Congress Flashcards

Constituents

The residents of a congressional district, whose interests members of Congress are expected to represent.

Logrolling

The practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation.

Congressional Oversight

The review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, and policy implementation.

Congressional Review Act (CRA)

An oversight tool allowing Congress to overturn rules issued by federal agencies.

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

An independent agency that audits government expenditures and evaluates governmental efficiency.

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

A legislative research organization providing support and expertise to Congress.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

An agency that provides budget and economic information to Congress, analyzing proposed policies.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the most powerful position in Congress.

Majority Leader

The political leader of the party that holds the majority of seats in either chamber of Congress.

Minority Leader

The political leader of the party that holds the minority of seats in either chamber of Congress.

Majority Whip

An official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature.

Minority Whip

An official in the minority party in a legislature who assists the leadership in managing party strategy.

President Pro Tempore

A senator, usually the senior member of the majority party, who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President.

Committee Placement

The distribution of members of Congress into committees which handle specific areas of legislation.

Impeachment

The process by which a legislative body can remove a government official for misconduct.

Funding Powers

Congress's constitutional authority to allocate funds and determine how much money the government can spend.

Approval Ratings

Survey assessments of public approval or disapproval of a political leader or governing body.

Party Discipline

The tendency of members of a political party to act together in voting and supporting their party's policies.

Majority Party

The political party that has more members in a legislative body, possessing greater power and influence.

Minority Party

The political party that has fewer members in a legislative body, holding less power and influence.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in Congress that has the authority to propose and vote on legislation.

Conference Committee

A special joint committee formed to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill.

Filibuster

A legislative tactic used in the Senate to delay or block a vote on a bill by extending debate.

Earmark

A provision in legislation that allocates funds for specific projects or programs, often criticized for promoting unnecessary spending.

Veto

The power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law.

Pocket Veto

A method by which the president can effectively veto a bill by taking no action on it for ten days while Congress is adjourned.

Legislation

Proposed laws presented for debate and approval in Congress.

Rules Committee

A committee in the House of Representatives that sets the rules for debate on a bill, including time limits and amendment procedures.

Presidential Signing Statement

A written pronouncement issued by the President when signing a bill into law, often outlining their interpretation or intent regarding the law.

Subcommittee

A smaller, specialized committee formed within a larger committee in Congress, focusing on specific areas of legislation.

Casework

Personal work done by a member of Congress for his or her constituents, involving assistance with issues related to government services.

Trustee Model

A representational role where elected officials make decisions based on their own judgment and personal views.

Delegate Model

An interpretation of a legislator's role where decisions are made to reflect the views and interests of constituents.

Politico Model

A combination of trustee and delegate models, where legislators make decisions based on the context of each issue.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing district boundaries to ensure proper representation based on population shifts, typically following the Census.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing political district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.

Incumbency Advantages

Benefits that current officeholders have, such as name recognition, credit claiming, casework, and easier fundraising opportunities.

Apportionment

The process of distributing representatives among the states based on population counts from the Census.

Census

A population count conducted every ten years which informs the apportionment process in Congress.

Congress

The legislative branch of the United States government, responsible for making laws.

Bicameral legislature

A legislature with two houses, specifically the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Great Compromise

An agreement that established a bicameral legislature in the United States, with representation in the House based on population and equal representation in the Senate.

Constituent services

Activities and services provided by members of Congress to assist constituents with federal issues.

17th Amendment

Amendment that established direct election of United States Senators by the voters of the states.

Enumerated powers

Specific powers granted to Congress by the Constitution, primarily outlined in Article I, Section 8.

Legislative veto

A controversial provision that allows Congress to overturn executive actions.

Committee structures

Organizational units in Congress that handle specific areas of legislation and oversee relevant policy issues.

Franking privileges

The ability of members of Congress to send mail without paying postage, often used for official correspondence.

Capitol Hill

The location of the United States Capitol building and the seat of the United States Congress.