AP GoPo CONGRESS

bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

House of Representatives

the lower legislative house of the United States Congress; 435 members allotted to each state based on the size of its population.

U.S. Senate

the upper house of the United States Congress; Each state gets 2 members

17th Amendment

Direct election of senators

Enumerated/Expressed Powers

The seventeen powers granted to the national government under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. These powers include taxation and the regulation of commerce as well as the authority to provide for the national defense.

implied powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

War Powers Act of 1973

Gave any president the power to go to war under certain circumstances, but required that he could only do so for 90 days before being required to officially bring the matter before Congress.

Impeach

To formally charge a public official with misconduct in office

advice and consent

Terms in the Constitution describing the U.S. Senate's power to review and approve treaties and presidential appointments.

President of the Senate

Vice President of the US

Committee System in Congress

*Committees hold much of the power in the legislative process in Congress

*Legislation generally must be approved by committee before the full Senate or House can consider it

*Most of the work of Congress is done in committees and their subcommittees

Steering and Policy Committee

committee used by Democrats to assign committee members

Committee on Committees

party committees that determine the assignments of party members to standing committees in the House of Representatives

authorization

Permission, possibly limited, to spend funds for a specific budgetary purpose.

appropriation

The act of Congress formally specifying the amount of authorized money that an agency can spend.

Ways and Means Committee

a permanent committee of the United States House of Representatives that makes recommendations to the House on all bills that would raise revenue

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.

caucus

in Congress, a group of like minded individuals who meet to discuss policy issues related to a specific concern

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.

Christmas Tree Bill

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

Omnibus Bill

One very large bill that encompasses many separate bills.

closed rules

Conditions placed on a legislative debate by the House Rules Committee prohibiting amendments to a bill.

open rules

Conditions placed on a legislative debate by the House Rules Committee allowing relevant amendments to a bill

cloture

A procedure for terminating filibusters in the Senate.

earmark

Funds that an appropriations bill designates for a particular purpose within a state or congressional district; Used to "buy" votes from reluctant congress people among many other things. Banned in US since 2011, might be coming back soon.

Committee of the Whole

A committee that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself.

conference committee

A temporary committee to work out a compromise version of a bill that has passed the House of Representaives &Senate in diff. forms

Easley v Cromartie

Legislative districts drawn for political reasons are OK even if the result is a majority minority.

elastic clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution.

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 are strictly relevant to the bill on focus

gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

incumbency

Holding a political office for which one is running

joint committee

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

logrolling

You support my bill, I'll support yours. Trading favors by legislators to help pass their bills.

Gridlock

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

majority leader of the House

A legislative position held by an important party member in the House of Representatives. The _________ is selected by the majority party in a caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for the majority party in the house.

majority leader of the Senate

A legislative position held by an important party member in the Senate. The _________ is selected by the majority party in a caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for the majority party in the Senate.

malapportionment

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

mark up

The authority of congressional committees (and subcommittees in some cases) to change the content of a bill.

minority leader of the House

Selected in caucus by minority party to maintain cohesion and consult with majority leader and speaker but has no actual power

minority leader of the Senate

Spokesperson for minority party in the Senate; only has as much power as the majority leader is willing to allow.

majority minority district

a district in which a majority of people are ethnic minorities

oversight

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

party whip

the assistant to the floor leader in each house of congress who tries to persuade party members to vote for bills the party supports

pigeonholing

The ability of a committee to kill a bill by setting it aside and not acting on it.

pork barrel legislation

Legislation giving benefits to constituents through sometimes unnecessary of unwise projects within a state or district, to enhance a memeber's chance of reelection

President Pro Tempore

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

simple resloution

Passed by either House or Senate, does not have force of law

concurrent resolution

An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the President.

Joint Resolution

Formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president

revenue bills

Tax bills (must originate in the House) to raise money for the government

select committee

A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives. Second in line of succession for the Presidency

standing committee

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

term limits

laws that limit the number of terms elected officials can serve

voice vote

A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the "yeas" first and the "nays" second.

roll call vote

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

trustee model

a model of representation in which a member of the House or Senate follows his or her own conscience when deciding issue positions

delegate model

The view that an elected represent should represent the opinions of his or her constituents.

Politico Model

Members of Congress act as delegates or trustees depending on the issue

seniority system

the process by which the chairs of various committees are the most senior member of the majority party on that committee

redistricting

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

reapportionment

the redistribution of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the 50 states done every 10 years following the census