Unit II: Interactions Among Branches of Government Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, institutions, procedures, and concepts for Unit II: Interactions Among Branches of Government.

Unanimous Consent

A procedure where a senator requests on the floor to set aside a specified rule of procedure so as to expedite proceedings; if no senator objects, the Senate permits the action, but if any one senator objects, the request is rejected.

Standing Committee

A permanent legislative panel established by chamber rules in a legislative body ex: agriculture

Speaker of the House

The highest ranking member of the majority party in the House of Representatives; third in line to be president after the president and vice president.

Filibuster

A delaying tactic, used in the Senate, that involves speechmaking to prevent action on a piece of legislation.

Cloture

A rule in the Senate that states that 60 out of the 100 senators must vote to end a filibuster.

Rules Committee

A committee of the United States House of Representatives in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor, rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy.

Party Polarization

A situation in which members of Congress cannot or will not come to agreement with each other based solely on their political party's stance on issues.

Gerrymandering

The process by which a political party in the majority manipulates the creation of districts in their state in such a way as to give their party the advantage in elections.

Redistricting

The process of creating new districts after the census.

Divided Government

A situation in which one political party controls the presidency and another political party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Lame Duck Period

The time period between the election and when the newly elected official takes office, during which the old elected official is still in office and does not have much influence.

Politico Role of Representation

A style of representation where a representative uses the trustee role of representation sometimes and the delegate role of representation sometimes.

Trustee Role of Representation

A style of representation where a representative votes based on what they think is best and does not follow what the majority of constituents want.

Delegate Role of Representation

A style of representation where a representative votes based on what the majority of their constituents want.

Formal (Enumerated) Powers

Powers of the president specifically stated in the Constitution.

Informal (Inherent) Powers

Powers not explicit in the Constitution but needed to carry out the enumerated powers (stated powers) in the Constitution.

Veto

A power of the president to stop a bill from becoming law.

Pocket Veto

A way to kill a bill where if the bill arrives on the president's desk and Congress adjourns within ten days after it comes to them and the president does not sign the bill, the bill dies.

Appointments

The process by which the president chooses individuals to fill certain cabinet, federal judiciary, ambassador, White House staff, or other administrative positions, usually subject to Senate confirmation (approval).

Twenty-Second Amendment

The amendment to the Constitution limiting the office of president to two terms of four years or a maximum of 10 years.

Judicial Review

The power created by the Marbury v. Madison case where the federal judiciary can analyze government actions to determine if those actions are constitutional or not.

Life Tenure

A condition whereby federal judges cannot be fired once appointed by the president and confirmed (approved) by the Senate; they serve for life, though they can be impeached.

Precedent

A judicial ruling that serves as the basis for rulings in later cases.

Stare Decisis

A Latin phrase meaning 'let the decision stand'; judicial decision making based on precedent.

Judicial Activism

A judicial philosophy whereby judges interpret existing laws and precedents loosely and interject their own values in court decisions.

Judicial Restraint

A judicial philosophy whereby judges adhere closely to statutes and precedents in reaching their decisions.

Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a case, or the geographic area over which a court or police department has authority.

Original Jurisdiction

The court in which a case starts.

Regulation

A government rule that guides the operation of a government program, or when the government intervenes in the economy to promote policy.

Conference Committee

A temporary committee created to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of a specific piece of legislation.

Impeachment

The process in which the House accuses an official (usually the president) of 'high crimes and misdemeanors', followed by a trial in the Senate where the official is convicted or acquitted by votes of senators.

Incumbent

The person already in office who is running for re-election.

Majority Leader

The highest ranking member of the majority party in the Senate; the second highest ranking member of the majority party in the House.

Minority Leader

The highest ranking member of the minority party in the Senate and the House.

Minority Party

The party that does not have the majority of members in the House or the Senate.

President Pro Tempore

The longest serving member in the majority party of the Senate, who presides over the Senate when the vice president is not there.

Select Committee

A temporary committee created for a special purpose.

Senatorial Courtesy

A practice whereby the Senate will not confirm for a lower federal court judgeship a nominee who is opposed by the senior senator in the president's party in the nominee's state.

Seniority

Years of consecutive service in the House or Senate or a committee.

War Powers Act

A limitation on the power of the president to send troops to other nations; the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops, and the troops must return within 60 to 90 days unless Congress extends the time.

Whip

The person in the House or the Senate that encourages members to vote the way the party wants them to vote.

Pardon

The power of a president to wipe away a conviction of someone sentenced for a federal crime.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A brief sent to the Supreme Court in support of one side of a case to try to persuade the Court how to rule.

Appellate Court

A court that hears an appeal from a lower court based on a mistake in interpreting the law or applying procedure; no new evidence is allowed and no witnesses are heard.

Appellate Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear an appeal.

Brief

A written argument stating your side of the case, submitted to the court.

Civil Law

Laws dealing with non-criminal items like contracts.

Criminal Law

Laws dealing with crimes against persons or property.

Rule of Four

A rule stating that at least four Supreme Court Justices have to agree to hear a case in order to grant a writ of certiorari.

Solicitor General

The lawyer that argues cases for the federal government in front of the Supreme Court.

Strict Constructionist

A judicial philosophy that limits judicial interpretation to the narrowest interpretation possible—the original meaning of the Constitution.

Trial Court

Where a case starts out; includes witness testimony, submission of evidence, and sometimes a jury.

Writ of Certiorari

A legal document whereby the Supreme Court requests the transcripts and files of a case decided in a lower court so the Supreme Court can review it to determine if a mistake was made interpreting the law or applying procedure.