Unit 2a: Congress

Advice & consent

⅔ Senate vote to approve appointments and ratifying treaties

Mandatory & Discretionary Spending

Spending necessary by law & spending by Congress and the president

Logrolling

Exchanging favors on legislation

Bill of attainder

A law that punishes people without a trial

Ex post facto law

A law that punishes people retroactively

Majority/Minority Leaders

Keeps proceedings going for each party

Casework

Personal work for constituents

Filibuster

Debate to delay voting on a bill

Mark–up

Meeting to amend a bill

Cloture

Procedure to end a debate

Franking

Mail to constituents without paying postage

Oversight

Review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation

Conference committee

Meeting by both chambers on a bill

Gerrymandering

Deliberate redistricting to favor certain groups

Pocket veto

Veto after nobody acts within 10 days

Delegate model

Representatives vote the way YOU want

Trustee model

Representatives vote the way THEY want

House Rules Committee

Establishes rules for debate

Politico model

Combination of delegate + trustee

Discharge petition

Bill brought to the floor for debate

Impeachment

Bringing charges against a government official for misconduct

Pork/Pork barrel

Legislation that allows representatives to bring money back home to their district

Earmarks

Specific line items in a spending bill for a project or program

Implied Powers

Powers implied by the Constitution

President of the Senate

Vice President, votes in a tie

Enumerated Powers

Powers stated in the Constitution

Incumbency effect

Institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election

President Pro Tempore of the Senate

Acts in place of Vice President

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment

All people have equal protection under the laws

Joint committee

Committee made up of both chambers

Reapportionment

Number of House seats each state gets