Congress Key Terms

appropriation

appropriation

money that Congress has allocated to be spent

appropriations committee

congressional committee that deals with federal funding

casework

personal work done by a member of Congress for their constituents

closed rule

rules committee rule that bans amendments to a bill

cloture

Senate motion to end a filibuster that requires a 3/5 vote

conference committee

works out a compromise between differing House-Senate versions of a bill

constituents

the people who are represented by elected officials

discharge petition

a motion to force a bill to the House floor that has been bottled up in committee

filibuster

nonstop Senate debate that prevents a bill from going to voting

finance committee

Senate committee that handles tax bills

franking privilege

allows members of Congress to send mail postage free

gerrymandering

redrawing district lines to favor one party at the expense of the other

hold

Senate maneuver that allows a Senator to stop or delay consideration of a bill or presidential appointment

impeachment

House action that formally charges an official with wrongdoing. Conviction requires 2/3 vote of the Senate.

legislative oversight

ongoing process of congressional monitoring of the executive branch to ensure that the latter complies with the law

legislative veto

process in which Congress overturned rules and regulations proposed by executive branch agencies. Struck down in 1983.

logrolling

when two members of Congress agree to vote for each other’s bills

mark up

committee action to amend a proposed bill

open rule

House Rules committee rule that allows amendments to a bill

pocket veto

presidential killing of a bill by inaction after Congress adjourns

pork barrel

wasteful congressional spending

quorum

minimum number of members needed for the House or Senate to meet

reapportionment

reallocation of House seats to the states on the basis of changes in state populations, as determined by the census

redistricting

redrawing of congressional district boundaries by the party in power of the state legislature

rider/nongermane amendment

amendment to a bill that has little to do with that bill

rules committee

the traffic cop of the House that sets the legislative calendar and issues rules for debate on a bill

seniority system

tradition in which the Senator from the majority party with the most years of service on a committee becomes the chairman of that committee

standing committees

the permanent congressional committees that handle legislation

sunset laws

laws that automatically expire after a given time

ways and means committees

House committee that handles tax bills