Chapter 13

Question 1

Bicameral legislature

Answer 1

A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

Question 2

Filibuster

Answer 2

An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill

Question 3

Partisan polarization

Answer 3

A vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators.

Question 4

Marginal districts

Answer 4

Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55% of the vote

Question 5

Safe districts

Answer 5

Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more

Question 6

Conservative coalition

Answer 6

An alliance between Republican and conservative Democrats

Question 7

Majority leader

Answer 7

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate

Question 8

Minority leader

Answer 8

The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate

Question 9

Whip

Answer 9

A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking

Question 10

Speaker

Answer 10

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of his or her party in the House

Question 11

Party vote

Answer 11

There are two measures of such voting. By the stricter measure, a party vote occurs when 90% or more of the Democrats in either house of Congress vote together against 90% or more of the Republicans. A loose measure counts as a party vote any case where at least 50% of the Democrats vote together against at least 50% of the Republicans

Question 12

Caucus

Answer 12

An association of congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Question 13

Standing committees

Answer 13

Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Question 14

Select committees

Answer 14

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose

Question 15

Joint committees

Answer 15

Committees on which both senators and representatives serve

Question 16

Conference committee

Answer 16

Joint committees appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill

Question 17

Simple resolution

Answer 17

Expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body

Question 18

Concurrent resolution

Answer 18

An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president

Question 19

Joint resolution

Answer 19

A formal expression of congressional Union that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president

Question 20

Discharge petition

Answer 20

A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition to have it brought to the floor

Question 21

Restrictive

Answer 21

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendment but no other to be made into a bill on the floor

Question 22

Closed rule

Answer 22

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

Question 23

Open rule

Answer 23

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Question 24

Quorum

Answer 24

Minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress

Question 25

Riders

Answer 25

Amendments on matters unrelated to a bill that are added to an important bill so that they will "ride" to passage through the Congress. When a bill has many riders, it is called a Christmas-tree bill

Question 26

Cloture rule

Answer 26

A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate

Question 27

Double tracking

Answer 27

A procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with other business

Question 28

Voice vote

Answer 28

A congressional voting procedure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills.

Question 29

Division vote

Answer 29

A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted

Question 30

Roll-call vote

Answer 30

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering yes or no to their names

Question 31

Teller vote

Answer 31

A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the yes's first and the no's second

Question 32

Veto

Answer 32

Power of president to disapprove a bill, can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each house of Congress.

Question 33

Divided government

Answer 33

One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

Question 34

Unified government

Answer 34

The same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress

Question 35

Earmarks

Answer 35

"Hidden" congressional provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific projects or that exempt specific persons or groups from paying specific federal taxes or fees

Question 36

Pork-barrel legislation

Answer 36

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hoe of winning their votes in return

Question 37

Franking privilege

Answer 37

The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage