Chapter 6 Flashcards
Apportionment
The process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to it’s proportion of the population following the the decennial census
Bicameral legislature
A two house legislature
Bill
A proposed law
Impeachment
The powers delegated to the house of representatives in the Constitution to charge the president vice president or other civil officers including federal judges with treason bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors this is the first step in the constitutional process of removing government officials from office
Incumbency
Already holding an office
Redistricting
The process of redrawing congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotting to the states as well as population shifts within a state
Gerrymandering
The drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome with regard to the shape of the district
Majority party
The political party in each house of Congress with the most members
Minority party
The political party each house of Congress with the second most members
Party caucus (or conference)
A formal gathering of all party members
Speaker of the house
The only officer of the House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution; the chambers most powerful position; traditionally a member of the majority party
Majority leader
The head of the party controlling the most seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate is second in authority to the speaker of the house and in the Senate is regarded as the most powerful member
Minority leader
The head of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the House of Representatives or the Senate
Whip
Party leader keep close contact with all members of his or her party takes vote counts on key legislation, prepares summaries of bills and acts as a communications link within a party
President pro tempore
The official chair of the Senate usually the most senior member of the majority party
Joint committee
standing committee that includes members from both houses of Congress set up to conduct investigations or special studies
Standing committee
Committee to which proposed bills are referred continued from one Congress to the next
Conference committee
Special joint committee created to Reconcile differences in bills passed by the house and the Senate
Select or special committee
Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose
Discharge petition
Petition that gives a majority of the House of Representatives the authority to bring an issue to the floor in the face of committee inaction
Senority
The time of continuous service on a committee
Markup
A session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor
Hold
A procedure by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill or nomination is brought to the floor this request signals leadership that a member may have objections to the bill it should be consulted before further action is taken
Filibuster
A formal way of holding Senate action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate
Cloture
Mechanism requiring the vote of 60 senators to cut off debate
Veto
The formal constitutional authority of the president to reject bills passed by both houses of Congress thus preventing them from becoming law without further congressional action
Pocket veto
If Congress adjourns during the 10 days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress the bill is considered vetoed without the Presidents signature
Congressional budget act of 1974
Act that established the Congressional budgetary process by laying out a plan for congressional action on the annual budget resolution appropriations reconciliation and any other revenue bills
Reconciliation
A procedure that allows consideration of controversial issues affecting the budget by limiting debate to 20 hours thereby ending treat of a filibuster
Pork
Legislation that allows representatives to bring money and jobs to their districts in the form of public works programs military bases or other programs
Programmatic requests
Federal funds designated for special projects within a state or Congressional District
War Powers resolution
Passed by Congress in 1973 the present is limited in the deployment of troops overseas to a 60 day period in peacetime unless Congress explicitly gives its approval for a longer period
Congressional review
A process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval
Senatorial courtesy
A process by which presidents generally allow senators from the state in which a judicial vacancy occurs to block a nomination by simply registering their objection
Trustee
Role played by an elected representative who listens to constituents opinions and then uses his or her best judgment to make a final decision
Delegate
Role-play by an elected representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want regardless of personal opinions
Politico
An elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate depending on the issue
Divided government
The political condition in which different political parties control the presidency and Congress
Unified government
The political condition in which the same political party controls the presidency and Congress
Logrolling
Vote trading; voting in support of a colleague’s bill in return for a promise of future support
