AP Government-Congress Key Terms

Question 1

Bicameral Legislature

Answer 1

A two-house legislature

Question 2

Earmarks

Answer 2

an addition to a piece of legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states

Question 3

Pork Barrel Spending

Answer 3

Legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states.

Question 4

logrolling

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Legislative Oversight

Answer 5

Congress reviews the actions of the executive branch to determine whether current laws are achieving the intended results.

Question 6

constituents

Answer 6

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

Question 7

incumbency

Answer 7

the time during which a person holds office or a position

Question 8

incumbency advantage

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Casework

Answer 9

Assistance given to constituents by congressional members, answering questions or doing favors.

Question 10

Speaker of The House

Answer 10

The leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by an election of its members

Question 11

House Majority Leader

Answer 11

The person who the second in command of the House of representatives

Question 12

Whips

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Minority Leader

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Senate Majority Leader

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Standing Committee

Answer 15

a permanent committee in Congress that oversees bills that deal with certain kinds of issues.

Question 16

Committee Chair

Answer 16

Leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee’s agenda

Question 17

Seniority system

Answer 17

a system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee the leadership of that committee.

Question 18

Bill

Answer 18

A proposed law that requires the approval of both houses of Congress and the signature of the president to become a law.

Question 19

Conference Committee

Answer 19

A temporary joint committee created to settle differences in versions of a bill passed by each house of Congress. (set up to reach a compromise when the houses can’t agree on a bill.)

Question 20

Discharge Petition

Answer 20

A motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of the committee and onto the floor of the house of Representatives for a vote.

Question 21

House Rules Commitee

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Committee of the Whole

Answer 22

consists of all members of the house and meets at the house of chambers but is governed by different rules making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation.

Question 23

Hold

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Unanimous Consent Agreement

Answer 24

An agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for the consideration of a bill

Question 25

Filibuster

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Cloture

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Delegate Role

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Trustee Role

Answer 28

The idea that members of Congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their judgment and knowledge.

Question 29

Politico Role

Answer 29

Representation where members of Congress balance out their choices with the interest of their constituents and parties in making decisions

Question 30

Bipartisanship

Answer 30

An agreement between the parties to work together in congress to pass legislation.

Question 31

Gridlock

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Divided Government

Answer 32

a situation that occurs when control of the presidency and one or both chambers of congress is split between to major parties.

Question 33

Lame Duck Period

Answer 33

period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees

Question 34

Veto

Answer 34

formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of congress.

Question 35

Power of the Purse

Answer 35

when congress alone has the power to approve spending by the federal government

Question 36

President of the Senate

Answer 36

The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate, the Senate’s presiding officer.

Question 37

President Pro Tempore

Answer 37

serve in the capacity of the President of the Senate when the Vice President is absent. Besides that, the Pro Tem serves as a supervisor and mentor to junior senators.

Question 38

Treaty Ratification

Answer 38

two-thirds vote in the Senate to ratify

Question 39

Senatorial Courtesy

Answer 39

an agreement among senators to not vote for a nominee opposed by senators from the nominee’s home state. This gives voice to state senators and only applies if the president and the senator are from the same party.

Question 40

Omnibus Bill

Answer 40

A proposed law that covers several diverse or unrelated topics. Omnibus is derived from Latin and means “for everything”. An omnibus bill is a single document that is accepted in a single vote by a legislature. but packages together several measures into one or combines diverse subjects.