Exam 1 Flashcards
rule
legally binding regulation congress can pass legislation override with prez approval or override veto
inherent powers
powers vested in the national government particularly in the area of foreign and defense policy which do not depend on any specific grant authority by the constitution but rather exists because the US is a sovereign power
impeach
act of formally accusing an official of the executive or judicial branches of an impeachable offense
bicameral
two house legislature
executive office of the president
group of white house offices and agencies that develop and implement the policies and programs of the president
constitutional define office of president
35 year old natural born citizen resident of US for at least 14 years 2-4 year term max
conferees
members of a conference comittee
legislative markup
process in which legislators go over measure line by line revising amending or rewriting
house majority leader
second raking figure in the majority party in the house
conference committee
special congressional committee created to negotiate differences on similar pieces of legislation passed by the house and senate
multiple referral of legislation
practice of allowing more than one committee to consider legislation
speaker of the house
presiding officer in the house and the leader of the majority party in the chamber
minority leader
head of the minority party in the house and senate
table
to postpone consideration of a measure during the legislative process
conference report
a revised bill produced by a conference committee
whips
assistant floor leaders in house and senate
discharge petition
procedure where majority of members of the house can force a committee to report a bill to the floor of the house
pocket veto
prez allow measure to die without signature after congress has adjourned
standing committee
permanent legislative committee with authority to draft legislation in a particular area
appropriation bill
legislative authorization to spend money for particular purposes
veto
action by chief executive refusing to approve a measure passed by the legislature
special or select committee
committee established for a limited time only
logrolling
arrangement in which two or more members of congress agree in advance to support each others favored legislation
rally effect
tendency of the general public to support incumbent president during a time of international threat
supermajority
voting margin that is greater than a simple majority
honeymoon effect
tendency of a president to enjoy a high level of public support during the early months of an administration
chief executive
head of the executive branch of the government
office of management and budget
agency that assists the president in preparing the budget
reprieve
executive action that delays punishment for a crime
franking privilege
free postage for member of congress
north Atlantic treaty organization
NATO a regional military alliance consisting of US canada most european democracies
war powers act
law limiting prez ability to commit armed forces to combat abroad without consulting congress and congressional approval
lame duck
official whose influence is diminished because unable to or will not seek reelection
national security council
agency in the executive office of the prez that advises the chief executive on matters involving national security
pardon
executive action that frees an accused or convicted person from all penalties for an offense
executive agreemement
international understanding between the prez and foreign nations that does not require senate ratification
presidential signing statement
pronouncement issued by the president at the time a bill passed by congress is signed into law
civilian supremacy of the armed forces
concept that the armed forces should be under the direct control of civilian authorities
defense department
provides national defense
homeland security
protects against terrorism and responds to natural disasters
rulemaking
regulatory process used by government agencies to enact legally binding reguations
treasury department
manages government finances
veterans affairs department
administers programs aiding veterans
state department
foreign policy negotiating treaties/executive agreements
education department
administers federal education policy including NCLB
collective bargaining
negotiation between an employer and a union representing employees over the terms and conditions of employment
cabinet departments
major administrative units of the federal government that have responsibility for the conduct of a wide range of government operations
energy department
manages energy policy and research
civil service system
hiring system based on merit rather than political connections
transportation department
national transport system highway mass transit programs
hatch act
measure designed to restrict political activities of federal employees to voting and private expression of views
housing and urban development
manages urban and housing programs
spoils system
method of hiring government employees from among the friends relatives and supporters of elected officeholders
health and human services department
implements health welfare and old age security programs
quasi governmental company
a private profit seeking corporation created by congress to serve a public purpose
issue network
group of political actors that is actively involved with policymaking in a particular issue area
labor department
administers labor laws
independent regulatory commission
agency outside the major executive departments that is charged with the regulation of important aspects of the economy
subgovernment IRON TRIANGLE
cozy three sided relationship among government agencies interest groups and key members of congress in which all parties benefit
commerce departments
assists businesses and conducts the US census
government corporations
corporations organizationally similar to private corporations except that the government rather than stockholders owns them
captured agencies
agencies that work to benefit the economic interests they regulate rather than serving the public interest
agriculture department
promotes agriculture implements food/nutrition programs
fire alarm oversight
indirect system congressional surveillance…allows citizens and organized interest groups to examine charge for violations seek remedies from agencies courts and congress itself
