Ap government combined unit 2

House of Representatives

One of the two chambers of Congress, representation is based on population.

Senate

One of the two chambers of Congress, with equal representation of two senators per state.

Age

Minimum age requirement to serve in the House is 25 years and in the Senate is 30 years.

Citizenship (Yrs.)

Minimum years of citizenship required to serve in the House is 7 years and in the Senate is 9 years.

Term Length

The term length for the House is 2 years and for the Senate is 6 years.

Term Limits

There are no term limits for either the House or the Senate (∞).

Total #

The total number of members in the House is 435 and in the Senate is 100.

Connecticut Compromise

An agreement that established a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in one house and equal representation in the other.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a bicameral legislative branch with representation based on population.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.

17th Amendment

Amendment that established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.

Census

A population count conducted every ten years to determine representation in Congress.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.

Habeas Corpus

A legal principle that protects against unlawful detention.

Ex Post Facto

A law that makes an act illegal retroactively.

Bill of Attainder

A legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without trial.

Quorum

The minimum number of members required to conduct business in a legislative body.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislative action.

Cloture

A procedure used to end a filibuster and bring a debate to a close.

Rider

An additional provision added to a bill that may not be related to the main subject.

Logrolling

The practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics, by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation.

Pork Barrel Legislation

Legislation that provides funds for local projects, often seen as wasteful spending.

Continuous Body

A legislative body, such as the Senate, that is never entirely renewed at one time.

Constituents

The residents of a congressional district represented by an elected official.

Trustee

A member of Congress who makes decisions based on their own judgment and the common good.

Delegate

A member of Congress who acts according to the wishes of their constituents.

Politico

A member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that constituents care about and as a trustee on more complex issues.

Bicameral

A legislative body that has two chambers or houses.

Interest Group

An organization of people with shared objectives that seeks to influence public policy.

Lobbyist

A person who attempts to influence government decisions on behalf of an interest group.

Incumbent

An official currently holding office.

Two-Party System

A political system dominated by two major parties.

Conservatism

A political philosophy that promotes retaining traditional social institutions.

Liberalism

A political philosophy that emphasizes individual rights and freedoms.

Bipartisan

Involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties.

Party Platforms

A formal set of principal goals supported by a political party.

Amendment Process

Step 1. Passage by Congress by a two-thirds vote of both houses.

Step 2. Ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Majority Leader

The head of the majority party in a legislative body.

Minority Leader

The head of the minority party in a legislative body.

Whips

Party officials who ensure party discipline and attendance for votes.

Bill

a proposed law

Majority Leader

The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.

Gerrymandering

The process of drawing a district's boundaries to gain an advantage in elections

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 bill/issue

Constituents

The people who a member of Congress has been elected to represent.

Redistricting

The process of setting up new district lines after reapportionment is complete.

Apportionment/ Reapportionment

The process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census.

Minority Leader

The legislative leader selected by the minority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives. Sets the legislative calendar and appoints committee chairs and members.

Majority Party

the party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate.

Census

a population count

Censure

A vote within Congress of formal disapproval of a member's actions.

Incumbent

An officeholder who is seeking reelection.

Standing Committee

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

Conference Committee

special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

Select Committee

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

Joint Committee

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate

Committee Chairs

Leaders of committees. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

Congressional Hearing

Congressional committee sessions in which members listen to witnesses who provide information and opinions on matters of interest to the committee, including pending legislation.

Majority Whip

This person watches how party members intend to vote on bills (counts votes), persuades them to vote as the party wishes, and sees that the party members are present to vote. A member of the majority party.

Minority Whip

This person watches how party members intend to vote on bills (counts votes), persuades them to vote as the party wishes, and sees that the party members are present to vote. A member of the minority party.

President Pro-Tempore

A leader elected by the Senate to preside "for the time being" in the absence of the vice president.

Minority Party

The party that holds the minority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate.

Cloture

A procedure for ending a debate (usually ends a filibuster) - voting immediately follows.

Sub Committees

Standing committees that are further divided into smaller, more specialized bodies.

Appropriations Bills

An act of Congress that actually funds programs within limits established by authorization bills.

Legislative Veto

A provision that allows a congressional resolution (passed by a majority of congress, but not signed by the President) to nullify a rulemaking or other action taken by an executive agency.

Impoundment

President's refusal to spend money that Congress has appropriated for a program.

Legislative oversight

Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

Quorum

The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action.

Pocket Veto

An indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.

Veto

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

Logrolling

Agreements by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills.

Lobbyist

people who work on behalf of an interest group or business to try to influence legislation, regulation, or other government decisions, actions, or policies.

Closed Rule

Forbids members to offer any amendments to a bill while on the floor.

Open Rule

Permits amendments to a bill while on the floor.

Authorization Bills

Bills that establish, continue, or modify government agencies or programs.

Casework

When a congressperson helps a constituent with a problem.

Pork-Barrel

Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district.

Pigeonholing

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

Entitlements

Social programs that continue from one year to the next.

Safe Seat

an office that is extremely likely to be won by a particular candidate or political party

Bureaucratic Rule-Making

guidelines issued by government agencies, which provide specific details about how a policy will be implemented.

Politico (Model of Representation)

An elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate, depending on the issue

Delegate (Model of Representation)

The view that an elected representative should represent the opinions of his or her constituents even if it goes against the conscience of the elected official

Trustee (Model of Representation)

representatives should rely on their own judgement when making decisions. Politicians believe that their constituents have elected them because they trust their judgment to make the right decision.

Docket

a court's calendar, showing the schedule of cases it is to hear

Precedent (stare decisis)

A previous decision or ruling that, in common law tradition, is binding on previous decisions.

Congressional Budget Office

Advises Congress on the probable consequences of its decisions, forecasts revenues, and is a counterweight to the president's Office of Management and Budget.

Civil Service

The permanent professional branches of a government's administration, excluding military and judicial branches and elected politicians.

Federal Register

A daily publication of the US federal government that issues proposed and final administrative regulations of federal agencies.

Party Caucus

A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy.

Executive Office of the President

The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out their responsibilities.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The total output of all economic activity in the nation, including goods and services.

Amicus Curiae Brief

Literally, a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.

Executive Privilege

An implied presidential power that allows the president to refuse to disclose information regarding confidential conversations or national security to Congress or the judiciary.

Fiscal Policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.

Cabinet

Advisory council for the president consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice president, and a few other officials selected by the president.

National Security Council

An agency in the Executive Office of the President that advises the president on national security.

Chief of Staff

The person who oversees the operations of all White House staff and controls access to the president.