Chapter 6

Question 0

Apportionment

Answer 0

The process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to it’s proportion of the population following the the decennial census

Question 1

Bicameral legislature

Answer 1

A two house legislature

Question 2

Bill

Answer 2

A proposed law

Question 3

Impeachment

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Incumbency

Answer 4

Already holding an office

Question 5

Redistricting

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Gerrymandering

Answer 6

The drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome with regard to the shape of the district

Question 7

Majority party

Answer 7

The political party in each house of Congress with the most members

Question 8

Minority party

Answer 8

The political party each house of Congress with the second most members

Question 9

Party caucus (or conference)

Answer 9

A formal gathering of all party members

Question 10

Speaker of the house

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Majority leader

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Minority leader

Answer 12

The head of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the House of Representatives or the Senate

Question 13

Whip

Answer 13

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

Question 14

President pro tempore

Answer 14

The official chair of the Senate usually the most senior member of the majority party

Question 15

Joint committee

Answer 15

standing committee that includes members from both houses of Congress set up to conduct investigations or special studies

Question 16

Standing committee

Answer 16

Committee to which proposed bills are referred continued from one Congress to the next

Question 17

Conference committee

Answer 17

Special joint committee created to Reconcile differences in bills passed by the house and the Senate

Question 18

Select or special committee

Answer 18

Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose

Question 19

Discharge petition

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Senority

Answer 20

The time of continuous service on a committee

Question 21

Markup

Answer 21

A session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor

Question 22

Hold

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Filibuster

Answer 23

A formal way of holding Senate action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate

Question 24

Cloture

Answer 24

Mechanism requiring the vote of 60 senators to cut off debate

Question 25

Veto

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Pocket veto

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Congressional budget act of 1974

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Reconciliation

Answer 28

A procedure that allows consideration of controversial issues affecting the budget by limiting debate to 20 hours thereby ending treat of a filibuster

Question 29

Pork

Answer 29

Legislation that allows representatives to bring money and jobs to their districts in the form of public works programs military bases or other programs

Question 30

Programmatic requests

Answer 30

Federal funds designated for special projects within a state or Congressional District

Question 31

War Powers resolution

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Congressional review

Answer 32

A process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval

Question 33

Senatorial courtesy

Answer 33

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

Question 34

Trustee

Answer 34

Role played by an elected representative who listens to constituents opinions and then uses his or her best judgment to make a final decision

Question 35

Delegate

Answer 35

Role-play by an elected representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want regardless of personal opinions

Question 36

Politico

Answer 36

An elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate depending on the issue

Question 37

Divided government

Answer 37

The political condition in which different political parties control the presidency and Congress

Question 38

Unified government

Answer 38

The political condition in which the same political party controls the presidency and Congress

Question 39

Logrolling

Answer 39

Vote trading; voting in support of a colleague’s bill in return for a promise of future support