Congress Vocab

Advice and consent power- The role of the Senate to confirm presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts and international treaties

Appropriations- A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency

Approval power- The power of the Senate to consult and approve the president’s treaties and appointments

Casework - assistance provided by members of Congress to constituents who need help while filing a grievance (an official statement of a complaint over something believed to be wrong) with the federal government or a federal agency.

Caucus(general)- a meeting of supporters of a specific political party who gather to elect delegates to choose whom they believe should be the candidate in a given election.

Closed rule- A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments.

Cloture vote - A parliamentary procedure used to close debate. Cloture is used in the Senate to cut off filibusters (designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill). Under the current Senate rules, three-fifths of senators, or sixty, must vote for cloture to halt a filibuster except on presidential nominations to offices other than Supreme Court Justice.

Congressional oversight- the review of federal agencies, programs, and policy implementation. Provides the legislative branch with an opportunity to review and check the executive branch and its agencies.

Congressional subcommittee - a subdivision of a United States congressional committee that considers specified matters and reports back to the full committee. Subcommittees are formed by most committees to share specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committee.

Delegate Model -The view that an elected representative should represent the opinions of his or her constituents. What voters tell them to do

Discharge petition- a device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition to have it brought to the floor

Divided government- type of government in presidential systems, when control of the executive branch and the legislative branch is split between two political parties, respectively, and in semi-presidential systems, when the executive branch itself is split between two parties.

Filibuster - To attempt to block a bill from becoming law by speaking at length against it

Germane rule- an amendment must address the same subject as the matter being amended.

Gerrymandering- Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Gridlock - the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government.

House Ways and Means Committee - the group that decides the order in which specific bills come up for a vote on the House floor and the specific rules that govern the length of debate.

Impeachment- Formal accusation against a president or other public official, the first step in removal from office.

Logrolling - a process by which politicians trade support for one issue or piece of legislation in exchange for another politician's support, especially by means of legislative votes

Majority Leaders - The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders and tries to keep members of the party in line.

^^Majority Party Power^^ - government by one or more governing parties that hold an absolute majority of seats in a legislature

Majority Whip - a member of the majority party that is mainly responsible for counting heads and rounding up party members for votes and quorum calls, and they occasionally stand in for the majority or minority leaders in their absence.

Minority Leaders- Responsible for leading the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives. These responsibilities include speaking for the party and its policies, protecting the minority's rights, and nominating minority party Members to committees.

Minority Whip - Member of the minority party who assists the minority leader in coordinating the party caucus in its responses to legislation and other matters.

Open Rule - In terms of constraints on amendments, any and all (germane/related) amendments are allowed.

Pork Barrel - the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and win votes.

Power of the Purse - the ability to tax and spend public money for the national government.

^^Quorum^^ - the least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; the majority

Reapportionment- Process by which representative districts are switched according to population shifts so that each district encompasses approximately the same number of people

Redistricting - the process of drawing electoral district boundaries

Revenue Bills - Revenue bill means any bill, except the Budget Bill(s) and debt bills, that increases or decreases the total revenues available for appropriation, including any sales tax exemption bill.

Roll-Call-Vote - when a representative or senator votes "yea" or "nay," so that the names of members voting on each side are recorded.

Select Committee - A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.

Senate Judiciary Committee - a standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice, consider executive and judicial nominations, as well as review pending legislation

Speaker of the House- The Speaker is simultaneously the House's presiding officer, party leader, and the institution's administrative head, among other duties. The Speaker is elected at the beginning of a new Congress by a majority of the Representatives-elect from candidates separately chosen by the majority- and minority-party caucuses.

Standing Committee- A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.

Trustee Model - Decisions made by elected officials using their own personal views.