AP Gov Unit 4 Review

Appropriation

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

Authorization

A formal declaration by a legislative committee that a certain amount of funding may be available to an agency. Some authorizations terminate in a year; others are renewable automatically without further congressional action.

Bicameral Legislature

A law making body made of two houses (bi means 2). Example: Congress (our legislature) is made of two house - The House of Representatives and The Senate.

Christmas Tree Bill

A bill that has many riders to increase its chances of being passed

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

Cloture

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

Conference Committee

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

Rules Committee

A standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the house.

Ranking Minority Members

the highest ranking member of the minority party on a congressional committee

Congressional Review

a process whereby congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval

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.

Earmark

Funds that an appropriations bill designates for a particular purpose within a state or congressional district

"Elastic Clause"

the part of the Constitution that permits Congress to make any laws "necessary and proper" to carrying out its powers

Filibuster

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

Germane amendments

Amendments that must be strictly relevant to the bills on focus.

Hold

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

Speaker of the House

An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant.

House Majority

Acts as spokesperson and the keeper of party unity in the House.

House Minority

Leader of the minority party who speaks for the party in dealing with the majority

Whip

A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking.

House vs. Senate

house: 435 voting members, 2 year terms, initiate revenue bills ; senate: 100 voting members, six year terms, tries impeached officials, approves treaties

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."

Logrolling

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills

malapportionment

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

Markup

A process in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor in either house for a vote.

Oversight

Congressional review of the activities of an agency, department, or office.

Party Caucus

A closed meeting of a party's House or Senate members; also called a party conference

Pigeonholing

Occurs when a committee ignores a bill and doesn't report it out. Also known as "tabling" or "death by committee." Major cause of bill death.

Pocket Veto

A special veto exercised by the chief executive after a legislative body has adjourned. Bills not signed by the chief executive die after a specified period of time. If Congress wishes to reconsider such a bill, it must be reintroduced in the following session of Congress.

Senate President

vice president, vote breaks a tie, presides only on important matters or on ceremonial occasions - member

President Pro Tempore

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

Seniority

years of service, which is used as a consideration for assigning committee members

Senate Term Limits

Unlimited 6 year terms

House Term Limits

2 years in length, can serve as many terms as you want

Trustee

A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society

Politico

Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles

Veto

Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

Teller Voting

members vote by turning in signed index cards: green for yea and red for nay; may occur in the House only when the electronic voting system is broken.

Voice Voting

most common type of voting in the House and the Senate

Division Vote

A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted

Electronic Voting

used in house only, everyone has a card that allows one vote in certain amount of time