Unit 2 AP Gov Vocab

Bicameral Legislature

A two-house legislative structure, consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives, designed to provide both equal and proportional representation within Congress.

Enumerated Powers

Specific powers granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which include the power to tax, regulate commerce, declare war, and control the budget, allowing Congress to fulfill its primary role in policymaking.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution but inferred from the Necessary and Proper Clause, allowing Congress to make laws necessary to execute its constitutional responsibilities.

The Senate

The upper chamber of Congress with 100 members, two from each state, serving six-year terms. This chamber provides equal representation for states and often handles broader or long-term policy, including foreign affairs.

The House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress with 435 members apportioned by state population. Members serve two-year terms, and the chamber tends to focus on more immediate, constituent-centered issues and domestic policy.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the majority party, responsible for setting the legislative agenda, overseeing committee assignments, and maintaining order.

President Pro Tempore

A senior member of the Senate’s majority party who presides over the Senate in the vice president’s absence. Although largely a ceremonial role, it is traditionally held by the longest-serving member of the majority party.

The Legislative Process

The multi-step process through which Congress drafts, debates, amends, and votes on bills.

Committees

Specialized groups within Congress that review, amend, and advance bills and other legislative matters. 

Riders

Additional provisions attached to a bill, unrelated to the main subject of the legislation, usually intended to pass controversial measures or fund specific projects that may not pass independently.

Pork-Barrel Legislation

Funding allocated to specific local projects within larger bills to benefit particular districts or states, often to secure the support of legislators and gain constituent approval.

Discharge Petition

A House mechanism to bring a bill out of committee and to the floor for debate without a committee report. Used rarely, it requires a majority vote and bypasses committee leadership.

Filibuster

A procedural tactic in the Senate allowing a senator to prolong debate to delay or prevent a vote on a bill, often used by the minority to influence or block legislation.

Cloture

A Senate procedure requiring a three-fifths majority (60 votes) to end a filibuster, allowing the chamber to move forward with voting.

Logrolling

The practice of legislators exchanging support for each other’s proposals or bills, often by agreeing to vote for one another’s priorities to secure enough votes for passage.

Gridlock

A situation where partisan divisions or split control of the branches results in stalled legislative action, often preventing the passage of policies due to ideological conflicts or lack of consensus.

Delegate Model of Representation

A model of representation in which representatives make policy decisions based on their own knowledge and judgment rather than strictly following constituent preferences, believing they were elected to use their discretion in the public’s best interest.

Trustee Model of Representation

A model of representation in which representatives act as direct agents of their constituents, meaning they should vote based solely on the expressed desires of those they represent regardless of personal opinion.

Politico Model of Representation

A hybrid model of representation that seeks to balance the individual judgment of representatives with constituents' preferences.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party or group, often leading to skewed representation and influencing the overall partisan makeup of Congress.

Formal (Expressed) Powers

Constitutionally granted powers of the president, such as vetoing legislation, commanding the armed forces, making treaties (with Senate approval), and appointing federal officials, including judges.

Informal Powers

Powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution but developed over time through practice and tradition, including executive orders, bargaining, persuasion, and issuing signing statements to influence how laws are implemented.

Faithful Execution Clause

Article II clause that provides the basis for the president’s broad authority to enforce laws and which has been used to justify expanded executive power over time.

Veto

The president’s authority to reject a bill passed by Congress, which can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

Pocket Veto

A pocket veto occurs when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, effectively killing the bill without a formal rejection.

Executive Orders

Directives from the president to federal agencies with the force of law, used to manage operations within the federal government without requiring congressional approval.

Signing Statements

Written pronouncements issued by the president when signing a bill into law, often explaining the president’s interpretation of the law or indicating how the administration intends to enforce it.

Executive Privilege

The president’s right to withhold information from Congress or the courts, especially in matters of national security, though it is subject to judicial oversight and limitations.

“Advice and Consent”

The Senate’s power to approve or reject presidential appointments and treaties, acting as a check on executive authority and enabling the Senate to influence presidential nominations and foreign policy decisions.

Divided Government

A situation where the executive and legislative branches are controlled by different political parties, often resulting in intensified partisanship, policy gridlock, and conflict over appointments and legislation.

Bully Pulpit

A term introduced by Theodore Roosevelt to describe the president’s platform to directly engage with the public, influence opinion, and pressure Congress to support policy goals.

State of the Union Address

An annual address the president delivers to Congress (mandated by Article II, Section 3) to update on the nation’s condition and outline legislative priorities; often used to shape public opinion and set the national agenda.

Mandatory Spending

Budgetary spending required by law for entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Discretionary Spending

Spending authorized annually by Congress, covering areas like defense, education, and infrastructure.

Bureaucracy

A hierarchical organization within the executive branch composed of departments, agencies, commissions, and government corporations responsible for implementing and enforcing laws.

Civil Service

A merit-based system of hiring and promotion for government employees, emphasizing professionalism, specialization, and neutrality, as opposed to political patronage.

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

A law that established a merit-based system for hiring federal employees, ending the spoils system and reducing corruption.

Delegated Discretionary Authority

The power of federal agencies, granted by Congress, to interpret legislation and make decisions on how laws are implemented, applying specialized expertise to enforce laws.

Rulemaking Authority

The process by which bureaucratic agencies create specific rules and regulations based on broad legislative directives.

Executive Departments

The 15 main administrative units of the federal government, each led by a Cabinet Secretary appointed by the president, responsible for implementing specific policy areas. (e.g., Department of State)

Executive Agencies

Sub-agencies within executive departments that focus on specific functions. (e.g., the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) within the Department of the Treasury)

Independent Agencies

Agencies outside the executive departments with specialized functions that operate with greater independence. (e.g., NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA))

Independent Regulatory Commissions

Agencies established by Congress to regulate specific industries or practices with significant independence from executive control. (e.g., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC))

Government Corporations

Government-owned entities that provide services like private businesses but focus on public needs. (e.g., the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Amtrak)

Iron Triangles

Stable alliances among congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups that influence policy in specific areas through mutual support and resource sharing.

Issue Networks

Temporary coalitions of interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and congressional committees formed around a specific issue. These alliances are more fluid and inclusive, and often dissolve after the issue is resolved.

Compliance Monitoring

The process by which federal agencies ensure that laws and regulations are followed, often involving inspections, audits, and data collection.

Congressional Oversight

The process by which Congress reviews, tracks, and monitors the federal bureaucracy’s implementation of laws, using tools like hearings, investigations, and budget control.

Power of the Purse

Congress’s authority to control agency funding, allowing it to influence bureaucratic priorities and check executive power.

Judiciary Act of 1789

A law that established the federal judiciary, including the structure of district courts, circuit courts, and the Supreme Court, creating a three-tiered system.

Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear and decide cases, categorized as original, appellate, concurrent, or exclusive.

Federal District Court

The lowest tier of the federal judiciary, exercising original jurisdiction and serving as the trial court for civil and criminal cases.

Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals

The middle tier of the federal judiciary, exercising appellate jurisdiction to review district court decisions for procedural or legal errors.

Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)

The highest court in the federal judiciary, with both original and appellate jurisdiction, serving as the final arbiter of constitutional issues.

Judicial Review

The authority of courts to determine the constitutionality of laws, executive actions, and lower court decisions, established in Marbury v. Madison (1803).

Writ of Certiorari

An order issued by the Supreme Court to a lower court to send records for review, typically granted when cases involve significant legal questions.

Stare Decisis

The legal principle of relying on precedent in judicial decision-making, providing stability and predictability in the law.

Life Tenure

The provision in Article III of the Constitution allowing federal judges to serve for life, ensuring independence from political pressures but sparking debates about accountability.

Judicial Ideology

The underlying beliefs and interpretative approaches that influence how justices and judges decide cases.

Strict Construction (Originalism)

A judicial philosophy focusing on a literal interpretation of the Constitution or the framers' intent.

Living Constitution (Judicial Pragmatism)

A judicial philosophy that interprets the Constitution as a dynamic document that evolves with societal changes.

Judicial Activism

A philosophy in which judges take an active role in shaping policy by overturning precedent, invalidating laws, or challenging executive actions based on broader constitutional principles.

Judicial Restraint

A philosophy emphasizing deference to the legislative and executive branches, encouraging judges to avoid overturning laws or precedent unless clearly unconstitutional.

Checks on the Judicial Branch

Actions by other branches to limit judicial power, including congressional legislation, constitutional amendments, judicial appointments, jurisdiction stripping, and executive enforcement.