AP Gov 2.1-2.3 Vocab - Congress

All definitions are ai generated and all terms come from amsco textbook

advice and consent

The Senate’s power to approve treaties and presidential appointments.

bicameral

Having two chambers, such as the House of Representatives and the Senate.

caucuses

Groups of members of Congress who meet to pursue common legislative objectives.

coalitions

Alliances of various parties or groups to achieve a common goal.

enumerated powers

Powers explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution.

implied powers

Powers not explicitly listed but assumed under the necessary and proper clause.

House of Representatives

The lower house of Congress; representation based on population.

necessary and proper clause

Constitutional clause granting Congress flexibility to pass laws needed to carry out its powers.

power of the purse

Congress’s authority to control government spending and taxation.

Senate

The upper house of Congress; equal representation for each state.

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

Established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.

War Powers Act (1973)

Law limiting the president’s ability to commit U.S. troops to combat without congressional approval.

pork-barrel spending

Government spending for localized projects to bring money to a representative’s district.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the United States, who presides over the Senate.

President pro tempore

Senior senator of the majority party who presides in the absence of the Vice President.

rider

An additional provision added to a bill that may be unrelated to the main subject.

Rules Committee

House committee that determines how bills will be debated and amended.

select committees

Temporary committees created for a specific purpose.

Senate majority leader

The head of the majority party in the Senate who directs the legislative agenda.

Speaker of the House

Leader of the House of Representatives; presides over sessions and influences legislation.

sponsor

The member of Congress who introduces a bill.

unanimous consent

Agreement by all senators on the terms of debate for a bill.

Ways and Means Committee

House committee responsible for taxation and revenue measures.

whip

Party leader who helps manage votes and enforce party discipline.

conference committee

Joint committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

discharge petition

A motion in the House to bring a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration.

filibuster

Tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislative action by extended debate.

logrolling

Mutual exchange of favors by legislators to support each other’s proposed bills.

mandatory spending

Federal spending required by law, such as Social Security or Medicare.

omnibus bill

A bill that covers many unrelated topics or appropriations in one package.

trustee model

Model of representation in which legislators vote based on their own judgment and conscience.

swing district

A district where voters are closely divided between parties, making it highly competitive.

politico model

Model of representation blending trustee and delegate roles depending on the issue.

racial gerrymandering

Redistricting based on race, often ruled unconstitutional.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Supreme Court case ruling that racial gerrymandering violates the Equal Protection Clause.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Supreme Court case establishing the principle of “one person, one vote.”

“one person, one vote” principle

Each person’s vote should carry equal weight in elections.

lame duck

A government official still in office after losing reelection or before a successor takes over.

trustee model

Representative follows their own judgment when making decisions.

politico model

Representative acts as a trustee or delegate depending on the situation.