Chapter 11: Structure of Congress Flashcards
caucus
a meeting of all members of a party in the House or Senate
bicameral
a legislative branch divided into two separate houses
reapportionment
the process of redrawing congressional district lines to reflect population shifts
gerrymandering
the redrawing of district boundaries to favor a particular party or group of people
congressional district
geographical area in a state represented by a House member
single-member district
legislative districts from which only one representative is chosen
at large
statewide election of US senators
Seventeenth Amendment
allowed for direct popular election of senators (1913)
delegates
nonvoting members of Congress who represent various U.S. territories and the District of Columbia
coalition
a temporary alliance of several groups
census
official government count of United States citizens taken every ten years and used to determine the number of representatives for each state
majority leader
the leader chosen by the party with the most members in the House or Senate; in the House, next to the Speaker in authority, but in the Senates, the most powerful member
minority leader
the leader chosen by the part with the second most members in the House or Senate
majority whip
In the House and Senate, the assistant majority leader chosen by the party with the most seats in that body of Congress; responsibilities include overseeing communication, tracking votes, and summarizing bills
minority whip
In the House and Senate, the assistant minority leaders chosen by that party with the second most seats in that body of Congress; responsibilities include overseeing communication, tracking votes, and summarizing bills
president pro tempore
honorary position given to the most senior member of the Senate’s majority party; he presides over the Senate when the vice president is absent
Speaker of the House
Head of the House of Representatives who presides over the House, manages House business, and serves as the official spokesman for the House; elected by the House members and usually from the majority party
term limits
limits on the number of terms an elected official can serve
franking privilege
the privilege enabling members of Congress to send official mail free of charge
junkets
unnecessary trips made by members of Congress at the taxpayers’ expense
standing committees
permanent committees in Congress
select committees
temporary congressional committees created for a specific purpose, usually to investigate particular problems
joint committees
permanent committees composed of House and Senate members acting as an advisory board for other committees, especially on tax issues
conference committees
temporary committees drawn from both chambers of Congress forms to work out a compromise between differing Senate and House versions of a bill or proposed law