Chapter 12: The Congress

Question 0

BICAMERAL

Answer 0

The division of a legislature into 2 separate assemblies.

Question 1

CONSTITUENT

Answer 1

One of the people represented by a legislator or other elected or appointed officials.

Question 2

ENUMERATED POWER

Answer 2

A power specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution. The first seventeen clauses of Article 1, Section 8, specify most of the enumerated powers of Congress.

Question 3

LAWMAKING

Answer 3

The process of deciding the legal rues that govern society. Such laws may regulate minor affairs or establish broad national policies.

Question 4

LOGROLLING

Answer 4

An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other’s bills.

Question 5

CASEWORK

Answer 5

Personal work for constituents by members of Congress.

Question 6

OMBUDSPERSON

Answer 6

A person who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies.

Question 7

REPRESENTATION

Answer 7

The function of members of Congress as elected officials in representing the views of their constituents.

Question 8

TRUSTEE

Answer 8

In regard to a legislator, one who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society.

Question 9

INSTRUCTED DELEGATE

Answer 9

A legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected him or her and who votes according to the views of constituents regardless of personal assessments.

Question 10

OVERSIGHT

Answer 10

The responsibility Congress has for following up on laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administrate red in the way Congress intended.

Question 11

LEGISLATIVE VETO

Answer 11

A provision in a bill reserving to Congress or to a congressional committee the power to reject an action or regulation of a national agency by majority vote; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1983.

Question 12

AGENDA SETTING

Answer 12

Determining which public-policy questions will be debated or considered by Congress.

Question 13

RULES COMMITTEE

Answer 13

A standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the House.

Question 14

FILIBUSTERING

Answer 14

In the Senate, unlimited debate to halt action on a particular bill.

Question 15

CLOTURE

Answer 15

A method to close off debate and to bring the matter under consideration to a vote in the Senate.

Question 16

DIRECT PRIMARY

Answer 16

An intraparty election in which the voters select the candidates who will run on a party’s ticket in the subsequent general election.

Question 17

PARTY IDENTIFIER

Answer 17

A person who identifies with a political party.

Question 18

REAPPORTIONMENT

Answer 18

The allocation of seats in the House of Representatives to each state after each census.

Question 19

REDISTRICTING

Answer 19

The redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional districts within each state.

Question 20

JUSTICIABLE QUESTION

Answer 20

A question that may be raised and reviewed in court.

Question 21

GERRYMANDERING

Answer 21

The drawing of legislative district boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining partisan or factional advantage. A district is said to be gerrymandered when it’s shape is manipulated by the dominant party in the state legislature to maximize electoral strength at the expense of the minority party.

Question 22

FRANKING

Answer 22

A policy that enables members of Congress to send material through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for postage.

Question 23

DISCHARGE PETITION

Answer 23

A procedure by which a bill in the House of Representatives may be forced out of a committee (discharged) that has refused to report it for consideration by the House. The discharge petition must be signed by an absolute majority (218) of representatives and is used only on raw occasions.

Question 24

STANDING COMMITTEE

Answer 24

A permanent committee within the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain subject area.

Question 25

SELECT COMMITTEE

Answer 25

A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.

Question 26

JOINT COMMITTEE

Answer 26

A legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress.

Question 27

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Answer 27

A special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pass the two chambers of Congress in different forms.

Question 28

SENIORITY SYSTEM

Answer 28

A custom followed in both chambers of Congress specifying that members with longer terms of continuous service will be given preference when committee chairpersons and holders of other significant posts are selected.

Question 29

SAFE SEAT

Answer 29

A district that returns the legislator with 55 percent of the vote or more.

Question 30

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

Answer 30

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives. The speaker is always a member of the majority party and is the most powerful and influential member of the House.

Question 31

MAJORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Answer 31

A legislative position held by an important party member in the House of Representatives. The majority leader is selected by the majority party in caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for the majority party in the House.

Question 32

MINORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Answer 32

The party leader elected by the minority party in the House.

Question 33

WHIP

Answer 33

An assistant who aids the majority or minority leader of the House or the Senate majority or minority floor leader.

Question 34

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

Answer 34

The temporary presiding officer of the Senate in the absence of the Vice President.

Question 35

Majority Floor Leader

Answer 35

The chief spokesperson of the majority party in the Senate, who directs the legislative program and the party strategy.

Question 36

MINORITY FLOOR LEADER

Answer 36

The party officer in the Senate who commands the minority party’s opposition to the policies of the majority party and directs the legislative program and strategy of his or her party.

Question 37

CONSERVATIVE COALITION

Answer 37

An alliance of Republicans and southern Democrats that can form in the House or the Senate to oppose liberal legislation and support conservative legislation.

Question 38

EXECUTIVE BUDGET

Answer 38

The budget prepared and submitted by the president to Congress.

Question 39

FISCAL YEAR (FY)

Answer 39

The twelve-month period that is used for bookkeeping, or accounting, purposes. Usually, the fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year. For example, the federal government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30.

Question 40

SPRING REVIEW

Answer 40

The time every year when the Office of Management and Budget requires federal agencies to review their programs, activities, and goals and submit their requests for funding for the next fiscal year.

Question 41

FALL REVIEW

Answer 41

The time every year when, after receiving formal federal agency requests for funding for the next fiscal year, the Office of Management and Budget reviews the requests, makes changes, and submits its recommendations to the president.

Question 42

FIRST BUDGET RESOLUTION

Answer 42

A resolution passed by Congress in September that sets “binding” limits on taxes and spending for the next fiscal year beginning October 1.

Question 43

CONTINUING RESOLUTION

Answer 43

A temporary law that Congress passed when an appropriations bill has not been decided by the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1.