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AP US Gov Unit 4 Vocab

  • Appointment power - the authority vested in the president to fill a government office or position

  • Appropriation - A law of Congress which allows them to allocate federal funds to specific government agencies for designated purposes

  • Bully pulpit - a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue

  • Bureaucracy - a complex system of unelected government officials responsible for implementing the laws and policies created by the legislative branch

  • Cabinet - a group of high-ranking officials, appointed by the president, usually made up of the heads of various executive departments, which advises the president on policy matters and helps to implement decisions

  • Chief diplomat (president) - the role of the president which includes responsibility for managing foreign relations, negotiating treaties, appointing ambassadors, and representing the nation in international affairs

  • Chief executive (president) - the role of the president as head of the executive branch, which includes enforcing laws, overseeing the federal bureaucracy, and ensuring policies passed by Congress are implemented effectively

  • Civil service - a system of hiring and promoting based on the merit principle (qualifications over political collections) to create nonpartisan government service

  • Commander-in-chief (president) - the role of the president as the supreme leader of the US Armed Forces, granting them ultimate military authority

  • Congressional Budget Act of 1974 - legislation which established the framework for a new federal budget process involving Congress’s role within it

  • Congressional Budget Office (CBO) - a nonpartisan government agency which provides independent analysis of budgetary and economic issues to Congress

  • Continuing resolution - temporary spending bills which allow federal government operations to continue until regular appropriations are enacted

  • Debt - the total amount of money a government owes to lenders, accumulated over time through budget deficits where spending exceeds revenue

  • Deficit - a situation where a government spends more money than it receives, resulting in a shortcoming requiring borrowing money

  • Discretionary spending - the portion of the federal budget that Congress can adjust annually through appropriations bills

  • Entitlement programs - government-sponsored programs that guarantee specific benefits to individuals meeting certain eligibility requirements (essentially creating ‘rights’ to these benefits)

  • Executive agreement - international agreements made by the president without requirement for Senate approval

  • Executive branch - branch of government in charge with enforcing laws and administering public policy

  • Executive order - official directives issued by the president to manage the operations of the federal government

  • Executive privilege - the right of the President and other executive officials to withhold certain information

  • Fiscal policy - the government’s use of taxation and spending to manage the economy

  • Fiscal year - a 12-month accounting period used by the government to plan and manage its finances (from October 1 to September 30)

  • Honeymoon - initial phase of new administration in government, characterized by high approval ratings, optimism, and a sense of unity

  • Impeachment - a constitutional procedure through which federal officials can be removed from office due to wrongdoing

  • Imperial presidency - expansion of presidential power (often excessively/going beyond what is expected), particularly in the realms of foreign policy and national security

  • Impoundment - the presidential practice of withholding or delaying the spending of funds that have been appropriated by Congress

  • Independent agencies - government organizations that operate outside of the direct control of the executive branch, allowing them to make decisions based on expertise rather than immediate political influence

  • Interest rate - the percentage charged by a lender to a borrower for use of money

  • Lame duck - the period of time between an election and an inauguration of a new government where the outgoing official has limited power or influence

  • Line item veto - a special type of power that allows an executive (particularly the President) to reject individual provisions of a bill

  • Mandatory spending - government expenditures required by existing laws and automatically funded annually, without requiring repeated congressional approval

  • Monetary policy - the process by which the central bank (ex. the Federal Reserve) manages the money supply and interest rates within the economy

  • Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - a key executive office responsible for creating the President’s annual budget proposal and helping to implement it

  • Pardon - an official act of forgiveness granted by the president, absolving individuals of federal crimes

  • Patronage - the practice of awarding government jobs or positions to individuals based on political loyalty

  • Pocket veto - a legislative maneuver allowing the vetoer to take no action on a bill for ten days while Congress is adjourned, effectively preventing it from becoming a law by letting it die

  • Red tape - excessive bureaucratic procedures, regulations, and paperwork, which can slow down efficient decision-making and action within a government agency

  • Schedule C job/political appointee - a type of political appointment for individuals serving in confidential or policy roles

  • Sequestration - automatic spending cuts that occur through the withdrawal of funding for certain government programs

  • Surplus - a situation where a government receives more money than it spends, resulting in a positive balance of funds

  • Term (president) - the fixed duration of time that an individual serves as president (four years, two terms maximum)

  • Treaty ratification process - the process by why treaties or agreements are formally approved and validated, typically requiring two-thirds vote in the Senate

  • Veto - the power of an official, particularly the president, to reject a decision or proposal made by a legislative body

  • Veto override - a legislative action that allows Congress to reverse a presidential veto of a bill

  • War Powers Resolution - federal law that limits the President’s ability to engage US forces in military conflicts

  • White House staff - a group of advisors and support personnel who directly assist the president in carrying out their duties