Congress Quiz - AP Government

Bicameral Legislature

Two-house lawmaking body (Ex: House and Senate)

Midterm Election

Election held halfway through a president’s term

Congressional Budget Office

Nonpartisan group that estimates how much laws will cost

Filibuster

Tactic in the Senate where someone talks long to delay a vote

Cloture

Senate vote that ends a filibuster

Congressional Oversight

Congress checking how the executive branch is doing its job

Resolution

Formal statement of Congress’s opinion or decision

Discretionary Spending

Government spending that Congress can change each year

Mandatory Spending

Spending that must be paid by law (like Social Security)

Gerrymandering

Redrawing voting districts to help one party

Hold

Senator’s request to delay a vote on a bill or nomination

Incumbent

Person already holding office and running again

Elastic Clause

Part of the Constitution letting Congress make necessary laws

Closed Rule

Limits debate and amendments on a bill (House only)

Open Rule

Allows lots of debate and amendments on a bill

Standing Committee

Permanent committee in Congress

Special / Select Committee

Temporary committee for a specific issue

Joint Committee

Committee with members from both the House and Senate

Conference Committee

Group that fixes differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

Pork / Pork Barrel

Government money spent on local projects to help a member’s district

Logrolling

Members trading votes to help each other’s bills

Appropriations

Laws that decide how government money is spent

Single-Member District

One representative is elected from each district

House Rules Committee

Committee that decides debate rules for House bills

Delegate Model of Voting

Representatives vote how their voters want

Trustee Model of Voting

Representatives vote based on their own judgment

Politico Model of Voting

Representatives switch between delegate and trustee depending on the issue

Impeachment

House formally charges a federal official with wrongdoing

Baker vs. Carr

Supreme Court case saying courts can review unfair district maps

Shaw vs. Reno

Supreme Court case saying racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional

Override of Veto

Congress passes a bill even after the president rejects it

Divided Government

Different parties control different parts of the government

Budget and Impoundment Catrol Act of 1974

Law that gave Congress more control over the federal budget

Fiscal Year

Government’s budgeting year