chapter 4 Flashcards
legislation that directions specific funds to projects within districts or states
pork barrel spending
efforts by congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals
oversight
trading of votes on legislation by congress members to get their earmarks passed into legislation
logrolling
a body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator
constituencies
the process of determining the number of reps for each state using census data
apportionment
drawing of district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party
partisan gerrymandering
a district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district
majority-minority districts
the uneven distribution of the population between legislative districts
malapportionment
a political official who is currently in office
incumbency
institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election
incumbency advantage
a body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator
constituencies
state’s redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census
redistricting
the leader of the house of reps chosen by an election of its members
speaker of the house
an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns
political action committees (PACs)
the person who is the second in command of the house of reps
house majority leader
the head of the party with the second highest number of seats in congress, chosen by the party’s members
minority leader
the person who has the most power in the senate and is the head of the party with the most seats
senate majority leader
leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee’s agenda
committee chairs
a motion filed by a member of congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the house of reps for a vote
discharge petition
a powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the debate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor
house rules committee
consists of all members of the house and meets in the house chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation
committee of the whole
an agreement in the senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill
unanimous consent agreements
a tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation
filibuster
a procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided three-fifths of senators agree to it
cloture
formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of congress
veto
the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities
office of management and budget (OMB)
a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income
entitlement programs
spending required by existing laws that is “locked in” the budget
mandatory spending
spending for programs and policies at the discretion of congress and the president
discretionary spending
the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more money than it spends
budget surplus
the difference when a gov takes in less money than it spends
budget deficit
the total amount of money owed by the fed gov
national debt
the idea that the main duty of a member of congress is to carry out constituent wishes
delegate role
the idea that members of congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgment
trustees
representation where members of congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions
politico role
agreement between the parties to work together in congress to pass legislation
bipartisanship
a slowdown or halt in congress’s ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship
gridlock
a situation that occurs when control of the presidency and one or both chambers of congress is split between the two major parties
divided gov
period at the end of a presidential term when congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees
lame duck period
