APGovCh.6.Jimmy.Dimas Flashcards

1
Q

Apportionment

A

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

Sentence: The apportionment of congressional seats seem to be fair and not favorable to one state.

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2
Q

bicameral legislature

A

a two-house legislature

Sentence: The United States Congress is an example pf a bicameral legislature because it is made up of the Senate and House of Representatives.

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3
Q

bill

A

a proposed law

Sentence: There have been many bills passed over the years and some where even proposed by the interest pf people.

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4
Q

cloture

A

Mechanism requiring the vote of sixty senators to cut off debate

Sentence: To prevent a filibuster from occurring cloture was introduced to speed up to the final vote.

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5
Q

Committee of the Whole

A

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

Sentence: If a Committee of the Whole is included on the day of debate of the bill, it can quicken the process with 100 members debating.

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6
Q

conference committee

A

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

Sentence: Conference committee are helpful because there have many instances were certain bills have been challenged.

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7
Q

Congressional Budget Act of 1974

A

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

Sentence: The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is necessary in order for Congress not to over spend on certain things.

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8
Q

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

A

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

Sentence: In order to predict how a economic plan will play out, the Congressional Budget Office was created.

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9
Q

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

A

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.

Sentence: The congressional research service is necessary to keep tract how a bill has been doing, either positively or negatively affecting the U.S.

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10
Q

congressional review

A

A process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval

Sentence: Congressional review is only valid if it is within the sixty days after the implementation of an administrative action.

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11
Q

delegate

A

Role played by an elected representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want, regardless of personal opinion

Sentence: A delegate is different from a trustee in that they don’t listen to their own personal opinion.

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12
Q

discharge petition

A

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

Sentence: Discharge petitions are set with a majority vote of 218 votes from the House of Representatives.

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13
Q

divided government

A

The political condition in which different political parties control the presidency and Congress

Sentence: We are currently in a divided government that will affects the law making process this year.

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14
Q

Edmund Burke

A

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

Sentence: Edmund Burke has convinced many elected officials in government to act in their best interest for them and the people.

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15
Q

filibuster

A

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

Sentence: There are several ways a filibuster can take place to delay the vote which include reciting poetry or reading from a phone book.

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16
Q

gerrymandering

A

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

Sentence: When in the redistricting process gerrymandering may be a step chosen to make sure equal chance is given.

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17
Q

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

A

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 GOA was known as the General Accounting Office.

Sentence: The Government Accountability Office helps reassure the public that the executive branch is using their money wisely and benefiting the nation.

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18
Q

Hillary Clinton

A

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.

Sentence: During the presidential election in 2016, Hillary Clinton started losing supporters after reports of scandalous emails from her have been released.

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19
Q

hold

A

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

Sentence: A hold can be placed for several reasons which include reviewing, negotiating changes, or attempting to kill the bill.

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20
Q

House Committee on Rules

A

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

Sentence: The chair of the House Committee on Rules is determined by the Speaker as a crucial point in the process of bill making.

21
Q

impeachment

A

The power delegated to the House of Rep. 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

Sentence: There have been many times that the people of the U.S. wanted the impeachment of Donald J. Trump.

22
Q

incumbency

A

already holding an office

Sentence: When a president runs again for a second term, they will have a better chance of winning because of their incumbency.

23
Q

joint committee

A

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

Sentence: Joint committees tend to focus on major matters such as the economy, taxation, and most interestingly the scandals within the government.

24
Q

logrolling

A

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

Sentence: Logrolling is only allowed in some elections, but it can be useful when you have a change of heart or you feel one candidate it stronger than the other.

25
Q

majority leader

A

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

Sentence: Our current majority leader for the Senate is Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell

26
Q

majority party

A

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

Sentence: The majority party in each of the houses in Congress is important to have greater power within that house.

27
Q

markup

A

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

Sentence: A markup is important in order to make a change that would better benefit the country if the bill is passed.

28
Q

minority leader

A

The head of the party with the second highest number of elected reps. in the House or Senate

Sentence: Our current minority leader of the Senate is Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer.

29
Q

minority party

A

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

Sentence: The current minority party in the House of Representatives are the Republicans.

30
Q

party caucus (or conference)

A

A formal gathering of all party members

Sentence: Today the party caucuses have several roles including nominating or electing party officers.

31
Q

pocket veto

A

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

Sentence: A bill has to go through many obstacles before it can be considered a law, but it can not make it if it goes to a pocket veto.

32
Q

politico

A

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

Sentence: Being a politico comes with uncertainty in how they make their decision based on the different issues that come up.

33
Q

pork

A

Legislation that allows reps. to bring money and jobs back to their districts in the form of public works programs

Sentence: With the help of pork, representatives can help their districts grow and become more prosperous by bringing in money.

34
Q

Presidential pro tempore

A

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

Sentence: The presidential pro tempore usually stays in office until the majority party in Congress changes.

35
Q

Programmatic requests

A

Federal funds designated for special projects within a state or congressional district

Sentence: Certain projects can be assured money and funding if they have programmatic requests by a bill to do so.

36
Q

reconcilitation

A

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

Sentence: The process of reconciliation became popular in the 2010s when it was used to pass the health care reform bill.

37
Q

redistricting

A

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

Sentence: Redistricting is important when district lines are redrawn to make sure the majority in that district ensure formation of voting districts that protect their majority.

38
Q

Richard M. Nixon

A

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

Sentence: Former President Richard M. Nixon almost got impeached for the Watergate Scandal, and rather resigned, the first time ever.

39
Q

select (or special) committee

A

Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose

Sentence: During the scandal of Hillary Clinton’s emails and her presidential campaign, select committees were set up to investigate her.

40
Q

senatorial courtesy

A

A process by which presidents generally allow senators from the state to block a nomination by registering objection

Sentence: Senatorial courtesy doesn’t allow new nominations to come through which can be a problem when trying to create a diverse nation.

41
Q

seniority

A

Time of continuous service on a committee

Sentence: Seniority is no longer a way of appointing the committee chairs in the House of Representatives and Senate.

42
Q

Speaker of the House

A

The only officer of the House of Reps. specifically mentioned in the Constitution; the chamber’s most powerful position; traditionally a member of the majority party

Sentence: A new Speaker of the House is always elected whenever there is a new Congress or when the former speaker dies or resigns.

43
Q

standing committee

A

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

Sentence: Standing committees are different than joint committees because they do not include members from both houses of Congress.

44
Q

trustee

A

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

Sentence: Without a trustee who people cannot trust to make a good decision, the decision will not be favored.

45
Q

unified government

A

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

Sentence: A unified government is more beneficial because there wouldn’t be much trouble passing laws that cause differences between the two parties.

46
Q

veto

A

The formal, constitutional authority of the president to reject bills passed by Congress

Sentence: Donald Trump has the power to veto bills that he thinks are not right and beneficial to the country.

47
Q

War Powers Resolution

A

Passed by Congress in 1973; the president is limited in the deployment of troops overseas to a 60 day period unless Congress explicitly gives its approval for a longer period

Sentence: The War Powers Resolution helps the soldiers become safe if they are sent by a president who doesn’t know what they are doing.

48
Q

whip

A

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

Sentence: The whips of the Republican and Democratic parties helps its own majority or minority leaders with leadership effort.