Government LT 5 Test

Speaker of the House

Leader of the House of Representatives; controls floor debate, committee assignments, and legislative agenda.

House Majority Leader

Leads the majority party in the House and helps guide legislation through the chamber.

House Minority Leader

Leads the minority party in the House and coordinates opposition strategy.

Whips

Party officials who count votes and persuade members to support party positions.

Vice President

President of the Senate; can cast tie-breaking votes.

President Pro Tempore

Presiding officer of the Senate in absence of the Vice President; usually longest-serving majority party senator.

Senate Majority Leader

Most influential Senate leader; controls Senate schedule and floor action.

Senate Minority Leader

Leads minority party strategy in the Senate.

Committee System

Structure Congress uses to divide work and specialize in legislation.

Standing Committee

Permanent committee focused on a specific policy area.

Select Committee

Temporary committee created for a specific purpose or investigation.

Joint Committee

Committee made up of House and Senate members.

Conference Committee

Temporary committee used to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Oversight

Congressional review of executive branch activities and agencies.

Subpoena

Legal order requiring testimony or production of evidence.

Oversight Hearing

Hearing used to investigate or supervise executive agencies.

Earmark

Funding designated for a specific local project.

Bill

Proposed law introduced in Congress.

Introduction of Legislation

Formal presentation of a bill in either chamber.

Referral

Sending a bill to the appropriate committee

Hearing

Committee meeting where experts and witnesses testify about legislation.

Markup

Committee process where a bill is edited and debated.

House Rules Committee

Powerful House committee that determines debate rules for bills.

Open Rule

Allows amendments during House debate.

Closed Rule

Prohibits amendments during House debate.

Floor Action

Debate and voting by the full chamber.

Floor Managers

Members responsible for guiding a bill during debate.

Unanimous Consent Agreement

Senate agreement that sets debate limits and procedures.

Filibuster

Senate tactic where debate is prolonged to delay or block legislation.

Cloture

Procedure requiring 60 votes to end a filibuster.

Ping-Pong Method

House and Senate repeatedly send bill versions back and forth until identical.

Copy and Paste Method

One chamber adopts the exact version already passed by the other.

Conference Committee Method

Members from both chambers negotiate one final bill version.

Appropriations Method

Congressional control over government spending.

Judicial Confirmation

Senate approval process for federal judges.

Advice and Consent

Senate constitutional power to approve treaties and appointments.

Enumerated Powers

Powers specifically granted to the president in the Constitution.

Veto

Presidential rejection of a bill.

Appointment Power

Power to appoint federal officials and judges.

Treaty Power

Power to negotiate treaties; Senate must ratify with 2/3 vote.

Pardon

President’s power to forgive federal crimes.

Statutory Powers

Powers given to the president through laws passed by Congress.

Inherent Powers

Powers implied from the Constitution and the role of executive leadership.

Precedent

Previous actions or decisions that guide future presidential behavior.

Executive Order

Directive from the president that manages executive branch operations.

Unitary Executive Theory

Idea that the president should have broad control over the executive branch.

Signing a Bill

Presidential approval that turns a bill into law.

Pocket Veto

Bill dies if Congress adjourns during the president’s 10-day review period without signature.

Regular Veto

President rejects bill and returns it to Congress with objections.

Veto Override

Congress can override veto with 2/3 vote in both chambers.

Impeachment

Formal accusation against a federal official for misconduct.

Articles of Impeachment

Specific charges approved by the House.

House Managers

Representatives who prosecute impeachment cases in Senate trials.

Conviction

Senate decision requiring 2/3 vote to remove official from office.

High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Constitutional standard for impeachment.

25th Amendment

Amendment dealing with presidential succession and inability.

Voluntary Transfer of Power

President temporarily gives powers to Vice President.

Involuntary Transfer of Power

Vice President and Cabinet declare president unable to serve.

Bureaucracy

Departments and agencies responsible for implementing laws.

Cabinet Departments

Major executive organizations led by secretaries.

Independent Agencies

Agencies operating outside Cabinet departments.

Government Corporations

Government-run businesses providing public services.

Rulemaking

Bureaucratic process of creating regulations.

Regulations

Rules created by agencies to implement laws.

Iron Triangle

Relationship among bureaucracy, congressional committees, and interest groups.

Issue Network

Loose coalition of interest groups, experts, politicians, and agencies.

Hatch Act

Law limiting political activities of federal employees.

Civil Service Reform

Changes aimed at improving government employment systems.

Why is the House Rules Committee considered powerful?

It controls how bills are debated, whether amendments are allowed, and how much time debate receives.

Why is the filibuster mainly associated with the Senate?

Senate rules allow unlimited debate unless cloture is invoked.

Why does the House have stricter debate rules than the Senate?

The House has far more members, so strict rules keep debate manageable.

Why does the Senate confirm judges and treaties?

The Constitution gives the Senate “advice and consent” powers.

Why can the president use executive orders?

Executive orders help manage executive branch operations using presidential authority.

Why are inherent powers controversial?

They are implied rather than directly stated in the Constitution, creating debate over limits.

Why is oversight important?

It allows Congress to monitor executive agencies and prevent abuse of power.

Why are conference committees necessary?

The House and Senate often pass different bill versions that must be unified.

Why is cloture difficult to achieve?

It requires 60 Senate votes, which is hard in a polarized Senate.

Why is impeachment divided between House and Senate?

The framers wanted accusations and trials handled separately to prevent abuse.

Why are executive appointments important?

Appointees shape how laws are enforced and interpreted.

Why does Congress control appropriations?

The Constitution gives Congress the “power of the purse.”

Why are iron triangles criticized?

Critics argue they allow special interests to dominate policymaking.

Why was the Hatch Act created?

To prevent federal employees from using government positions for partisan politics.

Why can a pocket veto only happen when Congress adjourns?

Congress must be unavailable to receive the vetoed bill back.

What is the difference between statutory and enumerated powers?

Enumerated powers come directly from the Constitution; statutory powers come from laws passed by Congress.

What role does the Vice President play in the Senate?

Mainly ceremonial, but can cast tie-breaking votes.

Why are committees important in Congress?

They allow specialization and handle most legislative work before bills reach the floor.

Why is the bureaucracy sometimes called the “fourth branch”?

Because agencies have significant influence over policy implementation and regulation.