Chapter 13 - Congress

Question 1

Bicameral legislature

Answer 1

A law making body made up of two chambers or parts

Question 2

Marginal districts

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Safe districts

Answer 3

Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent of the vote

Question 4

Conservative coalition

Answer 4

An alliance between republican and conservative democrats

Question 5

Majority leader

Answer 5

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in her house or the senate

Question 6

Minority leader

Answer 6

The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the house or the senate

Question 7

Whip

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Speaker

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Party vote

Answer 9

There are two measures of such voting. By the stricter measure, a party vote occurs when 90 percent of democrats vote together against 90 percent of the republicans. A looser measure counts as a party vote when 50 percent of democrats vote together against 50 percent of the republicans.

Question 10

Standing committees

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Select committees

Answer 11

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose

Question 12

Joint committees

Answer 12

Committees on which both senators and representatives serve

Question 13

Commence committee

Answer 13

Joint committees appointed to resolve differences in the senate and house versions of the same bill

Question 14

Discharge petition

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Restrictive

Answer 15

An order from the house rules committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill on the floor

Question 16

Closed rule

Answer 16

An order from the house of rules committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

Question 17

Open rule

Answer 17

An order from the house rules committee to amend a bill on the floor

Question 18

Quorum

Answer 18

The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in congress

Question 19

Riders

Answer 19

Amendments on matters unrelated to a bill that are added on 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 20

Cloture rule

Answer 20

A rule used by the senate to end or limit debate

Question 21

Double tracking

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Voice vote

Answer 22

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 23

Division vote

Answer 23

A congressional voting procedure in which members stand are are counted

Question 24

Roll call vote

Answer 24

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering “yea” or “nay” to their names

Question 25

Teller vote

Answer 25

A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the “yeas” first and the “nays” second

Question 26

Veto

Answer 26

Literally “I forbid”: it refers to the power of a president to disapprove a bill; it may be overridden by two-thirds vote of each house of congress

Question 27

Divided government

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Unified government

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Earmarks

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Pork barrel legislation

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Franking privilege

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Partisan Polarization

Answer 32

A vote in which a majority of democratic legislatures oppose a majority of republican legislatures