POLS 400 Exam 2 Study Guide

🔑 Key Terms Breakdown (Definitions + Memory Aids)

a. Filibuster
A Senate tactic to delay or block a vote by extending debate. Requires 60 votes to invoke cloture and end it.
📌 Example: Rand Paul filibustered for nearly 13 hours over drone policy.
🧠 Think: “Talk it to death.”

b. Unanimous Consent Agreement (UCA)
A Senate procedure where all senators agree to set rules for debate (time, amendments, etc.). One objection kills it.
🧠 Think: Senate's shortcut — but everyone must be on board.

c. Closed Rule, Open Rule, and Structured Rule
Types of debate/amendment rules set by the House Rules Committee:

• Closed Rule:
  No amendments allowed on the floor. Speeds passage.
  📌 Think: “Take it or leave it.”

• Open Rule:
  Allows any member to offer amendments.
  📌 Think: “Free-for-all amendments.”

• Structured Rule:
  Allows only certain amendments listed ahead of time.
  🧠 Think: “Menu of options approved in advance.”

d. Conference Committee
Temporary committee with members of both chambers to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.
🧠 Think: Final draft team for legislation.

e. Committee Jurisdiction
Defines what policy areas a committee oversees. A bill goes to the committee that matches its subject.
📌 Example: Energy bills go to Energy & Commerce.

f. Committee of the Whole House
A House procedure to speed up floor debate — reduces quorum to 100 and relaxes rules. Full House votes later.
🧠 Think: Debate lite before the real vote.

g. Amendment Tree
The visual structure showing all amendments pending to a bill. There's a max number that can be “on the tree” at once.
🧠 Only the Senate Majority Leader can usually fill the tree.

h. Filling the Amendment Tree
Tactic where the Majority Leader offers all allowed amendments to block others from adding theirs.
📌 Used to shield a bill from unwanted changes.

i. House Resolution (H. Res.) vs. House Joint Resolution (H. J. Res.)

• H. Res.: Deals with internal House rules or opinions. Doesn’t become law.

• H. J. Res.: Can become law, like a regular bill. Often used for constitutional amendments.
  🧠 Think: “H. J. Res. = serious business.”

j. Sunset Provision
A part of a law that sets an expiration date unless renewed by Congress.
📌 Example: Certain Patriot Act provisions had sunset clauses.
🧠 Think: “This law has a built-in goodbye.”

k. Severability Clause
States that if part of a law is struck down, the rest remains intact.
🧠 Think: “One bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch.”

l. Ranking Member
The most senior member of the minority party on a committee.
📌 Opposite of the Chair, but still powerful.

m. Appropriation vs. Authorization of Spending

• Authorization: Gives legal permission to create programs and outlines max budget.

• Appropriation: Actually provides the money.
  🧠 Think: Authorization = Plan; Appropriation = Pay.

n. Executive Order
A directive from the President with the force of law. Bypasses Congress, but can be challenged or reversed.
📌 Example: Biden’s student debt relief orders.

o. Recess Appointment
When the President fills a vacancy while the Senate is on break. Lasts until the end of the next session.
📌 Used to bypass Senate confirmation when they're not around.

p. Sponsor vs. Cosponsor

• Sponsor: The person who introduces the bill.

• Cosponsor: Members who sign on to show support but didn’t introduce it.
  🧠 Think: Sponsor = author, Cosponsor = hype squad.