Ch. 13 VOCAB Flashcards
Standing committee
Permanent committee that discusses specific policy area
Rules Committee
Committee that determines calendar and rules for debate
Speaker of the House
Chief spokesperson for majority party of the house, runs proceedings of house, appoints committee members, refers bills to committee, chosen by house members
Closed rule
No amendments may be added to a bill on the floor
Germane Bill
Amendments added to bill on the floor MUST be related to the topic of bill
Open Rule
Amendments may be added to bill in floor
Conference committee
Joint committee(members of both house and senate) that reconcile bills after they’ve been passed by house or senate
Pocket Veto
If president doesn’t sign or veto bill, and congress goes out of session for ten days, the bill is vetoed
Committee of the Whole
House standing committee to which ALL members belong, most discussions happen here because of its more relaxed rules and lower quorum
Quorum
Number of legislatures that must be president to conduct business, 51-senate, 218 - the House
Discharge position
Petition that if signed by simple majority of House members brings a bill that’s been in standing committee for more than 30 days or in Rules committee for more than 7 days to the floor
Unanimous Consent
When senate votes unanimously to forego a rule in one instance
Filibuster
A delay of a vote in senate while debate continues
Cloture
3/5ths vote in senate to end debate
Hold
Request of a senator to majority leader to not bring bill to floor; they’re putting it on hold✋
Senate majority leader
Chief spokesman for majority party in senate, has priority to speak on floor, most powerful person in senate
President of the Senate
Vice president of the United States, presiding officer of senate, but rarely attends, can only vote in case of tie
President pro tempore
Elected by senate, usually senior member of majority party, acts as president of senate in a sense of vice president
Logrolling
Practice of congressman exchanging votes in order to pass 2 different bills, one congressman voted in favor of bill the other one wants to pass and vice versa
Divided Government
When at least one house of congress and presidency are controlled by different parties
Unified government
When both houses of congress and presidency are controlled by the same party
Party polarization
When two main parties become more ideological apart
Gridlock
When lawmaking is slow and inefficent
Trustee model
Congressman men vote on legislation based on own morals
