13 Congress Flashcards
bicameral legislature
a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
filibuster
an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill
marginal districts
political district in which candidates elected to the House of Rep win in close elections typically by less than 55 percent
safe districts
districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent or more
conservative coalition
an alliance between Rep and conservative Dem
majority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate
minority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the house or the senate
whip
a senator or rep who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking
speaker
the presiding officer of the House of Rep and the leader of his or her party in the house
party vote
there are two measures of such voting. by the stricter measure, a party vote occurs when 90 percent or more of the Dem in either house of Congress vote together against 90 percent or more of the Rep, A looser measure counts as a party vote any case where at least 50 percent of the Dem vote together against at least 50 percent of the Rep
Caucus
an association of congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional ethnic or economic interest
standing committees
permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsibly for legislation within a certain subject area
select committees
congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose
joint committees
committees on which both senators and rep serve
conference committee
joint committees appointed to resolve difference in the senate and house versions of the same bill