APGov test 2 Flashcards
What is the Federal Budget?
a plan for the federal government’s revenues and spending for the coming year
What is a Deficit?
An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues
What is National Debt?
The sum of government deficits over time
What is Discretionary spending?
Federal spending on programs that are controlled through the regular budget process
What are Entitlements?
Policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay X level of benefits to Y number of recipients. Social Security benefits are an example
What are Uncontrollable expenditures?
Expenditures that are determined by how many eligible beneficiaries there are for a program or by previous obligations of the government and that Congress therefore cannot easily control
What is a Bill?
A proposed law
An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant.
Speaker of the House
A permanent committee is established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area
Standing Committee
A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose
Select Committee
A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations
Joint Committee
Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in a different form
Conference Committee
An institution unique to the House of Representatives that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House
House Rules Committee
A strategy in the Senate where opponents of a legislative action use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill. Today, 60/100 votes are needed to break it
The Filibuster
A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate
Cloture
Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return. In other words, other benefits are hidden in longer bills to benefit constituents.
Pork-barrel legislation
A legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers. Members of Congress will negotiate with one another to vote for a bill they don’t like in exchange of an “I owe you”
Log-rolling
Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power
Gerrymandering
The process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census
Reapportionment
One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
Divided Government
A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society
Trustee
A person appointed or elected to represent others
Delegate
Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles
Politico
An essential part; a voter who elects a representative
Constituent
“One man, one vote.” Ordered state legislative districts to be as near equal as possible in population; Warren Court’s judicial activism
Baker vs Carr 1962
NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts
Shaw vs Reno 1993
Bill passed to a house of congress; bill gets majority of votes in both houses; president can then pass bill into law or veto it. If vetoed, bill must attain 2/3 majority in both houses to become law
The legislative procces
Confirm presidential appointments by a majority vote, ratify (approve) treaties made by the president by a 2/3 vote (67 senators), hold impeachment trial to remove a president
Powers of the Senate
Start all appropriation/revenue bills, impeaches government officials, choose president if tie in the electoral college
Powers of the House
30 years old, citizen for 9 years, resident of state
Requirements for Senate
25 years old, 7 years a citizen, live in state which elected
Requirements for House
Those already holding offices. In congressional elections, incumbents usually win. They have advantages in elections because they already hold office and aren’t likely to get removed.
Incumbents
