Chapter 11 Flashcards
the process by which seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the fifty states
apportionment
the political process that results from dividing a legislature into two separate assemblies
bicameralism
proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature
bill
a parliamentary process to end a debate in the Senate as a measure against the filibuster; invoked when three-fifths of senators vote for the motion
cloture
the relationship between Congress and the United States as a whole and whether the institution itself represents the American people
collective representation
a special type of joint committee that reconciles different bills passed in the House and Senate so a single bill results
conference committee
the body of voters or constituents represented by a particular politician
constituency
a model of representation in which representatives feel compelled to act on the specific stated wishes of their constituents
delegate model of representation
the extent to which a body of representatives represents the descriptive characteristics of their constituencies, such as class
descriptive representation
the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, ect.
enumerated powers
a parliamentary maneuver used in the Senate to extend debate on a piece of legislation as long as possible, typically with the intended purpose of obstructing or killing it
filibuster
the powers not specifically detailed in the U.S. Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government
implied powers
the powers neither enumerated nor implied but assumed to exist as a direct result of the country’s existence
inherent powers
a legislative committee consisting of members from both chambers that investigates certain topics but lacks bill referral authority
joint committee
the leader of the majority party in either the House or Senate; in the House the majority leader serves under the Speaker of the House in the Senate and chief spokesperson for the majority party
majority leader
the amending and voting process in a congressional committee
markup
the party member who directs the activities of the minority party on the floor of either the House or the Senate
minority leader
the right to review and monitor other bodies such as the executive branch
oversight
a model of representation in which members of Congress act as either trustee or delegate based on rational political calculations about who is best served the nation
politico model of representation
federal spending intended to benefit a particular district or set of constituents
pork-barrel politics
the senator who acts in the absence of the actual president of the Senate, who is also the vice president of the United States; the president pro tempore is usually the most senior senator of the majority party
president pro tempore
an elected leader’s looking out for constituents while carrying out the duties of the office
representation
a small legislative committee created to fulfill a specific purpose and then disbanded; also called an ad hoc, or special
select committee
the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of the majority party; the Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president
Speaker of the House
a permanent legislative committee that meets regularly
standing committee
a theory proposing that the surge of stimulation occurring during presidential elections subsides during midterm elections accounting for the differences we observe in turnouts and trustee model of representation a model of representation in which representatives feel at liberty to act in the way they believe is best for their constituents
surge-and-decline theory
in the House and in the Senate a high leadership position whose primary duty is to enforce voting discipline in the chambers and conferences
whip
