Chapter 4 AP Gov Vocab

Apportionment - the process through which congressional committees allocate funds to executive branch agencies, bureaus, and departments.

Bipartisanship - agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation.

Budget deficit - the difference when a government takes in less money than it spends.

Budget surplus - the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more money than it spends

Cloture - a procedure through which senators can end a filibuster and proceed to action, provided three-fifths of senators agree to it.

Constituency - a body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator.

Committee chair - leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee’s agenda

Committee of the whole - consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation.

Delegate role - the idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to carry out constituent wishes.

Discharge petition - a motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.

Discretionary spending - spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president.

Divided government - a situation that occurs when control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress is split between the two major parties.

Entitlement program - a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income.

Filibuster - a tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation.

Gerrymandering - the intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters.

Gridlock - a slowdown or halt in Congress’s ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship.

Hold - a delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill.

House majority leader - the person who is the second in command of the House of Representatives.

House rules committee - a powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the debate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor.

Incumbent - a political official who is currently in office.

Incumbency advantage - institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election.

Lame duck period - period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees.

Logrolling - trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation.

Majority-minority districts - a district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district.

Malapportionment - the uneven distribution of the population between legislative districts.

Mandatory spending - spending required by existing laws that is “locked in” the budget.

Minority leader - the head of the party with the second-highest number of seats in Congress, chosen by the party’s members.

National debt - the total amount of money owed by the federal government.

Office of Management of Budget (OMB) - the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities.

Oversight - efforts by Congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals.

Partisan gerrymandering - drawing district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party.

Political action committee (PAC) - an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns.

Politico role - representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions.

Pork barrel spending - legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states.

Redistricting - states’ redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census.

Senate majority leader - the person who has the most power in the Senate and is the head of the party with the most seats.

Speaker of the House - the leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by an election of its members.

Trustee role - the idea that members of Congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgment.

Unanimous consent agreement - an agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill

Veto - formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of Congress.

Whip - a member of Congress, chosen by his or her party members, whose job is to ensure party unity and discipline.