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Bicameralism

System of having 2 chambers within one legislative body (house + senate in congress)

Pork Barrel

Legislative appropriations that benefit specific constituents, created with the aim of helping local representatives win re-election.

Trustee

Member of congress who represents constituents while also considering national and moral concerns, sometimes voting against the majority's preference.

Delegate

A member of Congress who represents constituents' direct interests, voting according to the people's desires, even if it conflicts with personal values.

Politico

A member of congress who acts as a delegate on issues of constituent concern and as a trustee on more complex issues.

Redistricting

Redrawing the geographic boundaries of legislative districts, occurring every ten years to ensure population equality.

Apportionment

Process of assigning the 435 seats in the House to states based on population changes.

Gerrymandering

Redrawing district boundaries to benefit a political party or protect incumbents.

Gridlock

An inability to enact legislation due to partisan conflict within Congress or between Congress and the president.

Incumbency Advantage

The relative infrequency with which members of Congress are defeated in attempts at re-election.

Logrolling

Trading votes among politicians to gain support for policies.

Earmarks

Federally funded local projects attached to bills passed through Congress.

Speaker of the House

Elected leader of the House of Representatives.

Majority Leader

Elected head of the party holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate.

Minority Leader

Elected head of the party holding the minority of seats in the House or Senate.

Whip System

Organization of House leaders who promote party unity in voting on legislation.

President Pro Tempore

Largely symbolic position usually held by the most senior member of the majority party in the Senate.

Standing Committee

Permanent committees in the House or Senate that have more authority than other committees.

Joint Committee

Committees including members from both the House and Senate with limited authority.

Conference Committee

Temporary committees created to negotiate differences between House and Senate versions of legislation.

Markup

Step in the legislative process that determines the final wording of a bill.

Veto

The president's rejection of a bill passed by Congress; can be overridden by a 2/3 vote.

Pocket Veto

Automatic death of a bill when the president does not sign it within ten days.

Omnibus Legislation

Large bills covering several topics, sometimes containing unrelated projects.

Cloture

Procedure to limit debate in the Senate, requiring a supermajority of 60 senators to agree.

Filibuster

Tactic used by senators to block a bill by prolonging debate.

Hold

Objection to considering a measure on the Senate floor.

Discharge Petition

Request to bring a bill out of committee after 30 days, needing majority approval.

Rules Committee

Committee in the House that establishes rules for debate on bills.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Group of policy-related offices that support the president.

Cabinet

Group of 15 executive department heads who implement the president’s agenda.

Unilateral Action

Presidential policy decision made without Congress's approval.

Signing Statement

Document issued by the president when signing a bill, explaining their interpretation.

Constitutional Authority

Powers derived from the Constitution that outline the president’s role.

Statutory Authority

Powers derived from laws enacted by Congress that extend presidential powers.

Vesting Clause

Article II, Section I, establishing executive power belongs to the president.

Executive Orders

Proclamations made by the president that change government policy without congressional approval.

Executive Agreement

Agreement between the executive branch and a foreign government that acts as a treaty without requiring Senate approval.

State of the Union

Annual speech by the president addressing Congress on the country’s condition.

Executive Privilege

The right of the president to keep conversations confidential from Congress.

Civil Servants

Employees of bureaucratic agencies within the government.

Political Appointees

Individuals selected by an elected leader to hold government positions.

Regulation

A governmental rule that restricts certain behaviors.

Notice-and-comment procedure

Step in rule-making that allows public debate on proposed rules.

Red Tape

Excessive or unnecessary bureaucracy in regulations.

Standard Operating Procedure

Rules that bureaucrats follow when implementing policies.

Independent Agencies

Government offices that provide services outside of an executive department.

Bureaucratic Drift

Tendency of bureaucrats to implement policies favoring their political objectives.

Oversight

Congress's efforts to ensure laws are correctly implemented by the bureaucracy.

Police Patrol Oversight

Constant Congressional monitoring of the bureaucracy.

Fire Alarm Oversight

Congressional response only to complaints regarding the bureaucracy.

Judiciary Act of 1789

Law that organized the federal judiciary, establishing court jurisdiction and original justices.

Appellate Jurisdiction

Authority of a court to hear appeals from lower courts.

Judicial Review

Supreme Court's power to strike down unconstitutional laws or executive actions.

Original Jurisdiction

Authority of a court to hear a case first, especially in disputes between states.

Plaintiff & Defendant

Person bringing a case vs. person being accused.

Plea Bargaining

Agreement to settle a case before trial, often involving a guilty admission.

Class-Action Lawsuit

Case brought by a group representing the public in similar circumstances.

Common Law

Law based on precedent rather than legislation.

Precedent (stare decisis)

Legal norm established in court cases applied to future similar cases.

Jurisdiction

Sphere of a court's legal authority to hear cases.

Senatorial Courtesy

Norm in district court judge nominations where relevant state senators have input.

Amicus Curiae

"Friend of the court"; a party sharing relevant information in a case.

Oral Arguments

Spoken presentations by lawyers outlining their legal positions.

Strict Construction

Interpreting the Constitution based solely on its text.

Original Intent

Theory that interprets the Constitution based on the Founders' intended meanings.

Living Constitution

Interpreting the Constitution in light of evolving national attitudes.

Judicial Restraint

The idea that the Supreme Court should defer to elected branches of government.

Judicial Activism

The idea that the Supreme Court should assert its interpretation of the law despite opposing elected branches.