Current Events Chapter 6 Flashcards
A population count taken by the census bureau
Census
A person from a legislators district
Constituent
An oddly shaped district designed to increase the voting strength of a particular group
Gerrymander
In both the House of Representatives and the senate the political party to which more than half the members belong
Majority party
In both the House of Representatives and the senate the political party to which fewer than half the members belong
Minority party
Permanent committees that continue their work from session to session in congress
Standing committees
Years of service which is used as a consideration for assigning committee members
Seniority
To happen or take place
Occur
To change or alter in order to fit or conform
Adjust
Powers that congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution
Expressed powers
Powers that congress has that are not stated explicitly in the constitution
Implied powers
Clause in article 1 section 8 of the constitution that gives congress the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out its expressed powers
Elastic clause
To accuse government officials of misconduct in office
Impeach
A court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person
Writ of habeas corpus
A law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court
Bill of attainder
To control or govern
Regulate
The right of senators and representatives to send job related mail without paying postage.
Franking privilege
Representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making
Lobbyist
The work a lawmaker does to help constituents with a problem
Casework
Government projects and grants that primarily benefit the home district or state
Pork barrel projects
To create an outline
Draft
Complicated or intricate
Complex
To judge the approximate amount
Estimate
An organization of people with some common interest who try to influence government decisions
Special interest groups
A resolution that is passed by both houses of congress
Joint resolution
A tactic for debating a bill in the senate by talking until the bills sponsor withdraws it
Filibuster
A procedure used in the sense to limit debate on a bill
Cloture
A voting method in which those in a favor say yea and those against say no
Voice vote
In congress when members stand to be counted for vote on a bill
Standing vote
A voting method in the senate in which members voice their votes in turn
Roll-call vote
Refusal to sign a bill or resolution
Veto
A presidents power to kill a bill of confess is not in session by not signing it for 10 days
Pocket veto
A component of a whole
Element
A division or group used to classify something
Category
A legislature consisting of two houses
Bicameral
