apgov unit 1 & 2 vocab

bicameral legislature

A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or houses.

quorum

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

franking privilege

The ability of congressional members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by using their signature for postage.

majority leader

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

minority leader

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

whip

A senator or representative who assists the party leader by staying informed about the voting decisions of other members.

party polarization

A strong division in the views of Republicans and Democrats on the legislative agenda.

congressional caucus

 A group of congressional members that meet to pursue a common legislative agenda.

standing committees

Permanently established legislative committees that review and consider bills in both the House and Senate.

select committees

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and usually for an investigative purpose.    

joint committees

A committee made up of members from both the House and the Senate.

conference committees

A joint committee appointed to iron out the differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.  

discharge petition

A device used to force a bill that has been stuck in committee for over thirty days, out onto the floor.

unanimous consent

a request or agreement setting the terms for the consideration or debate of a specified bill or other measure.

political/policy agenda

Issues that people believe require governmental action

logrolling

Practice of legislators trading mutual support for their legislative proposals.

divided government

Occurs when different parties control the White House and  Congress.

unified government

 Occurs when the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress.

hold

A stalling approach by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor; tactic used to stop a bill from reaching the floor.

earmarks

“Hidden” congressional provisions that designate money for specific projects or programs.

pork barrel legislation

Legislation that provides benefits to constituents in a particular district or state in the hope of winning their votes in return. For example: providing funding to build a bridge in a particular city.            

trustee

Descriptive of elected representatives who use their best judgment when making legislative voting decisions.

delegate

Descriptive of elected representatives who base their legislative voting decisions on the desires and opinions of their constituents.

politico

Descriptive of elected representatives who balance their constituents’ opinions with their best judgment when making legislative voting decisions.

cloture rule

A process used by the Senate to end or limit debate/filibusters.

filibuster

An attempt to stall or defeat a bill in the Senate by talking for an extended period of time.

gerrymandering

The practice of drawing districts in unusual shapes for the political advantage of one political party or group. 

reapportionment

The practice of redistributing House seats every ten years according to census data.

malapportionment

The practice of distributing House seats into unequal districts, which diminishes certain district’s representative voice.

redistricting

The redrawing of legislative district lines after the census has been taken, to accommodate population shifts and ensure equal representation.

constituency

The individuals who live in the area an elected official is representing.

gridlock

The inability of the government to act because opposing parties control different parts of the government and cannot agree on a course of action.

formal power

Authority given to the president that is specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

informal power

Authority given to the president that is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

executive order

A directive that carries the weight of law that is given by the president without the consent of Congress.

executive agreement

A pact between the president and the head of a foreign nation. Unlike treaties, they do not require Senate consent and may only last for the duration of a president’s term.

treaty

A formal, public agreement between the United States and one or more nations that must be approved by two-thirds of the Senate.

cabinet

The heads of the fifteen executive branch departments that also serve as advisors to the president.

bully pulpit

The president’s use of his position and visibility to guide or influence the American public.

state of the union

An annual address given by the president to Congress in which the president outlines his legislative agenda.

executive privilege

The president’s ability to keep certain communications private.  United States v. Nixon clarified its limitations.

22nd Amendment

This provision of the Constitution limits presidential terms to two, not to exceed 10 years.

25th Amendment

This provision of the Constitution states the process for presidential succession and disability.

Veto

the presidential power to deny a bill passed by Congress

pocket veto

When a bill fails to become law, because the president did not sign it within 10 days before Congress adjourned.

line-item veto

The power to cancel specific dollar amounts within a bill. While the Supreme Court has ruled presidents may not use these, state governors still can.

signing statement

issued by the president after passing a bill into law; reveals what the president thinks of a new law and how it ought to be enforced.

impeachment

The constitutional process of bringing charges against a government official.

pardon

official forgiveness of a crime

lame duck

An official still in office after he or she has lost a bid for re-election or has reached his/her term limit.

