Unit II: Interactions Among Branches of Government

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the powers, structures, functions, and key terms for the legislative, executive, and judicial branches and the federal bureaucracy in AP US Government Unit II.

Unanimous Consent

A request made by a senator on the floor to set aside a specified rule of procedure to expedite proceedings; granted if no senator objects, but rejected if any one senator objects.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in Congress.

Speaker of the House

The highest-ranking member of the majority party in the House of Representatives; third in line to the presidency after the president and vice president.

Filibuster

A delaying tactic used in the Senate that involves speechmaking to prevent action on a piece of legislation.

Cloture

A rule in the Senate requiring 60 out of the 100 senators to vote to end a filibuster.

Rules Committee

A committee of the United States House of Representatives in charge of determining under what rule bills will come to the floor, rather than being responsible for a specific policy area.

Party Polarization

A situation in which members of Congress cannot or will not reach agreement with each other based solely on their political party's stance on issues.

Gerrymandering

The process by which the majority political party manipulates district boundaries in their state to give their party an electoral advantage.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries after the census.

Divided Government

A condition in which one political party controls the presidency and another political party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Lame Duck Period

The time period between an election and the swearing-in of newly elected officials, during which the outgoing official remains in office with diminished influence.

Politico Role of Representation

A model of representation where a representative alternates between the trustee role and the delegate role depending on the issue.

Trustee Role of Representation

A model of representation where a representative votes based on their own judgment of what is best, rather than following the majority view of constituents.

Delegate Role of Representation

A model of representation where a representative votes strictly according to the desires of the majority of their constituents.

Formal (Enumerated) Powers

Powers of the president that are explicitly stated in the Constitution.

Informal (Inherent) Powers

Powers not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution but deemed necessary to carry out the enumerated powers.

Veto

A presidential constitutional power to reject and prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law.

Pocket Veto

A method of killing a bill where the president takes no action on it and Congress adjourns within 10 days of its submission.

Commander in Chief

The constitutional role of the president establishing ultimate civilian command and control over the military.

Executive Agreement

An international accord entered into by the president with another country that does not require congressional approval.

Executive Order

A presidential directive that modifies or creates public policies and laws without requiring congressional approval.

Signing Statements

Statements issued by the president upon signing a bill into law, often explaining the administration's interpretation of and intentions for enforcing the legislation.

Appointments

The presidential power to select individuals for federal judiciary seats, cabinet posts, ambassadorships, and agency positions, typically subject to Senate confirmation.

Twenty-Second Amendment

The constitutional amendment restricting a president to serving a maximum of two four-year terms or up to 10 total years.

State of the Union

An annual address mandated by the Constitution in which the president reports on the nation's condition and outlines legislative priorities for the coming year.

Bully Pulpit

The platform provided by the presidency that allows the chief executive to leverage immense media visibility and public attention to sway opinion and promote policies.

Judicial Review

The power of federal courts, established in Marbury v. Madison (1803), to determine the constitutionality of legislative and executive government actions.

Life Tenure

The constitutional guarantee that federal judges hold their offices during good behavior for life, removable only through impeachment and conviction by Congress.

Precedent

A judicial ruling in an earlier court case that establishes a legal principle or rule serving as the basis for deciding subsequent similar cases.

Stare Decisis

A legal principle meaning "let the decision stand," which guides courts to adhere to settled judicial precedent.

Judicial Activism

A judicial philosophy where judges interpret laws and precedents broadly, allowing personal or contemporary values to guide decisions and correct perceived injustices.

Judicial Restraint

A judicial philosophy where judges adhere strictly to established statutes, original intent, and precedents, avoiding the creation of new policy.

Jurisdiction

The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case, or the geographic territory over which a court or law enforcement agency holds power.

Original Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a legal case for the very first time.

Regulation

An official government rule that directs the operation of a program, or an administrative intervention in the economy designed to enact public policy.

Fine

A monetary penalty imposed on an individual or entity for committing a violation or wrongdoing.

Iron Triangle

A mutually beneficial policy-making alliance among an administrative agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee.

Issue Network

A loose, informal coalition of policy experts, media pundits, congressional staffers, and interest groups who actively debate a specific public policy issue.

Civil Service (Competitive Service)

A system in which government employees are hired, evaluated, and promoted based on objective examinations and qualifications rather than political connections.

Merit System

The practice of selecting and advancing government personnel based strictly on their demonstrated abilities and merit rather than political affiliations.

Political Patronage

The granting of government positions, contracts, or financial favors to individuals as a reward for their political loyalty, campaign assistance, or votes.

Administrative Discretion (Discretionary Authority)

The authority delegated by Congress to bureaucratic agencies to make independent decisions and write detailed rules when executing legislation.

