AP U.S. Government: Congress Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering congressional structure, leadership, committees, the legislative process, constitutional powers, spending, and models of representation.

Bicameralism

The constitutional design of Congress as a two-chamber legislature composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

House of Representatives

The congressional chamber composed of 435 voting members who serve 2-year terms, represent districts within states, must be at least 25 years old, and are held closely accountable to public sentiment through frequent elections.

Senate

The congressional chamber composed of 100 members who serve 6-year terms, represent entire states, must be at least 30 years old, and are insulated from immediate public pressure.

Continuous Body

A characteristic of the Senate where only about one-third of its seats face election every 2 years, ensuring experienced members always remain in office.

17th Amendment

The constitutional amendment that established the direct election of U.S. senators by the voters rather than selection by state legislatures.

Reapportionment

The redistribution of the 435 House seats among the states every 10 years based on population data from the decennial census.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing legislative district boundaries within individual states following reapportionment.

Gerrymandering

The practice of manipulating legislative district boundaries to grant an electoral advantage to a specific political group or party.

Safe Seat

An electoral district where one political party is very likely to win.

Swing/Marginal District

An electoral district where either major political party has a realistic chance of winning.

Baker v. Carr

The Supreme Court case establishing that federal courts have the authority to hear constitutional challenges regarding unequal legislative representation.

Shaw v. Reno

The Supreme Court case ruling that drawing legislative districts predominantly around race can violate the Equal Protection Clause and requires especially strong justification.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, elected by the full House, who presides over debates, recognizes speakers, and strongly influences the legislative agenda.

Majority Leader

A party leader selected internally by the majority party who helps organize party members and advance legislative priorities.

Minority Leader

A party leader who heads the smaller party in a chamber and organizes its legislative strategy.

Whips

Party leaders who count votes and pressure chamber members to vote in accordance with their party's platform.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the United States, who presides over the Senate and possesses the authority to vote to break a tie.

President Pro Tempore

A senior majority-party senator elected by the Senate to preside over the chamber when the Vice President is absent.

25th Amendment

The constitutional amendment detailing procedures for handling presidential inability and filling vacancies in the office of the vice president.

Standing Committee

A permanent congressional committee that handles proposals and issues regarding an ongoing subject, such as agriculture.

Select Committee

A special, often temporary congressional task force created to investigate or examine a specific issue.

Joint Committee

A congressional committee that includes members from both the House and the Senate working together.

Conference Committee

A committee formed with members from both chambers to resolve and reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

House Ways and Means Committee

The House committee with jurisdiction over major tax legislation.

Appropriations Committees

Congressional committees responsible for drafting bills that allocate federal funds to government programs.

House Rules Committee

The House committee referred to as the 'traffic cop' that determines the terms of debate, scheduling, and allowable amendments for bills heading to the floor.

Congressional Oversight

The power of Congress to monitor, investigate, and question executive agencies regarding their use of legally authorized authority and funds.

Germane

A parliamentary rule generally enforced in the House requiring that proposed amendments be directly related to the bill under consideration.

Committee of the Whole

A parliamentary mechanism with a reduced quorum of 100 members that allows the House to debate and amend legislation under faster, more flexible rules.

Discharge Petition

A procedure in the House requiring a majority of members (normally 218) to sign to extract a stalled bill from committee and bring it to the floor.

Filibuster

A Senate tactic involving extended debate or procedural delays designed to block action and prevent a bill from reaching a final vote.

Cloture

A parliamentary procedure in the Senate used to end debate, generally requiring an affirmative vote of 60 senators for most legislation.

Sponsor

The member of Congress who officially drafts and introduces a bill.

Caucus

An informal alliance or group of lawmakers sharing party affiliation or common policy interests who collaborate to coordinate ideas and legislative support.

Pigeonhole

The act of a congressional committee ignoring an introduced bill so that it stalls and dies without advancing.

Multiple Referral

The practice of sending a single legislative bill to more than one committee simultaneously.

Sequential Referral

The practice of sending a bill to be reviewed by one committee, followed by another committee in sequence.

Rider

An unrelated provision or amendment attached to a bill as it moves through the legislative process.

Omnibus Bill

A single piece of legislation that bundles together numerous distinct measures into one large package.

Pork-Barrel Spending

Federal funds secured by lawmakers for projects specifically benefiting their home districts and constituents.

Logrolling

The practice of vote trading where lawmakers agree to support each other's bills ('I’ll vote for your bill if you vote for mine').

Veto

The presidential rejection of a passed bill, which can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in each chamber of Congress.

Enumerated/Expressed Powers

Powers specifically granted to Congress in the text of the Constitution, such as taxing, borrowing money, regulating commerce, and declaring war.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly detailed in the Constitution but considered necessary for Congress to execute its written, enumerated responsibilities.

Necessary and Proper Clause

The constitutional provision (also called the elastic clause) granting Congress the power to pass all laws needed to carry out its expressed powers.

McCulloch v. Maryland

The Supreme Court case establishing that Congress could create a national bank under its implied powers via the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Commerce Clause

The constitutional clause that authorizes Congress to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states.

Gibbons v. Ogden

The Supreme Court case that supported broad federal authority over interstate commerce, including commercial navigation.

Impeachment

The exclusive power of the House of Representatives to formally bring charges of misconduct against a federal official.

War Powers Resolution

A federal law requiring the president to report qualifying military deployments to Congress within 48 hours and withdraw troops within 60 days (with a potential 30-day withdrawal extension) unless authorized by Congress.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

The executive office that assists the president in formulating the federal budget proposal and oversees executive agencies' management and spending.

16th Amendment

The constitutional amendment authorizing Congress to levy and collect a federal income tax without apportioning it among the states.

27th Amendment

The constitutional amendment preventing any law altering congressional pay from taking effect until an intervening House election has occurred.

Mandatory Spending

Government spending dictated by existing legal eligibility rules rather than annual decisions, covering programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Discretionary Spending

Federal spending that Congress decides and allocates through the annual appropriations process, covering programs such as defense, education, and transportation.

Net Interest

The interest paid by the federal government to service borrowing on the national debt.

Gridlock

A condition where severe political disagreement between opposing parties halts or prevents governmental and legislative action.

Polarization

The widening ideological distance between political parties that makes compromise increasingly difficult.

Divided Government

A political condition in which the president's political party does not control both chambers of Congress.

Partisan Model

A voting behavior model where a lawmaker votes strictly according to the position and preferences of their political party.

Delegate Model

A voting behavior model where a lawmaker votes directly according to the desires and opinions of their constituents.

Trustee Model

A voting behavior model where a lawmaker relies on their own personal conscience and judgment to make decisions.

Politico Model

A voting behavior model where a lawmaker acts as a delegate on some issues and a trustee on others depending on the circumstances.