AP Gov Unit 4 Vocab

Constituency

 A body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator. 

Markups

Members are writing on the bill, marking up the paper. 

Enumerated Powers

Powers explicitly granted to the national government through the constitution, also called expressed powers.

Article l, Section 8

Lists the powers of congress like expressed/enumerated powers. 1) Power of the purse 2) Power of the sword 3) General Welfare

Necessary and Proper Clause

Language in Article l, Section 8, granting congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers.

Pork Barrel Spending

Legislation that directs specific funds to to projects within districts or states

Logrolling

Oversight

Efforts by congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals. 

Congressional Budget Office

Provides Congress with objective, nonpartisan, and timely information, analyses, and estimates related to federal economic and budgetary decisions.

Earmarks

An addition to a piece of legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states.

Congressional Hearings

The form of committees meeting to collect and analyze information in the early stages of Congressional discussions.

Congressional Investigations

Conducted to gather information on the need for future legislation, to test the effectiveness of laws already passed, to inquire into the qualifications and performance of members and officials of the other branches, and on rare occasions, to lay the groundwork for impeachment proceedings.

Census

Count taken of population to affect redistricting

Apportionment

The process of determining the number of reps for each state using census data. 

Redistricting

States redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census.

Gerrymandering

The intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters. 

Majority-Minority District

A district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority minority within that electoral district. 

Malapportionment

The uneven distribution of the population between legislative districts.

Incumbency Advantage

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

Sophomore Surge

One of the factors that contribute incumbency advantage. When an incumbent who is currently in office and served their first term and now they are up for re election and now there is an  8-10% bump in votes they get because they already served in office. 

Speaker of the House

 The leader of the house of representatives, chosen by an election of its members.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns. 

House Majority Leader

The person who is the second in command of the house of reps.

Whip

A member of congress, chosen by his or her party members, whose job it to ensure party unity and discipline. 

Minority Leader

The head of a party with the second highest number of seats in congress, chosen by the party’s members. 

Senate Majority Leader

The person who has the most power in the senate and is the head of the party with the most seat. 

Committee Chair

 Leader of congressional committee who has authority over the committees agenda.

Standing Committee

Permanent panels in Congress to which bills similar in nature could be sent.

Joint Committee

A committee composed of both the House of Reps and the Senate.

Conference Committee

A temporary joint committee created to settle differences in versions of a bill passed by each house of Congress.

Select Committee

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation.

Caucuses

A meeting of supporters of a specific political party who gather to elect delegates to choose whom they believe should be the candidate in a given election.

House Rules Committee

A powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the debate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor. 

Committee of the Whole

Consists of all members of the house and meets in the house chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation. 

Sequential Referral

Congressional process by which a Speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first has finished acting.

Multiple Referral

When a bill is assigned to multiple committees by rules committee. 

Simple Resolution

Passed by a single chamber and only affects that one chamber. 

Joint Resolution

Spending force of a law because has to be approved by pres, senate, and house. Used to propose constitutional amendments. 

Discharge Petition

Forcefully pulls a bill out of a committee.

Concurrent Resolution

A concurrent resolution is a resolution adopted by both houses of a bicameral legislature that lacks the force of law and does not require the approval of the chief executive.

Holds

A delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill. 

Unanimous Consent Agreement

An agreement in the senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill. 

Filibuster

A tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation. 

Cloture

A procedure through which senators can end a filibuster and proceed to action, provided ⅗ of senators agree to it.  

Veto

Formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of congress. Bill dies within 10 days if congress term ends. 

Office of Management and Budget

The executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities. 

Entitlement Program

A program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income. 

Mandatory Spending

Spending required by exisiting laws that is “locked” in the budget.

Discretionary Spending

Spending for programs and policies at the discretion of congress and the president. 

Budget Surplus

The amount of money remaining when the government takes in more money than it spends.

Budget Defecit

The difference when a government takes in less money than it spends. 

National Debt

The total amount of money owed by the federal government. 

Delegate Role

The idea that the main duty of member of congress is to carry out constituent wishes. 

Trustee Role

The idea that members of congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgement.

Politico Rule

Representation where members of congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions. 

Bipartisanship

Agreement between the parties to work together in congress to pass legislation. 

Gridlock

A slowdown or halt in congresses ability to legislate and overcome visions, especially those based on  partisanship. 

Dividend Government

A situation that occurs when control of the presidency and one or both chambers of congress is split between the two major parties. 

Fiscal Policy

Government use of taxes and spending to attempt to lower unemployment, support economic activity, and stabilize the economy.

Name of Current Speaker of the House

Kevin McCarthy

Senate Majority Leader

Charles E. Schumer

Senate Minority Leader

Mitch McConnell

President of the Senate

Bobby Joe Champion