Chapter 6: Vocab

Question 0

CONSTITUENT

Answer 0

a person from a legislator’s district

Question 1

CENSUS

Answer 1

a population count taken by the Census Bureau every 10 years

Question 2

GERRYMANDER

Answer 2

an oddly shaped election district designed to increase the voting strength of a particular group

Question 3

MAJORITY PARTY

Answer 3

in both the HOR and the Senate, the political party to which more than half the members belong

Question 4

MINORITY PARTY

Answer 4

in both the HOR and the Senate, the political party to which fewer than half the members belong

Question 5

STANDING COMMITTEE

Answer 5

permanent committee that continues work from session to session in its Congress

Question 6

SENIORITY

Answer 6

years of service, which is used as a consideration for assigning committee members

Question 7

EXPRESSED POWERS

Answer 7

powers that Congress has that are specifically listed in the Constitution

Question 8

IMPLIED POWERS

Answer 8

powers that Congress has that are not stated explicitly in the Constituion

Question 9

ELASTIC CLAUSE

Answer 9

clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that gives Congress the right to make all laws “necessary and proper” to carry out it’s expressed powers

Question 10

IMPEACH

Answer 10

to accuse government officials of misconduct in office

Question 11

WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

Answer 11

a court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person

Question 12

BILL OF ATTAINDER

Answer 12

a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court

Question 13

EX POST FACTO LAW

Answer 13

a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not against the law when it was committed

Question 14

FRANKING PRIVILEGE

Answer 14

the right of senators and representatives to send job-related mail without paying postage

Question 15

LOBBYIST

Answer 15

a representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making

Question 16

CASEWORK

Answer 16

the work that a lawmaker does to help constituents with a problem

Question 17

PORK-BARREL PROJECT

Answer 17

government project grant that primarily benefits the home district or state

Question 18

JOINT RESOLUTION

Answer 18

a resolution that is passed by both houses of Congress

Question 19

SPECIAL-INTEREST GROUP

Answer 19

an organization of people with some common interest who try to influence government decisions

Question 20

FILIBUSTER

Answer 20

a tactic for defeating a bill in the Senate by talking until the bill’s sponsor withdraws it

Question 21

CLOTURE

Answer 21

a procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill

Question 22

VOICE VOTE

Answer 22

a voting method in which those in favor say “Yea” and those against say “No”

Question 23

STANDING VOTE

Answer 23

in Congress, when members stand to be counted for a vote on a bill

Question 24

ROLL-CALL VOTE

Answer 24

a voting method in the Senate in which members voice their votes in turn

Question 25

VETO

Answer 25

refusal to sign a bill or resolution

Question 26

POCKET VETO

Answer 26

president’s power to kill a bill, if Congress is not in session, by not signing it for 10 days