independent executive agencies
executive branch agencies that are not part of any of the 15 cabinet level departments
impeachment
process in which an executive/judicial official is formally accused of an offense that could warrant removal from office
executive order
directive issued by the president to an administrative agency or executive department
chief of state
the official head of the government
floor
full house or full senate taking official action
omnibus bills
complex highly detailed legislative proposals covering one or more subjects or programs
filibuster
attempt to defeat a measure through prolonged debate
senate president pro tempore
presiding officer of the senate in the vice presidents absence
bill
a proposed law
non germane amendments
amendments which are unrelated to the subject matter of the original measure
seniority
length of service
resolution
legislative statement of opinion on a certain matter
killer amendment
amendment designed to make a measure so unattractive that it will lack enough support to pass
senate majority leader
head of the majority party in the senate
sponsor
member who introduces a measure
cloture
procedure for ending a filibuster
term limitation
movement to restrict the number of terms public officials may serve
party caucus
all the party members of the house or senate meeting as a group
unanimous consent agreement
UCA formal understanding on the procedures for conducting senate business that requires acceptance by every member of the chamber
structured rules
rules that specify the conditions for debate and amendments
joint comittee
committee that includes members from both houses of congress
constituency service
action of membersof congress attending to the individual particular needs of constituents
house rules committee
standing committee that determines the rules under which a specific bill can be debated amended and considered on the house floor
rider
provision unlikely to become law on its own merits that is attached to an important measure so that it will ride through the legislative process
interior department
manages nations national resources wildlife and public lands
inner cabinet
secretary of state secretary of defense secretary of the treasury and the attorney general
cost benefit analysis
evaluation of a proposed policy or regulation based on a comparison of its expected benefits and anticipated costs
justice department
enforces the law
presidents cabinet
advisory group created by the president that includes the department heads and other officials chosen by the president
regulatory negotiations
process by which representatives of the interests that would be impacted by a rule work with government officials to negotiate the terms of the rule
class action lawsuit
lawsuit brought by one or more people on behalf of themselves and others in a similar situation
judicial review
power of courts to declare unconstitutional the actions of the other branches and units of government
strict construction
doctrine of constitutional interpretation holding that the document should be interpreted narrowly
loose construction
doctrine of constitutional interpretation holding that the document should be interpreted narrowly
loose construction
doctrine–constitution interpreted loosely
judicial activism
charge that judges are going beyond their authority by making the law and not just interpreting it
judicial restraint
concept that judges should defer to the policy making judgement of the legislative and executive branches of government unless their actions clearly violate the law or the constitution
trial
formal examination of a judicial dispute in accordance with law before a single judge
appeal
taking of a case from a lower court to a higher court by the losing party in a lower court decision
senatorial courtesy
custom that senators from the presidents party have a veto on judicial appointments from their states
jurisdiction
authority of a court to hear a case
civil case
legal dispute concerning a private conflict between two parties individuals corporations or government agencies
CRIMINAL CASE
LEGAL DISPUTE DEALING WITH AN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF A PENAL LAW
writ of habeas corpus
court order require that government authorities either release a person held in custody or demonstrate that the person is detained in accordance with law
legal brief
written legal arguement
affirm
action of an appeals court to uphold the decision of a lower court
remand
decision of an appeals court to return a case to a lower court for reconsideration in light of an appeals court decision
original jurisdiction
set of cases a court may hear as a trial court
test cases
lawsuits initiated to assess the constitutionality of a legislative or executive act
in forma pauperis
process whereby an indigent litigant can file an appeal of a case to the supreme court without paying the usual fees
conference
closed meeting attended only by the members of the courts
rule of four
decision process used by the supreme court to determine which cases to consider on appeal holding that the court will hear a case if four of the nine justices agree to the review
certiorari cert
technical term for the supreme courts decision to hear arguments and make a ruling in a case
per curiam opinion
unsigned written opinion of a court
amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief
written legal argument presented by parties not directly involved in ht ecase including interest groups and units of government
majority opinion
official written statement of the supreme court that explains and justifies its ruling and serves as a guideline for lower courts when similar legal issues arise in the future
concurring opinion
judicial statement that agrees with the courts ruling but disagrees with the reasoning of the majority opinion
dissenting opinion
judicial statement that disagrees with the decision of the courts majority
statutory law
law that is written by the legislature
Supreme Court greatest impact on
Civil rights & liberties
constitutional law
law that involves the interpretation and application of the constitution
Barber political scientist
Character performance. Reagan passive positive
Recess appointment
Prez fill vacancies while congress on recess
