AP Gov Ch 6 Semia Sims

Question 1

bicameral legislature

Answer 1

A two-house legislature

The advantages of a bicameral legislature include stability, more varied representation and the passing of quality legislation.

Question 2

apportionment

Answer 2

The process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the population, following the decennial census

United States congressional apportionment is the process by which seats in the United States House of Representatives are distributed among the 50 states according to the most recent decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution.

Question 3

bill

Answer 3

A proposed law

A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive.

Question 4

impeachment

Answer 4

The power delegated to the House of Representatives in the Constitution to charge the president, vice president or other “civil officers,” including federal judges, with “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” This is the first step in the constitutional process of removing government officials from office

The speculation over Democrats calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump has been swirling with varying levels of seriousness, and their new control of the House of Representatives means that there will be more calls to come.

Question 5

Edmund Burke

Answer 5

Conservative British political philosopher of the eighteenth century who articulated the view that elected representative should act as “trustees” and use their own best judgement when voting

A year before he published his full critique of the French Revolution Edmund Burke (1729-1797) wrote to a young Frenchman and offered his definition of liberty.

Question 6

trustee

Answer 6

Role played by an elected representative who listens to constituents’ opinion and then uses his or her best judgement to make a final decision

A trustee may be appointed for a wide variety of purposes, such as in the case of bankruptcy, for a charity, for a trust fund or for certain types of retirement plans or pensions.

Question 7

delegate

Answer 7

Role played by a representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want, regardless of personal opinions; may refer to an elected representative to Congress or a representative to the party convention

Delegates are responsible for electing the best possible national officers for the Board of Directors and Nominating and Elections Committee members for the NSNA.

Question 8

politico

Answer 8

An elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate, depending on the issue

POLITICO covers the politics, policy and personalities of the European Union.

Question 9

incumbency

Answer 9

Already holding an office

Republican political candidates gain votes after booms, leading to a near doubling in the probability of a change in incumbency.

Question 10

redistricting

Answer 10

The process of redrawing congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states, as well population shifts within a state

Redistricting reforms attempt to address the legislative tendency to undermine electoral accountability through districting

Question 11

gerrymandering

Answer 11

The drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome without regard to the shape of the district

Partisan gerrymandering returns to the Supreme Court for the first time in a decade.

Question 12

majority party

Answer 12

The political party in each house of Congress with the most members

These designations are significant because the majority party holds the most significant leadership positions, such as Speaker of the House.

Question 13

minority party

Answer 13

The political party in each house of Congress with the second most members

A minority party is a political party with a smaller role than the mainstream parties in a country’s politics and elections.

Question 14

party caucus (or conference)

Answer 14

A formal gathering of all party members

A party caucus or conference is the name given to a meeting of or organization of all party members in the House.

Question 15

majority leader

Answer 15

The head of the party controlling the most seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate; is second in authority to the Speaker of the House and in the Senate is regarded as its most powerful member

The House of Representatives, with its large membership, has relied on Majority Leaders since the late-19th century to expedite legislative business and to keep their parties united.

Question 16

minority leader

Answer 16

The head of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the House of Representatives or the Senate

The majority party members and the minority party members meet separately to select their leader of the house.

Question 17

whip

Answer 17

Party leader who keeps close contact with all members of his or her party, takes vote counts on key legislation, prepares summaries of bills, and acts as a communications link within a party

Whips are a set of individuals tasked with imposing discipline and direction and each party has a designated whip in the House.

Question 18

president pro tempore

Answer 18

The official chair of the Senate; usually the most senior member of the majority party

The president pro tempore designates other senators to preside in his absence, generally new members of the majority party.

Question 19

standing committee

Answer 19

Committee to which proposed bills are referred; continues from one Congress to the next

The primary purpose of standing committees shall be to consider and recommend actions and propose policies in the functional areas under their jurisdictions.

Question 20

joint committee

Answer 20

Standing committee that includes members from both houses of Congress set up to conduct investigations or special studies

An important function of the Joint Committee staff is to evaluate whether provisions of the tax law operate as intended or cause unintended administrative, interpretive, or statutory results.

Question 21

conference committee

Answer 21

Special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

A conference committee is a committee of the United States Congress appointed by the House of Representatives and Senate to resolve disagreements

Question 22

select (or special) committee

Answer 22

Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose

Select committees gather evidence from ministers and officials, the public and organisations outside Parliament.

Question 23

Hillary Clinton

Answer 23

First female major party candidate for president of the United States, a Democrat, who ran against President Donald J. Trump in 2016. Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013; New York senator from 2001 to 2009; former first lady

Hillary Clinton was a lawyer and former first Lady who was a U.S. senator and U.S. secretary of state.

Question 24

House Committee on Rules

Answer 24

The influential “Rules Committee” determines the scheduling and conditions, such as length of debate and type of allowable amendments, for all bills in the House of Representatives (but not in the Senates, where debate is less regulated)

The House Rules Committee considers all bills reported from policy and fiscal committees and determines whether, and in what order, to schedule their consideration on the floor of the House.

Question 25

discharge petition

Answer 25

Petition that gives a majority of the House of Representatives the authority the bring an issue to the floor in the face committee inaction

A discharge petition requires the signature of an absolute majority of the members which is signature of 218 members.