Congressional Oversight

The authority of Congress to conduct hearings, investigations, and budget reviews regarding the actions executive branch.

bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials. 

executive office of the president

The part of the executive branch that supports the president in his responsibilities, from security to trade.

white house staff

Personnel who run day-to-day operations in the White House and advise the president.

executive departments

15 large agencies of the federal government that carry out laws and regulate within their respective areas. Each is headed by a secretary.

independent regulatory commissions

Agencies that are responsible for monitoring large government sectors, such as the Federal Reserve, and are not subject to control by either Congress or the President.

government corporations

 A government agency that carries out business-like functions, such as the US Postal Service.

office of management and budget

This part of the bureaucracy helps the president prepare the budget for the fiscal year.

discretionary authority/bureaucratic discretion

The extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by the laws of Congress.

civil service

The part of the government that fulfills the daily functions of the bureaucracy. These government workers are hired on the basis of merit. 

merit system

Procedure of hiring and promoting government employees on the basis of their abilities and competence rather than political favors.

Pendleton Act

The law that created a merit-based system for the hiring of members of the civil service.

iron triangle

A mutually beneficial relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group.

issue network

A link of policy experts, interest groups, think tanks, congressional staff members, media pundits, etc. who regularly debate an issue.

appropriation

A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency.

regulation

The use of government authority to control or change business practices in the private sector.

Judicial Restraint

The view that judges should decide cases strictly on the basis of the language of laws and the Constitution.

judicial activism

The view that judges should apply the principles and provisions of the Constitution to modern circumstances.

constitutional courts

Federal courts authorized by Article III of the Constitution that keeps judges in office for life during good behavior.

district courts

The lowest federal courts that have original jurisdiction over most federal cases.

courts of appeals

Federal courts that hear appeals from district courts. They review each case for possible errors.

supreme court

The highest court in the United States, made up of nine justices

legislative courts

Courts created by Congress for specialized purposes, such as the U.S. Tax Court.

litmus test

A consideration of the political ideology of a nominated judge.

judicial review

the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional

writ of certiorari

An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review.

Marbury v. Madison

Landmark Supreme Court case that established the court’s power of judicial review.

plantiff

The party that initiates a lawsuit.

standing

A legal rule stating who is authorized to start a lawsuit.        

precedent

The principle set by the court in one case that will be used as the basis for deciding future cases.

class-action suit

A case brought by an individual that will impact that person and all others similarly situated.  

original jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a case first.

appellate jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a case brought to them on appeal from a lower court.

brief

A written statement by an attorney that summarizes a case and the laws and rulings that support it.

amicus curiae brief

A brief submitted by a “friend of the court” to provide the court with additional information on a case.

Opinion of the Court/Majority Opinion

The judicial opinion agreed upon by more than half of the members of the court that explains the reasoning of the court’s decision.

concurring opinion

A signed opinion in which one or more members agree with the majority view, but for different reasons.

dissenting opinion

A signed opinion that features the perspective of those justices who disagreed with the majority opinion.

stare decisis

“Let the decision stand” or allowing prior rulings to determine the court’s stand on a current case.

senatorial courtesy

Unwritten custom that the Senate will not approve a judicial nomination if opposed by a senator from the state in which the nominee is to serve.

rule of four

In order for a case to be granted certiorari, four justices must agree that the case is worthy to be heard.

amendment

A new addition to the Constitution that has been proposed by Congress and ratified by the states.

federalism

System in which power is divided between national and state or local governments.

expressed powers

 

Powers written into the Constitution that have been given to the national government

reserved powers

 

Powers given to the state governments alone

concurrent powers

Powers shared by both the national and state governments

implied powers

 

Powers given to the federal government that have been reasonably inferred from the Constitution

necessary and proper clause

Section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws essential to carrying out its expressed duties. This provision allows the national government to carry out implied powers

nullification

The doctrine that a state can void a federal law that, in the state's opinion, violates the Constitution

commerce clause

 

Constitutional provision that gives the federal government the power to regulate interstate and foreign trade