congress part 2

bicameral

A legislature divided into two houses.

filibuster

A formal way of halting action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate in the Senate.

cloture

A mechanism requiring sixty senators votes to cut off a debate (especially a filibuster)

apportionment

The proportional process of altering congressional seats to each state following the census.

redistricting

The redrawing of congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats alloted to states, as well as population shifts within a state.

gerrymandering

The process through which the majority party in each state legislature draws congressional districts so that its party can be elected to Congress.

congressional oversight

The investigation by Congress of the executive branch

incumbency

The fact that being in office helps a candidate stay in office because of a variety of benefits that go along with the position.

logrolling

An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other's bills.

whip

A representative who serves under the majority or minority leader, and who keeps in close contact with all party members

standing committee

A committee to which proposed bills are referred.

joint committee

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

conference committee

A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same passed bill.

discharge petition

A petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

closed rule

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor.

house rules committee

A committee unique to the House of Representatives that determines the rules for debate of each bill, including whether the bill may be amended.

riders

A provision added to a bill under consideration, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill.

pocket veto

When a president kills a bill passed during the last 10 days Congress is in session by simply refusing to act on it.

impeachment

House power the first step in the constitutional process of removing government officials from office.

pork barrel

A government project that benefits a specific location or lawmaker's home district and constituents, typically enacted to gain individual legislature's votes.

baker v carr

The case that established "one man one vote". This decision created guidelines for drawing up congressional districts

pigeonhole

To set a congressional bill aside in committee without considering it.

shaw v reno

The Court ruled that although it was a legitimate goal for state legislatures to take race into account when they draw electoral districts in order to increase the voting strength of minorities, they may not make race the sole reason for drawing district lines.

enumerated powers

Powers given to the national government alone

implied powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

reserved powers

Powers given to the state government alone

concurrent powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.

Delegate Model

The view that an elected represent should represent the opinions of his or her constituents.

trustee model

a model of representation in which a member of the follows his or her own conscience when deciding issue positions

Politico Model

Members of Congress act as delegates or trustees depending on the issue

divided government

one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

Vice President

President of the Senate

President Pro Tempore

a high ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate in the absence of the vice president.

Speaker of the House

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives

fiscal policy

the use of government spending and revenue collection to influence the economy

mandatory spending

Required govt spending by permanent laws

Entitlements

Policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay benefits to recipients

discretionary spending

spending category about which government planners can make choices

majority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate

seniority system

a outdated system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest service on a particular committee the leadership of that committee

Rules Committee

a legislative committee responsible for expediting the passage of bills.

revenue bills

Tax bills (must originate in the House) to raise money for the government

Subcommittee

Division of existing committee that is formed to address specific issues

Ways and Means Committee

House committee that handles tax bills

Census

the official count of a population

Reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

independent commission

method of redrawing the lines of congressional districts in a non

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

expressed powers

powers that congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution

implied powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause)

The clause in Article I, Section 8, that grants Congress the power to do whatever is necessary to execute its specifically delegated powers.

constituency

the residents in the area from which an official is elected

Party whips (House and Senate)

Assistant floor leaders; transmits information to party members; keeps track of how party members will vote; gathers information; tries to persuade party members vote

majority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate

minority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate

Speaker of the House

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives

President Pro Tempore

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

Confirmation

Senate approval of a presidential nominations/actions (includes Supreme Court Justices and treaties)

revenue

income, taxes, these bills must start in the House of Representatives

delegate model of representation

a model of representation in which representatives feel compelled to act on the specific stated wishes of their constituents

trustee model of representation

a model of representation in which representatives feel at liberty to act in the way they believe is best for their constituents

politico model of representation

Legislators follow their own judgment until the public becomes vocal about a particular matter, at which point they should follow the dictates of constituents

Census

A complete enumeration of a population.

Reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

state legislature

the legislative branch of state government, responsible for drawing districts in most states

Gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Malapportionment

drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population

majority minority districts

In the context of determining representative districts, the process by which a majority of the population is from the minority.

safe districts

districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more

"one man, one vote"

principle meaning that election districts would have to be redrawn to provide equal representation for all of states citizens

standing committee

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

joint committee

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

select committee

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

Subcommittee

A group within a standing committee that specializes in a subcategory of its standing committee's responsibility

Markup

a session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor

Committee Chairperson

Leader of a congressional committee. Usually the longest serving member of the majority party on that committee (seniority rule). A very powerful position Controls the committee calendar, agenda, and hearings. Can pigeonhole (table) a bill by refusing to schedule debate on it.

pigeonhole

To set a bill aside by a committee without considering it, ikills the bill

Riders

Amendments to bills, often in the form of appropriations, that sometimes have nothing to do with the intent of the bill itself and many times are considered to be pork barrel legislation

pork barrell legislation

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their vote in return

Logrolling

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills

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 controversial issue.

Cloture

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

House Rules Committee

An institution unique to the House of Representatives that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.

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

closed rule

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

open rule

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

discharge petition

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

conference committee

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.

hold

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.

unanimous consent

an agreement by every senator to the terms of debate on a given piece of legislation

Ratification

Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty

Veto

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

pocket veto

A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.

Continuing Resolution

A temporary funding law that Congress passes when an appropriations bill has not been decided by the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1.

partisan

Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause

bipartisan

supported by two political parties

divided government

one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

Gridlock

the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government

lame duck appointments

appointments made during the time period after the election and before someone new takes office as the president