Chapter 6

Question 1

apportionment

Answer 1

the action or result of apportioning something.

The House of Representatives apportioned the 50 seats.

Question 2

bicameral legislature

Answer 2

a particular body of government that consists of two legislative houses or chambers. In certain variations, a bicameral system may include two parliamentary chambers.

There are two branches in the bicameral legislature

Question 3

bill

Answer 3

a draft of a proposed law presented to parliament for discussion.

The president signed a bill to kill all homeless people.

Question 4

cloture

Answer 4

a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.

The president announced a cloture after his meeting

Question 5

Committee of the Whole

Answer 5

the whole membership of a legislative house (as the House of Representatives) sitting as a committee and operating under informal parliamentary rules.

A Committee of the Whole is composed of all senators and may be formed to deliberate on a bill or other matter before the Senate.

Question 6

conference committee

Answer 6

appointed by the House of Representatives and Senate to resolve disagreements on a particular bill

Conference committees are usually convened to resolve bicameral differences on major and controversial legislation.

Question 7

Congressional Budget Act of 1974

Answer 7

a United States federal law that governs the role of the Congress in the United States budget process.

The CBA of 1974 was signed into law creating the House Budget Committee on this date.

Question 8

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

Answer 8

a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides budget and economic information to Congress.

federal debt is projected to be on a steadily rising because of the CBO

Question 9

Congressional Research Service

Answer 9

a branch of the Library of Congress that provides objective, nonpartisan research, analysis, and information to assist Congress in its legislative, oversight, and representative functions.

The CRS allows an analysis for different functions from the branch.

Question 10

congressional review

Answer 10

a law that was enacted by the United States Congress under House Speaker Newt Gingrich as Subtitle E of the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on March 29, 1996
Congressional Review was signed in 1196 by Bill Clinton.

Question 11

delegate

Answer 11

a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference.

Delegates can hold conventions where groups are assembled

Question 12

discharge petition

Answer 12

a petition signed by the members of the House of Representatives to bring a bill from committee to the floor for consideration.

Discharge petitions are used when the chair of a committee refuses to place a bill or resolution on the Committee’s agenda

Question 13

divided government

Answer 13

the term used in the USA to refer to the situation in which one party controls the presidency while the other party controls Congress.

divided government was rare in the United States, but since the 1970s it has become increasingly common.

Question 14

Edmund Burke

Answer 14

an Irish statesman born in Dublin, as well as an author, orator, political theorist and philosopher, who after moving to London in 1750 served as a member of parliament between 1766 and 1794 in the House of Commons with the Whig Party.

Burke criticized British treatment of the American colonies

Question 15

filibuster

Answer 15

an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.

The word filibuster comes from the Spanish and in English, it means fly-boat.

Question 16

gerrymandering

Answer 16

manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

The term gerrymandering has negative connotations.

Question 17

Government Accountability Office

Answer 17

a U.S. legislative agency that monitors and audits government spending and operations.

GAO helps the Congress oversee federal programs and operations to ensure accountability to the American people.

Question 18

Hillary Clinton

Answer 18

an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer. She served as the 67th United States Secretary of State.

Hillary Clinton took an L to Donald Trump.

Question 19

hold

Answer 19

a parliamentary procedure permitted by the Standing Rules of the United States Senate which allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor.

The ability to place a hold would allow that senator an opportunity to study the legislation

Question 20

impeachment

Answer 20

the action of calling into question the integrity or validity of something.

Impeachment exists all over the world.

Question 21

House Committee on Rules

Answer 21

a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor.

The Rules Committee was formed on April 2, 1789, during the first Congress.

Question 22

incumbency

Answer 22

the holding of an office or the period during which one is held.

incumbent comes from a latin word which means to lean or lay upon.

Question 23

joint committee

Answer 23

a committee whose members are from two or more different organizations, or from both chambers of a bicameral legislative body (such as the US Congress).

Most joint committees are permanent, but temporary joint committees have been created to address specific issues

Question 24

logrolling

Answer 24

the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other’s proposed legislation.

Logrolling is in the democratic governance system.

Question 25

majority leader

Answer 25

the head of the majority party in a legislative body, especially the US Senate or House of Representatives.

The majority leader is the chief spokesperson for the majority party

Question 26

markup

Answer 26

is the process by which a U.S. congressional committee or state legislative session debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation.

Committee members often make opening statements for markups

Question 27

minority leader

Answer 27

the head of the minority party in a legislative body, especially the US Senate or House of Representatives.

The minority leader is also the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body.

Question 28

minority party

Answer 28

a political party with a smaller role than the mainstream parties in a country’s politics and elections.

Minority parties often receive very small numbers of votes at an election

Question 29

party caucus

Answer 29

a meeting that party members attend to decide policies and choose candidates to run for office.

caucus is generally agreed that it first came into use in the British colonies of North America.

Question 30

pocket veto

Answer 30

an indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.

A pocket veto occurs when a bill fails to become law because the president does not sign the bill.

Question 31

politico

Answer 31

a politician or person with strong political views.

Politico expanded its operations following the 2008 presidential election

Question 32

pork

Answer 32

a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district.

Pork originally came from storing meat, later became a popular term in congress.

Question 33

president pro tempore

Answer 33

A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the vice president.

The President pro tempore is an elected member of the Senate.

Question 34

programmatic requests

Answer 34

Guidance solicited by the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees from Members of Congress.

Programmatic requests are meant to keep the house in check.

Question 35

reconciliation

Answer 35

a legislative process of the United States Congress that allows expedited passage of certain budgetary legislation on spending, revenues, and the federal debt limit with a simple majority vote in both the House (218 votes) and Senate (51 votes).

Reconciliation rules allow budget related adjustments

Question 36

redistricting

Answer 36

the process of redrawing legislative districts. … All representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives, state legislatures, and many local offices are elected from districts

Contiguity and compactness come from redistricting.

Question 37

Richard M. Nixon

Answer 37

the 37th president of the United States from 1969 until 1974 and the only president to resign from the position.

Nixon was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946

Question 38

select committee

Answer 38

a small legislative committee appointed for a special purpose.

Select committees exist in the British Parliament

Question 39

seniority

Answer 39

a small legislative committee appointed for a special purpose.

Senior senators will have more power, especially within their own caucuses.

Question 40

Speaker of the House

Answer 40

The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives.

The Speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives

Question 41

standing committee

Answer 41

a permanent committee that meets regularly.

Standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for their chambers

Question 42

trustee

Answer 42

an individual person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified.

Trustee is another term for disambiguation.

Question 43

unified government

Answer 43

A government in which the same party controls both the white house and both parties of Congress

Those in favor of unified government believe that such separations encourage more policing of those in power by the opposition

Question 44

veto

Answer 44

a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.

Donald Trump has the right to veto bills that he disagrees with.

Question 45

War Powers Resolution

Answer 45

is a federal law intended to check the president’s power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress.

Several acts passed by the United States Congress are known as the War Powers Act giving this resolution

Question 46

majority party

Answer 46

a political party that holds substantial influence in a country’s politics, standing in contrast to a minor party.

The majority party is a lot greater than the minority party

Question 47

senatorial courtesy

Answer 47

a custom whereby presidential appointments are confirmed only if there is no objection to them by the senators from the appointee’s state, especially from the senior senator of the president’s party from that state.

Donald Trump tried to use senatorial courtesy, however he failed.

Question 48

whip

Answer 48

an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline in a legislature.

The influence of the whip is weaker than in the UK system.