Legislative Branch

Key Terms/Concepts

• Mark Up: Term for when committees and subcommittees make revisions and additions to legislation (they are "doing" this to the bill).

• Veto: Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature.

• Pocket Veto: When a President lets a bill die because Congress adjourns within 10 days of the President getting the bill.

• Discharge Petition: When a majority vote in the House forces a bill out of committee for a vote.

• Omnibus Legislation: Term for large bills that often cover several topics and may contain extraneous, or pork-barrel, projects.

Key Legislative Processes

• Filibuster: A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

• Reconciliation: An alternate congressional process through which a bill can pass without the threat of a filibuster (can only be used for certain budget/spending types of bills).

• Cloture: A procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill (kill a filibuster).

• 3/5: Portion of the Senate needed to invoke cloture and end a filibuster.

• 2/3: Portion of the House & Senate needed to override a Presidential veto.

Key Committees

Key Concepts of Representation

• Delegate: Term for when a Congressman votes based on the wants and needs of his constituents.

• Trustee: Term for when a Congressman votes based on his own morals and beliefs.

• Partisan: Term for when a Congressman votes based on his political party's wants and needs.

• Politico: Term for when a Congressman votes sometimes as a delegate and other times as a trustee.

• Descriptive Representation: Term for the idea that an elected body should mirror demographically the population it represents.

Key Legislative Strategies

• Log Rolling: Term for when a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers.

• Casework: Term for the work that a lawmaker does to help constituents with a problem.

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

• Pork Barrel Legislation: Laws passed by Congress that appropriate money for local federal projects in districts of specific Congressmen.

• Poison Pill: Term for an unfavorable amendment added to a bill with the intention of killing the bill.

Facts to Memorize

• 3/5: Portion of the Senate needed to invoke cloture and end a filibuster.

• 2/3: Portion of the House & Senate needed to override a Presidential veto.

• Power of the purse: Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money.

Reference Information

• House Rules Committee: Sets the rules for debate and amendments in the House.

• Appropriations Committee: Congressional committee that deals with federal spending.

• Ways and Means: House committee that handles tax bills.

Concept Comparisons

Other

Congress:

Senate: 100, 6-year term

House of Representatives: 435, 2—year term

Legislative terms & current issues

5. Interest Group: A private organization whose members work to shape public policy. (Provide information, $ Contributions, support) 

6. Lobbyist- A person who works for an interest group.  Lobbyists attempt to influence elected officials to vote a  certain way on a bill. (providing info, $$$, Contacting

mark up Term for when committees and subcommittees make revisions and additions to legislation (they are "doing" this to the bill") Veto Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature Pocket veto When a President lets a bill die because Congress adjourns within 10 days of the President getting the bill. Discharge Petition When a majority vote in the House forces a bill out of committee for a vote. Omnibus legislation Term for large bills that often cover several topics and may contain extraneous, or pork-barrel, projects. Filibuster A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue. Reconciliation A alternate congressional process through which a bill can pass without the threat of a filibuster (can only be used for certain budget/spending types of bills) House Rules Committee Committee that sets the rules for debate and amendments that can take place on the floor of the House. Power of the purse Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money Pork barrel legislation laws passed by Congress that appropriate money for local federal projects in districts of specific Congressmen. Conference Committee special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate at the end of the legislative process. Standing committee a permanent committee in Congress that meets regularly. Delegate Term for when a Congressman votes based on the wants and needs of his constituents. Trustee Term for when a Congressman votes based on his own morals and beliefs. Partisan Term for when a Congressman votes based on his pollical party's wants and needs. Politico Term for when a Congressman votes sometimes as a delegate and other times as a trustee. Log Rolling Term for when a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers Casework Term for the work that a lawmaker does to help constituents with a problem Redistricting Term for the redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census. Gerrymandering Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power. Descriptive Representation Term for the idea that an elected body should mirror demographically the population it represents Cloture A procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill (kill a filibuster) 3/5 Portion of the Senate needed to invoke cloture and end a filibuster. 2/3 Portion of the House & Senate needed to override a Presidential veto. Party whip An individual who assists the party leader in staying abreast of the concerns and voting intentions of the party members Quorum Term for the minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress Quorum buster A way to kill a bill when members of a legislative body leave the chamber to avoid having enough members present to conduct official business. Poison pill Term for an unfavorable amendment added to a bill with the intention of killing the bill. Constituents Term for the people that a Congressperson represents. incumbancy advantage Term for the electoral edge afforded to those already in office Ways and means House committee that handles tax bills Appropriations Committee congressional committee that deals with federal spending Interest group An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy Lobbyist A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group to try to persuade legislators. Pigeonhole Term for when a bill gets "stuck" or buried in committee. Senate Legislative body in charge of confirming Presidential appointments. House of Representatives Legislative body that is in charge of issuing articles of impeachment. Oversight the effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies