Congress

Question 1

Constituents

Answer 1

The residents of a Congressional district or state

Question 2

Reapportionment

Answer 2

The assigning by Congress of Congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts

Question 3

Redistricting

Answer 3

The redrawing of Congressional and other legislative districts lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population

Question 4

Gerrymandering

Answer 4

The drawing of legislative districts boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent

Question 5

Safe Seat

Answer 5

An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other so the success of that party’s candidate is almost taken for granted

Question 6

Incumbent

Answer 6

The current holder of the elected office

Question 7

Bicameralism

Answer 7

The principle of a two-house legislature

Question 8

Enumerated Powers

Answer 8

The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution

Question 9

Speaker

Answer 9

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party

Question 10

Party Caucus

Answer 10

A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy. Called a conference by the Republicans

Question 11

Majority Leader

Answer 11

The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, congers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line

Question 12

Minority Leader

Answer 12

The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the oppositon

Question 13

Whip

Answer 13

Party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature

Question 14

Closed Rule

Answer 14

A procedural rule in the HoR that prohibits and amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments

Question 15

Open Rule

Answer 15

A procedural rule in the HoR that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill

Question 16

President Pro Tempore

Answer 16

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

Question 17

Hold

Answer 17

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination

Question 18

Filibuster

Answer 18

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue

Question 19

Cloture

Answer 19

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate

Question 20

Senatorial Courtesy

Answer 20

Presidential custom of submitting the names of perspective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work

Question 21

Standing Committee

Answer 21

A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

Question 22

Special or Select Committee

Answer 22

A Congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation

Question 23

Joint Committee

Answer 23

A committee composed of members of both the HoR and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations

Question 24

Earmarks

Answer 24

Special spending projects that are seta side on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents

Question 25

Seniority Rule

Answer 25

A legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee

Question 26

Conference Committee

Answer 26

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular passed by each in different form

Question 27

Delegate

Answer 27

An official who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different viewsl one interpretation of the role of legislator

Question 28

Trustee

Answer 28

An official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgement of the circumstances one interpretation of the role of the legislator

Question 29

Logrolling

Answer 29

mutual aid and vote trading among legislators

Question 30

Attentive Public

Answer 30

Those citizens who follow public affairs closely

Question 31

Discharge Petition

Answer 31

Petition that, if signed by majority of the HoR’ members, will pray a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration

Question 32

Rider

Answer 32

A provision attached to a bill - to which it may or may not be related - in order to secure its passage or defeat

Question 33

Pocket Veto

Answer 33

A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for 10 days, the bill does not become law and does not return to Congress for possible override

Question 34

Override

Answer 34

An action taken by Congress to reverse the presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber