AP U.S. Government & Politics Unit 2: Interaction Among Branches of Government

Articles I, II, and III

Define the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, respectively.

Federalist No. 51

Examines the necessity of checks and balances within the government.

Standing committees

Permanent committees focused on specific subject areas.

Joint committees

Committees formed by members of both the House and Senate.

Conference committees

Temporary committees created to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of a bill.

Special/select committees

Established for specific purposes, often investigative.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives.

House Rules Committee

Responsible for scheduling legislation for consideration on the House floor.

Committee of the Whole

A mechanism in which the House of Representatives operates as a committee for the purpose of considering a bill.

Discharge petition

A means by which a bill can be brought to the floor for consideration against the wishes of leadership.

Unanimous consent agreements

Agreements in which all members agree to the terms of debate on a bill.

Hold

A parliamentary procedure that allows one or more senators to prevent a motion from reaching the floor.

Filibuster

A tactic used to delay or block legislative action, typically by extending debate.

Cloture

A procedure used to end a filibuster, requiring a supermajority vote.

Mandatory spending

Expenditures required by law, such as Social Security.

Discretionary spending

Spending that can be altered by congressional and presidential action; includes funding for many government programs.

Entitlement programs

Government programs that provide benefits to individuals who meet certain eligibility criteria.

Pork barrel legislation

Funding for local projects secured primarily to bring money to a representative's district.

Logrolling

The practice of exchanging political favors, often through voting for each other's proposed legislation.

Party-line voting

When members of a political party vote together in alignment with party leadership.

Party polarization

The extent to which political parties diverge in their policies and ideologies.

Legislative gridlock

A situation in which legislation is stalled due to conflicting interests.

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating congressional seats based on population changes.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing district boundaries to favor a specific political party.

Redistricting

The redrawing of legislative district boundaries.

Divided government

A situation where one party controls the presidency and another controls one or both houses of Congress.

Trustee

A type of legislator who acts according to their own judgment for the greater good, regardless of constituent preferences.

Delegate

A representative who acts according to the preferences of their constituents.

Politico

A legislator who balances their own judgment and constituents’ preferences in their decision-making.

Vice-President

The second-highest officer in the executive branch, often serving as a tie-breaker in the Senate.

Cabinet

A body of advisers to the president, composed of the heads of the executive departments.

Executive Office of the President

An organization that coordinates the president's policies and programs.

Policy agenda

The set of issues that policymakers consider important.

Veto

The power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Pocket veto

An indirect veto; the president does not sign a bill into law within ten days while Congress is adjourned.

Judicial independence

The principle that the judiciary should remain independent and impartial from other branches of government.

Judicial review

The authority of courts to review the constitutionality of legislative and executive actions.

Stare decisis

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

Precedent

Previous judicial decisions that influence current cases.

Life tenure

Federal judges hold their positions for life, barring impeachment or voluntary retirement.

Judicial activism

A judicial philosophy that advocates for judges to take an active role in policy-making.

Judicial restraint

A judicial philosophy that encourages judges to limit their own power and interpret the law as written, deferring to the elected branches whenever possible.

Cabinet departments

Major administrative units that have responsibility for a broad area of government operations.

Executive agencies

Agencies that exist within the executive branch and provide specific governmental functions.

Independent commissions

Federal agencies that are not part of the executive branch; manage specific areas of public policy.

Government corporations

Entities that are established to provide services that may be provided by the private sector.

Iron triangles

Stable relationships between agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees that serve mutual interests.

Issue networks

Groups of individuals and organizations that collaborate on specific policy issues.

Civil service

The system by which government employees are hired and promoted based on merit.

Merit system

A system of hiring based on applicant’s experience, skills, and education.

Patronage system

A system where government jobs and appointments are given based on political support rather than merit.

Discretionary authority

The extent to which bureaucrats can make choices concerning the best way to implement federal laws.

Rule-making authority

The ability of bureaucratic agencies to create specific rules and regulations within the framework of existing laws.

Congressional oversight

The power of Congress to review and monitor federal agencies and programs.

Power of the purse

The financial ability of Congress to control funding for government operations.

Compliance monitoring

The responsibility of agencies to ensure that laws and regulations are being followed.

Formal presidential powers

These are powers explicitly outlined in the Constitution.

Informal powers

Powers not specifically stated in the Constitution but are inferred from it, such as executive agreements.

Executive orders

Directives issued by the president to manage the operations of the federal government.

Signing statements

Written comments issued by the president while signing a bill into law, indicating the president's interpretation or intentions regarding the legislation.

Senate confirmation

The requirement that the Senate approves certain presidential appointments.

Judicial appointments

Nominations made by the president for federal judges.

22nd Amendment

Limits the president to two terms in office.

Social media

A modern tool that presidents use to communicate directly with the public.

State of the Union

An annual address delivered by the president to Congress outlining the state of national affairs and legislative agenda.

Bully pulpit

The president's ability to use their visibility to influence public opinion and indirectly shape policy.