congress vocab

Court ruled that Tennessee violated equal protection clause because districts were not equally represented

-case that est. one man one vote. this decision created guidelines for drawing up congresional districts and guaranteed a more equitable system of representation to the citizens of each state

Baker vs. Carr(1962)

Advise and Consent power

The power of the Senate to consult and approve the presidents treaties and appointments.

Appropriations

funding that must be authorized by Congress for any federal spending

Approval Power

Senate power to approve:

-appointments by the President (majority)

-approve treaties made by the President (2/3)

Casework

Assistance given to constituents by congressional members, answering questions/doing favors

An association of congressional memebers created to advance a political ideology or a regional,ethnic,or economic interest

Caucus

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Closed/open rule

A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate

Cloture (Rule)

Joint committees appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill

Conference Committees

The United States Congress has the authority to conduct hearings, investigations, and budget reviews of the actions by the executive branch

Congressional Oversight

Congressional subcommittee

a subdivision of a United States congressional committee that considers specified matters and reports back to the full committee

Role played by elected representatives who vote the way their constituents would want them to, regardless of their own opinions.

Delegate Model

House- 435 member

2 year terms

Based on population

25 years of age, citizen for 7 years, inhabitant of the state "live in district representing"

Represent a district

Senate- 100 members

6 year terms

2 per state

30 years of age, citizen for 9 years, inhabitant of the state

Represent entire state

Differences House and Senate

A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition be brought to the floor.

Discharge Petition

One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

Divided Government

An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill

Filibuster

The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage

Franking (Privilege)

Germane rule

technical term for "relevant." The House requires at all times unless an exception is made by special rule while the Senate does not

Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party

Gerrymandering

Gridlock

An inability to enact legislation because of partisan conflict within Congress or between Congress and the president.

An institution unique to the House of Representatives that review all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full house.

House Rules Committee

House Ways and Means Committee

Important House standing committee responsible for initiating all taxation bills.

Impeachment

An action by the House of Representatives to accuse the president, vice president, or other civil officers of the United States of committing "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Those congressmen who are already in office

Incumbent

Committees on which both senators and representatives serve

Joint Committee

The trading of favors, or quid pro quo, such as vote trading by legislative members to obtain passage of actions of interest to each legislative member.

Logrolling

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate

Majority Leader

The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate

Minority Leader

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Open Rule

Attempt to combine the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles.

Balancing or choosing the use of all three based on the situation

Politico Model

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return

Pork Barrel (Legislation)

Power of the Purse

The constitutional power of Congress to raise and spend money. Congress can use this as a negative or checking power over the other branches by freezing or cutting their funding.

The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in congress

Quorum

The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census.

Reapportionment

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

Redistricting

roll-call vote

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering "yea" or "nay" to their names.

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose

Select Committees

Speaker of the House

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives

Senate Judiciary Committee

Standing Senate committee charged with reviewing judicial affairs, including federal court nominations.

Lawmaker who acts according to his conscience and not necessarily their constituents

-Must interpret the needs and wants of the people(trustee vs delegate)

Trustee Model

The same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress

Unified government

A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking, also encourages the members to vote along party lines

Whips

Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Standing Committee