Rule-Making

The formal administrative process through which executive agencies create legally binding rules and regulations.

Policy Implementation

The stage of the policymaking process where bureaucratic agencies put adopted laws and policies into operational effect.

Oversight

The review, monitoring, and supervision by Congress of executive agencies and their policy implementation.

Bureaucracy

A large, complex hierarchical organization of appointed officials through which the executive branch of government administers laws and policies.

Bureaucrat

An appointed official or civil servant who works within a government bureaucracy.

Cabinet Department

One of the 15 major executive branch administrative departments headed by a secretary that assists the president in running the government.

Independent Agencies

Executive branch agencies that exist outside the cabinet departments, whose heads are appointed by the president and can generally be removed at the president's discretion.

Regulatory Commissions

Executive agencies created to protect the public interest by regulating specific sectors of the national economy.

Government Corporations

Government entities that provide public services and charge fees for operations that private companies might not adequately supply.

Government by Proxy

The administrative practice of delivering federal programs and services through private contractors, state officials, or local personnel rather than direct federal employees.

Incrementalism

The steady growth in government spending over time driven by inflation and wage hikes, or the gradual evolution of policies in small steps rather than abrupt overhauls.

Deregulation

The policy or process of reducing or eliminating government regulatory oversight of economic activities.

Appropriation

A legislative grant of public funds designated for a specific government program or purpose.

Apportionment

The allocation of seats in the House of Representatives among the states according to population data collected during the decennial census.

Bicameral

A legislative body consisting of two separate chambers, such as the U.S. Congress, which is comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Bill

A formal proposal for legislation that has been introduced into Congress.

Conference Committee

A temporary joint congressional committee convened to reconcile differences between separate House and Senate versions of a bill.

Impeachment

The formal accusation of civil officers by the House of Representatives for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors, followed by a trial in the Senate.

Incumbent

An official who currently holds a public office and is seeking re-election.

Majority Leader

The primary leader of the majority party in the Senate, or the second-ranking majority party leader in the House of Representatives behind the Speaker.

Minority Leader

The principal spokesperson and strategist leading the minority party in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Minority Party

The political party in either house of Congress holding fewer than half of the chamber's seats.

President Pro Tempore

The longest-serving member of the majority party in the Senate who presides over floor debates in the absence of the vice president.

Select Committee

A temporary congressional committee appointed to investigate a specific issue or accomplish a defined task.

Senatorial Courtesy

An unwritten Senate tradition where judicial nominees will not be confirmed if opposed by a senator of the president's party from the nominee's home state.

Seniority

A system giving preference to lawmakers with the greatest number of consecutive years of service in Congress or on a specific committee.

War Powers Act

A law limiting presidential power to engage armed forces abroad without congressional authorization; requires notification within 48 hours and troop withdrawal within 60 to 90 days unless authorized by Congress.

Whip

A party leader responsible for counting votes, enforcing discipline, and ensuring party members vote aligned with leadership directives.

Executive Privilege

The asserted presidential power to withhold sensitive communications and records from Congress or courts to protect the national interest.

Line-Item Veto

An unconstitutional presidential mechanism (though available to many state governors) to cancel specific provisions in spending bills while signing the remainder into law.

Pardon

A constitutional power of the president to completely erase criminal convictions and relieve individuals from penalties for federal crimes.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A "friend of the court" brief filed by a non-party with an interest in the matter to present legal arguments and persuade the court toward a particular outcome.

Appellate Court

A court that reviews decisions made by lower trial courts for errors in legal procedure or statutory interpretation, without evaluating new witness testimony or evidence.

Appellate Jurisdiction

The legal power of a court to review, revise, or overturn rulings and verdicts rendered by a subordinate court.

Brief

A formal written legal argument submitted to a court by an attorney presenting the legal and factual basis for their client's position.

Civil Law

The body of law governing disputes between private parties, organizations, or individuals over legal relationships such as contracts and property.

Criminal Law

The body of law governing acts that inflict offenses against public order, person, or property, punishable through state prosecution.

Rule of Four

The requirement that at least four Supreme Court justices must agree to hear an appeal before issuing a writ of certiorari.

Solicitor General

The federal official responsible for representing and arguing the U.S. government's position before the Supreme Court.

Strict Constructionist

A judicial philosophy that interprets constitutional and statutory language according to its literal wording and original public meaning, rejecting broad inferences.

Trial Court

The court of original jurisdiction where legal disputes begin, evidence is introduced, witnesses provide testimony, and a verdict is determined by a judge or jury.

Writ of Certiorari

An order issued by the Supreme Court instructing a lower court to forward all records and transcripts of a case for appellate review.