AP US GoPo - congress vocab

A&W Unit 2 vocab about Congress

Advice and Consent

The Senate's power to review and approve presidential appointments and treaties.

Apportionment

The process of distributing seats in the House of Representatives based on population after each census.

Baker v. Carr

A 1962 Supreme Court case that established the principle of "one person, one vote," allowing federal courts to intervene in redistricting.

Bicameral Legislature

A two-house legislative system, as in the U.S. Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Bipartisanship

When members of both major political parties work together to pass legislation.

Budget Deficit

When government spending exceeds revenue in a given fiscal year.

Budget Surplus

When government revenue exceeds spending in a given fiscal year.

Caucus (Congressional)

A group of members of Congress who meet to pursue common legislative objectives, often based on party or policy interests.

Closed Rule

A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits amendments to a bill on the floor.

Cloture Rule

A Senate rule that allows a supermajority (currently 60 votes) to end a filibuster and proceed to a vote.

Committee Chair

A member of Congress who leads a congressional committee, usually from the majority party.

Committee of the Whole

Consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation.

Concurrent Resolution

An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president.

Conference Committee

A temporary committee formed to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

A nonpartisan agency that provides budget and economic analyses to Congress.

Congressional Oversight

The power of Congress to monitor the executive branch and ensure compliance with laws.

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

A nonpartisan agency that provides research and analysis to Congress on policy issues.

Constituency

The body of voters that a legislator represents.

Deficit

An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues.

Delegate Role

A model of representation where legislators act based on the preferences of their constituents.

Discharge Petition

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

Discretionary Spending

Federal spending on programs that are controlled through the regular budget process (such as defense or education).

Divided Government

When the presidency and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by different parties.

Division Vote (Standing Vote)

A method of voting where members stand to be counted rather than using electronic or roll-call votes.

Double-Tracking

A procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with other business.

Earmark

A provision in legislation directing funds to a specific project, often benefiting a particular constituency.

Entitlement Program

A government program, such as Social Security, that provides benefits to individuals who meet eligibility criteria.

Enumerated Powers

Powers explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution, such as taxation and declaring war.

Expressed Powers

Same as enumerated powers—those specifically listed in the Constitution.

Filibuster

A Senate tactic where a senator speaks at length to delay or block a vote on a bill.

Franking Privilege

Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free.

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

A federal legislative agency that audits (investigates) other agencies of the federal government and reports it's findings to Congress (makes sure they are not spending more money than the government has appropriated for them).

Germane

Relevant to the topic at hand; House amendments must be germane to the bill being debated.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of district boundaries to favor a political party or group.

Gridlock

A political stalemate where little or no legislative progress is made due to partisan conflict.

Hold

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.

House Judiciary Committee

A House committee responsible for overseeing the judicial system, including impeachment proceedings.

Impeach

The process of formally charging a government official with misconduct, leading to a Senate trial.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but derived from the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Incumbency

The status of already holding an elected office.

Incumbency Advantage

The electoral benefits enjoyed by current officeholders, such as name recognition and fundraising ability.

Joint Committee

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

Lame Duck Period

The time between an election and when newly elected officials take office, during which outgoing officials may have reduced influence.

Logrolling

Vote trading; voting to support a colleague's bill in return for a promise of future support.

Majority Leader

The head of the majority party in the Senate or House, responsible for setting the legislative agenda.

Majority-Minority Districts

Congressional districts drawn to ensure a racial or ethnic minority group has a better chance of electing a representative.

Malapportionment

Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population.

Mandatory Spending

Federal spending required by law, including Social Security and Medicare.

Marginal Seat/Marginal District

A congressional district where elections are competitive and neither party has a strong advantage.

Mark-Up Session

A congressional committee meeting to revise and amend a bill.

Minority Leader

The head of the minority party in the Senate or House.

Multiple Referral

The process of sending a bill to more than one congressional committee for consideration.

National Debt

The total amount of money the U.S. government owes due to accumulated budget deficits.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

A White House office that prepares the federal budget and oversees executive agency performance.

Omnibus Spending Bill

Type of bill that combines smaller ordinary appropriations (spending) bills into one larger single bill that can be passed at once.

Open Rule

A House rule allowing amendments to a bill on the floor.

Oversight

Congress's power to monitor, investigate, and review the executive branch and its agencies.

Party Polarization

The increasing ideological division between political parties.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises and donates money to political candidates.

Politico Role

A model of representation where legislators act as either delegates or trustees depending on the issue (legislators use all 3 models, not just one).

Pork-Barrel Legislation

Government spending that benefits a legislator's district, often seen as wasteful; brings tangible goods to a legislator's district.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the United States, who presides over Senate sessions and casts tie-breaking votes.

President Pro Tempore

The senior-most senator of the majority party who presides over the Senate in the Vice President's absence.

Quorum

The minimum number of members needed to conduct legislative business.

Quorum Call

A roll call in either house of Congress to see whether the minimum number of representatives required to conduct business is present

Reapportionment

The redistribution of House seats among states based on the latest census data.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing congressional district boundaries within a state.

Restrictive Rule

A House rule that limits the ability to amend a bill on the floor.

Rider

Unpopular and sometimes unrelated provision added to an important bill certain to pass so that it will "ride" through the legislative process

Roll-Call Vote

A recorded vote in which each member's position is publicly listed.

Rules Committee

A powerful House committee that sets the terms for debate and amendment of bills.

Safe Seat/Safe District

A congressional district where one party consistently wins by a large margin.

Select Committee

A temporary congressional committee created for a specific purpose.

Sequential Referral

The process of sending a bill to one committee before another.

Seventeenth Amendment

Allowed American voters to directly elect U.S. senators.

Shaw v. Reno

A Supreme Court case that ruled racial gerrymandering must meet strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause.

Simple Resolution

An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body.

Sophomore Surge

The tendency for newly elected members of Congress to win re-election by a larger margin.

Speaker of the House

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

Sponsor

A legislator who introduces a bill.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees in Congress that handle specific policy areas ("engines of Congress").

Swing Districts

Congressional districts where elections are competitive and can be won by either party.

Trustee Role

A model of representation where legislators use their judgment rather than strictly following constituents' wishes.

Unanimous Consent Agreement

A Senate procedure where all members agree to the terms of debate, expediting legislation (if no member present is objecting).

Unified Government

When the presidency and both houses of Congress are controlled by the same party.

Veto

The president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Voice Vote

A voting method where members verbally express approval or disapproval.

War Powers Act

A law limiting the president's ability to deploy troops without congressional approval.

Ways and Means Committee

A powerful House committee that oversees tax policy and revenue generation.

Whip

A party leader who ensures members vote in line with party positions (tells on them to the party leader if they don't).