Chapter 13 Key Terms Flashcards
Bicameral legislature
A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
Filibuster
An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill
Marginal districts
Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55% of the vote
Safe districts
Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more
Conservative coalition
An alliance between Republican and conservative Democrats
Majority leader
The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate
Minority leader
The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or Senate
Whip
A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking
Speaker
The presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of his or her party in the House
Party vote
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 Republicans. A looser measure counts as a party vote any case where at least 50% of Democrats vote together against 50% of the Republicans.
Caucus
An association of congressional members created to advance a political ideology or regional, ethnic, or economic interest
Standing committees
Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area
Select committees
Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose
Joint committees
Committees on which both senators and representatives serve
Conference committee
Joint committees appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill
Simple resolution
An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body
Concurrent resolution
An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the President
Joint resolution
A formal expression of congressional opinion that just be approved by both houses of Congress and the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president
Discharge petition
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
Restrictive
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
Closed rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor
Open rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress
Riders
Amendments on matters unrelated to a bill that are added to an important bill so that they will “ride” to passage through Congress. When a bill has many riders, it’s called a Christmas-tree bill
