AP Government Congress: Powers, Elections, and Legislative Process

pork barrel spending

legislation in appropriations bills that funds projects within districts or states. (p. 108)

logrolling

combining several different bills into a single bill to get enough votes for the legislation to pass. (p. 108)

oversight

the power of Congress to review and investigate actions by executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, to ensure that they are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals. (p. 108)

apportionment

the process that occurs every ten years after the census of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data. (p. 111)

redistricting

states' redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census. (p. 112)

malapportionment

the uneven distribution of the population among legislative districts. (p. 113)

gerrymandering

the intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific group, usually a political party. (p. 114)

majority-minority district

a district in which voters of a minority race or ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district. (p. 115)

incumbency

being already in office when running for reelection. (p. 116)

incumbency advantage

institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election. (p. 117)

political action committee (PAC)

an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns. (p. 120)

House majority leader

the person who is the second in command of the House of Representatives. (p. 120)

whip

a member of Congress, chosen by their party members, whose job is to ensure party unity and discipline. (p. 120)

minority leader

the head of the party with the second-highest number of seats in Congress, chosen by the party's members. (p. 121)

Senate majority leader

the person who has the most power in the Senate and is the head of the party with the most seats. (p. 121)

committee chair

leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee's agenda. (p. 121)

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. (p. 127)

Committee of the Whole

Consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules that make it easier and faster to debate a piece of legislation. (p. 127)

hold

a delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill. (p. 128)

unanimous consent agreement

an agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill to prevent it from getting to the floor for a vote. (p. 128)

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. (p. 128)

cloture

a procedure through which senators can end a filibuster and proceed to a vote, provided that sixty senators agree to it. (p. 128)

veto

the power of a president to reject a bill passed by Congress, sending it back with objections. (p. 129)

mandatory spending

spending required by existing laws that is "locked in" the budget. (p. 131)

discretionary spending

spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president. (p. 131)

budget surplus

the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more than it spends. (p. 132)

budget deficit

the annual shortfall when a government takes in less money than it spends. (p. 132)

national debt

the total amount of money owed by the federal government. (p. 132)

trustee role

the idea that members of Congress should make decisions based on their own knowledge and judgment. (p. 135)

politico role

representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions. (p. 135)

bipartisanship

agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation. (p. 140)

gridlock

a slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship. (p. 140)

divided government

control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress split between the two major parties. (p. 140)

lame duck period

period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees. (p. 140)

constituency:

citizens in a district or state who elect a representative or a senator. (p. 111)

delegate role:

the idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to vote according to their constituents' wishes. (p. 135)

entitlement program:

a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income. (p. 131)

discharge petition

a motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for debate. (p. 126)

Speaker of the House:

the leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by the majority party. (p. 120)