U2 Heimler Review

Bicameral

Refers to a legislative body composed of two chambers or houses.

House of Representatives

One of the two houses of Congress, where representatives are apportioned based on state population.

Senate

The upper house of Congress, consisting of two senators from each state.

Enumerated Powers

Powers explicitly listed in the Constitution, particularly in Article 1, Section 8.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are implied by the necessary and proper clause.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Allows Congress to make laws required for the exercise of its enumerated powers.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Representatives, chosen from the majority party.

Majority Leader

The head of the majority party in either the House or Senate.

Minority Leader

The leader of the minority party in either the House or Senate.

Whips

Party members responsible for ensuring party discipline and voting alignment.

Committees

Small groups within Congress that review and draft legislation.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees that address ongoing issues in a legislative body.

Joint Committees

Committees consisting of members from both the House and Senate.

Select Committees

Temporary committees formed for specific purposes.

Conference Committees

Committees that reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate.

House Rules Committee

Determines the procedures by which legislation will be considered in the House.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislation by extending debate.

Cloture Rule

A procedure to end a filibuster, requiring a two-thirds vote in the Senate.

Unanimous Consent

An agreement in the Senate to set aside formal rules and expedite proceedings.

Riders

Additions made to legislation that may not be directly related to the main bill.

Pork Barrel Spending

Funds allocated for localized projects secured primarily to bring money to a representative's district.

Logrolling

A practice where legislators trade votes on different bills.

Federal Budget

The government's plan for revenue and spending for a fiscal year.

Mandatory Spending

Government spending that is required by law, such as Social Security and Medicare.

Discretionary Spending

Spendings that can be adjusted by the government's annual budget process.

Divided Government

A situation where different political parties control the presidency and both houses of Congress.

Lame Duck

An elected official who is still in office after having lost a reelection bid.

Trustee Model

A representation model where officials make decisions based on their judgment for the public good.

Delegate Model

A representation model where officials make decisions based on the wishes of their constituents.

Politico Model

A hybrid representation model where officials act as either trustees or delegates depending on the issue.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries.

Gerrymandering

Drawing district boundaries to favor one party over another.

Census

The official count of a population, occurring every ten years, to inform apportionment.

Baker v. Carr

A Supreme Court case that established the principle of one person, one vote.

Shaw v. Reno

A Supreme Court case addressing racial gerrymandering in district drawing.

Policy Agenda

The set of issues that the president and government intends to address.

Veto

The president's power to reject legislation passed by Congress.

Pocket Veto

A presidential tactic to indirectly veto legislation by taking no action within 10 days.

Commander-in-Chief

The president's role as the leader of the military.

Executive Agreements

International agreements made by the president without Senate approval.

Bargaining and Persuasion

Informal powers of the president to influence legislation through negotiation.

Executive Order

A directive issued by the president that has the force of law.

Signing Statement

A document issued by the president when signing legislation, stating how the law should be enforced.

Ambassadors

Representatives of a country who are sent overseas to discuss and promote national interests.

Federal Court

Refers to court systems that hear cases pertaining to federal law.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to assess whether a law is in compliance with the Constitution.

Marbury v. Madison

The landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Precedents

Prior court decisions that guide the ruling of new cases.

Stare Decisis

The legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.

Judicial Activism

The view that judges can and should creatively reinterpret laws in light of the social/political issues.

Judicial Restraint

The belief that judges should apply laws as they are written and not make policy.

Iron Triangle

The stable long-term relationship between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

Delegated Discretionary Authority

Authority given by Congress to bureaucratic agencies to make rules and regulations.

Compliance Monitoring

The process by which regulatory agencies ensure adherence to laws and regulations.

Power of the Purse

The congressional power to control government spending.

Patronage System

The practice of giving government jobs to individuals based on their political support.

Merit System

A system of hiring and promoting based on qualifications and competence rather than political support.

Department of Homeland Security

Responsible for protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks and responses to natural disasters.

Department of Transportation

Oversees federal highway, air, rail, water, and other transportation systems.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Manages benefits and services for veterans.

Department of Education

Responsible for federal education funding and enforcement of federal education laws.

Environmental Protection Agency

Works to protect human health and the environment by enforcing regulations.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Regulates the stock market and protects investors from fraudulent activities.

Federal Elections Commission (FEC)

Administers and enforces the federal campaign finance laws.

Executive Departments

Major components of the federal bureaucracy responsible for specific policy areas.

Bureaucratic Agencies

Subdivisions within executive departments that implement specific government policies.

Commissions

Regulatory bodies that operate independently to carry out specific functions.

Government Corporations

Agencies that operate like private businesses but are funded by the government.