Legislative Branch Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for reviewing the legislative branch.

Constituents

People represented by elected officials

Committee

A group of legislators assigned to specific duties

Standing Committee

Permanent committee focusing on specific issues

Select Committee

Temporary committee for specific investigations

Sub-Committee

Smaller division of a committee for specialized tasks

Committee Chair

Leader of a committee, usually from majority party

Ranking Member (House)

Top member of the minority party on a committee

Vice-chair (Senate)

Second-ranking member, often from majority party

Seniority System

System where longer-serving members get priority

House Appropriations Committee

Controls federal spending

Majority Leader

Leader of the party with most seats in a chamber

Minority Leader

Leader of the party with fewer seats in a chamber

Whip

Party official who ensures member attendance and vote alignment

Census

Occurs every 10 years to count population and adjust districts

Redistricting

Redrawing district lines after census

Gerrymandering

Manipulating district boundaries for political gain

Casework

Help provided by legislators to constituents

Pork

Government spending for local projects to gain votes

Filibuster

Senate tactic to delay a vote

Cloture Vote

Ends a filibuster; requires 60 votes

Unanimous Consent

All senators agree to proceed without formal vote

Reconciliation

Streamlined budget bill process immune to filibuster

Calendar

Schedule of bills to be considered

Quorum

Minimum number of members needed to conduct business

Rules Committee

Controls flow and terms of debate for bills in the House

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly stated but allowed by the Constitution

Power of the Purse

Congress's power to control government spending

Revenue Bills

Bills related to taxes; must start in House

Appropriations Bills

Legislation that authorizes spending

Subpoena

Order to appear or provide evidence

Gridlock

Political stalemate, little to no legislative progress

Rider

Unrelated amendment added to a bill

Hearing

Meeting to gather information on legislation or issues

Markup Session

Committee edits and amends a bill

Veto

President’s rejection of a bill

Pocket Veto

President ignores a bill at end of session so it dies

Lobbyists

People who try to influence lawmakers on behalf of groups

Entitlements

Government programs providing benefits to eligible people

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Groups that raise and spend money to influence elections