AP Gov Unit 2 Congress

Pork-barrel spending

For specific purpose on a legislators district

Logrolling

Trading votes to gain support

Rules Committee (House)

Powerful, can dispose of a bill or define guidelines to a debate + ability to control what reacher the floor (traffic cop)`

Ways and Means Committee (House)

Committee exclusive to House that determine tax policy (outline details with proposals lowering income taxes)

Judiciary Committee (House)

Drafts crime bills that define illegal behavior + outlines punishments + handles impeachments

Judiciary Committee (Senate)

Overseeing the federal court system, conducting hearings for judicial nominees + handles legal/civil issues

Foreign Relations Committee (Senate)

Upper house power to ratify/deny treaties chair of committee works with president and secretary

Standing Committee

Permanant committees focused on particular policy areas

Conference Committee

Is created to put different bills when House and Senate pass similar bills, in order to reach a compromise

17th Amendment

Rtified 1913, broadened democracy by giving ppl right to elect their senators

Bicameral

2 house legislative resulted from the constitutional convention (small and large states)

Speaker of the House

Only house leadership position mentioned in the constitution

Whip

Deputy leader who is in charge of party discipline (keeps party votes)

President of the Senate

The VP

President pro tempore

Ceremonial position held by the most senior member of the majority party (takes up when vacant)

Senate majority leader

Holds most power, 1st person chair recognized in a debate, determines which bill reachers the floor for debate

Committee of the Whole

Unique to the house incl, not require all reps created to allow longer debates with fewer ppl, vote in groups, non voting delegates, Guam & Pr = vote (100 min)

Discharge petition

Parliamentary procedure used in house to bring a bill out of Committee & into the floor without approval of committee chair or other house leadership

Filibuster

Stall or kill a bill by yapping as long as possible, only House speaker & majority leader allowed

Unanimous Consent

Approval of all senators

Hold

Measure to stall a bill (Before the Senate takes action the Senate pres has unanimous decision to stop the debate)

Cloture (rule 22)

enabled & required 2/3 super majority to stop debate on a bill, stopping filibusters & allowing voting

Omnibus Bill

Incl mul areas for law & or addresses multiple programs