Question 26

seniority

Answer 26

Time of continuous service on a committee

Having seniority is like having a higher rank or status.

Question 27

markup

Answer 27

A session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor

A markup is added into the total cost incurred by the producer of a good or service in order to cover the costs of doing business and create a profit.

Question 28

Committee of the Whole

Answer 28

A procedure that allows the House of Representatives to deliberate with a lower quorum and to expedite consideration and amendment of a bill

A committee of the whole is a meeting of a deliberative assembly according to modified procedural rules based on those of a committee.

Question 29

hold

Answer 29

A procedure by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill or nomination is brought to the floor. This request signals leadership that a member may have objections to the bill (or nomination) and should be consulted before further action is taken

A hold is a parliamentary procedure permitted by the Standing Rules of the United States Senate which allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor.

Question 30

filibuster

Answer 30

A formal way of halting Senate action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate

The filibuster is a tactic used in the U.S. Senate to block or delay action on a bill or other measure.

Question 31

closure

Answer 31

Mechanism requiring the vote of sixty senators to cut off debate

Without senators closure wouldn’t be possible.

Question 32

veto

Answer 32

The formal, constitutional authority of the president the reject bills passed by both houses of Congress, thus preventing them from becoming law without further congressional action

The president may veto specific provisions on money bills without affecting other provisions on the same bill.

Question 33

pocket veto

Answer 33

If Congress adjourns during the ten days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, the bill is considered vetoed without the president’s signature

A pocket veto occurs when the president of the United States fails to sign a piece of legislation, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Question 34

Richard M. Nixon

Answer 34

The thirty-seventh president, a Republican, who served from 1969 through 1974. Nixon advocated détente during the Cold War and resigned rather than face impeachment and likely removal from office due to the Watergate scandal

On the morning of April 16, 1956, Vice President Richard Nixon served notice that the vice presidency had finally become an office to be sought after by other politicians.

Question 35

Congressional Budget Act of 1974

Answer 35

Act that established the congressional budgetary process by laying out a plan for congressional action on the annual budget resolution, appropriations, reconciliation, and any other revenue bills

The Congressional Budget and impoundment Control Act of 1974 was enacted to establish a congressional budget process.

Question 36

reconciliation

Answer 36

A procedure that allows consideration of controversial issues affecting the budget by limiting debate to twenty hours, thereby ending threat of a filibuster

Reconciliation legislation is passed through an expedited process first.

Question 37

Pork

Answer 37

Legislation that allows representatives to bring money and jobs to their districts in the form of public works programs, military bases, or other programs

Representatives often seek to win appropriations known as pork.

Question 38

programmatic requests

Answer 38

Federal funds designated for special projects within a state or congressional district. Also referred to as earmarks

Programmatic requests function in lieu of earmark requests ever since the outright ban on earmarks in 2011.

Question 39

divided government

Answer 39

The political condition in which different political parties control the presidency and at least one house of Congress

The dynamics between Trump and Congress are about to significantly change because of the divided government.

Question 40

War Powers Resolution

Answer 40

Passed by Congress in 1973; the president is limited in the deployment of troops overseas to a sixty-day period in peacetime (which can be extended for an extra thirty days to permit withdrawal) unless Congress explicitly gives its approval for a longer period

Though the title of the Senate-approved bill, War Powers Act, became widely used in the 70s

Question 41

congressional review

Answer 41

A process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations within a 60-day window by passing a joint resolution of legislative disapproval. The president’s approval of the resolution or a two-third majority vote in both houses to overrule a presidential veto is also required

The Congressional Review Act (CRA) enables Congress to disapprove a final rule issued by a federal agency.

Question 42

senatorial courtesy

Answer 42

A process by which presidents generally allow senators from the state in which a judicial vacancy occurs to block a nomination by simply registering their objection

Because of senatorial courtesy, scholars typically assume that presidents defer to home state senators from their party when selecting judges.

Question 43

unified government

Answer 43

The political condition in which the same political party controls the presidency and Congress

Unified Government jobs are predominately available in Kansas City.

Question 44

logrolling

Answer 44

Vote trading; voting to support a colleague’s bill in return for a promise of future support

Logrolling occurs when each of two people agree to vote for the other’s project to ensure that both are passed.

Question 45

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Answer 45

Created in 1914, the non-partisan CRS provides information, studies, and research in support of the work of Congress, and prepares summaries and tracks the progress of all bill

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members.

Question 46

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Answer 46

Established in 1921, the GAO is an independent regulatory agency for the purpose of auditing the financial expenditures of the executive branch and federal agencies; until 2004, the GAO was known as the General Accounting Office

Government Accountability Office (GAO), agency of the U.S. federal government that reports to Congress and bills itself as independent and nonpartisan.

Question 47

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

Answer 47

Created in 1974, the CBO provides Congress with evaluations of the potential economic effects of proposed spending policies and also analyzes the president’s budget and economic projections

The Congressional Budget Office is nonpartisan, and produces independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process

Question 48

cloture

Answer 48

Mechanism requiring the vote of sixty senators to cut off debate

Under cloture, the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours of debate.