the moderate center towards ideological extremes.

Delegate

A representative who is expected to act strictly in accordance with the expressed wishes of their constituents.