4A Vocab

Question 1

Constituents

Answer 1

The residents of a congressional district or state

Question 2

Reapportionment

Answer 2

The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.

Question 3

Redistricting

Answer 3

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population

Question 4

Gerrymandering

Answer 4

The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent

Question 5

Safe seat

Answer 5

An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party’s candidate is almost taken for granted

Question 6

Incumbent

Answer 6

The current holder of the elected office

Question 7

Earmarks

Answer 7

Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents

Question 8

Pork barrel legislation

Answer 8

Metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district

Question 9

Enumerated powers

Answer 9

The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution

Question 10

Speaker

Answer 10

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party

Question 11

Coalition

Answer 11

An alliance of political groups pursuing a common goal

Question 12

Majority leader

Answer 12

The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line

Question 13

Minority leader

Answer 13

The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition

Question 14

Logrolling

Answer 14

Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators

Question 15

Closed rule

Answer 15

A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments

Question 16

Open rule

Answer 16

A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill

Question 17

President pro tempore

Answer 17

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the Vice President

Question 18

Filibuster

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Cloture

Answer 19

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate

Question 20

Standing committee

Answer 20

A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

Question 21

Select committee

Answer 21

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation

Question 22

Joint committee

Answer 22

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations

Question 23

Seniority rule

Answer 23

A legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee

Question 24

Conference committee

Answer 24

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form

Question 25

Discharge petition

Answer 25

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives’ members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration

Question 26

Rider

Answer 26

A provision attached to a bill- to which it may or may not be related- in order to secure its passage or defeat

Question 27

House Rules Committee

Answer 27

The committee responsible for scheduling and managing the flow of legislation on the floor of the House of Representatives in order to make the process more efficient and manageable

Question 28

Override

Answer 28

An action taken by Congress to reverse the presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber

Question 29

Delegate

Answer 29

An official who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of legislator

Question 30

Trustee

Answer 30

An official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator

Question 31

Committee of the Whole

Answer 31

A committee of the House on which all representatives serve in order to consider the details of a proposal

Question 32

Holds

Answer 32

Informal practice by which a senator informs his or her floor leader that he or she does not wish a particular bill or other measure to reach the floor for consideration

Question 33

Unanimous consent

Answer 33

A senator may request unanimous consent on the floor to set aside a specified rule of procedure so as to expedite proceedings

Question 34

Politico

Answer 34

Hybrid of delegate and trustee models of representation