Legislative Branch Vocabulary

  1. 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act - A Public Law which approved the appropriations of $388 billion for various (11) departments.
  2. Appropriation(s) - To take something for one’s own use, and not necessarily with permission from the original owner.
  3. Baker V. Carr - Baker argued that, because Tennessee had not redrawn district lines since 1901, his vote had reduced which violated the Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Carr was the Secretary of State for Tennessee. Baker wanted reappointment for the position. Since the issue was on redistricting, the district cases denied to take it and as such it made its way to federal courts. The federal courts ruled in favor of Baker.
  4. Caucuses - A group of members of Congress which meet to pursue common legislative objectives.
  5. Christmas-Tree Bill - A bill on the Senate floor which attracts many unrelated amendments which may benefit various groups.
  6. Cloture - A procedure limiting consideration of a pending proposal to thirty hours in order to end a filibuster.
  7. Closed Rule - No amendments outside the committee reporting the bill may be considered.
  8. Committee of the Whole - A committee of people on the floor of the House in which all revenue and most other bills are discussed.
  9. Conference Committees - Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill pass by each in different forms.
    1. Congressional Oversight - The review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs and policy implementation.
    2. Discharge Petition - A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty hours, may ask to have it brought to the floor.
    3. Earmarks - A legislative provision which directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees.
    4. Elastic Clause - A statement in the U.S. Constitution which allows Congress to pass all necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers.
    5. Filibuster - A political procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body prolong debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent decisions.
    6. Franking Privilege - The ability to send mail by one’s signature rather than by postage.
    7. Germane Amendments - Changes to bills on the floor of the House that must relate directly to the being considered.
    8. Gerrymandering - To achieve a result by manipulating the boundaries of an “electoral constituency” so as to favor one party or less.
    9. Joint Committee - The four joint committees, made up of senators and representatives. provide “administrative coordination” between the House and Senate.
    10. Lame Duck Session - A Congress session which occurs after the elections in November have occurred but before the successors terms have begun.
    11. Line-Item Veto - A partial veto in which the executive power nullifies or cancels specific sections of the bill instead of vetoing the entire legislative branch.
    12. Logrolling - The process in which politicians trade support for one issue or legislative power in exchange for another politician’s support, especially by means by legislative votes.
    13. Majority Leader - Legislative leader selected by the majority party who keeps the party in line and plans strategy with other party leaders.
    14. Minority Leader - Legislative leader for the minority party as a spokesperson for the opposition.
    15. Majority-Minority District - An electoral district in which the majority of constituents are racial or ethnic minorities.
    16. Malapportionment - The creation of electoral districts with divergent ratios o voters to representatives.
    17. Marking Up - The process in which congressional committees and subcommittee debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation.
    18. Party Whips - An official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. They also stand in for Majority-Minority leaders in their absence.
    19. Pigeonholing - The process in which a Congressional Committee chairperson can kill a bill by ignoring it, such as not scheduling it for hearing or for a markup session.
    20. Pocket Veto - An indirect veto of a legislative bill by a president or governor in which they retain the bill unsigned until the deadline hits and it cannot be dealt with in legislative session.
    21. Pork Barrel Legislation - A metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representatives district.
    22. President Pro Tempore - A high ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate when the Vice-President is absent.
    23. Ranking Member & Ranking Minority Member - A member of the congressional committee or legislative committee who is the second in command, or the leader of the minority party.
    24. Revenue Bills - A proposal for a federal law that is used by the government to grain appropriate funds.
    25. Rider (wrecking amendment/poison pill) - In legislative debate, is an amendment made by a legislator who disagrees with the principles of a bill and seeks to make it useless by amending it to the point of nonsensicality.
    26. Select Committee - A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation.
    27. Seniority System - A system that gives members of the majority power with longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee.
    28. Shaw V. Reno - North Carolina had redistricted and created only one black-majority district which led to North Carolina creating a second which was no longer than the interstate it ran with. The residents opposed this and district courts ruled in favor of the district, arguing its only purpose was to secure black representatives. The residents appealed and it was brought to federal courts. The court ruled 5-4 in favor of Shaw.
    29. Signing Statement - A written pronouncement issued by the president of the United States upon the signing of a new bill into law.
    30. Speaker of the House - The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives.
    31. Standing Committee - Permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules.
    32. Wesberry V. Sanders - James. P. Wesberry lived in a congressional district with a population two to three times greater than that of other congressional districts in the city. He argued the state;s failure to realign congressional districts, his vote was debased. The district court denied and Wesberry appealed. The federal court ruled 6-3 in favor of Wesberry.