exam 2

Question 1

constituency

Answer 1

the district making up the area from which an official is elected

Question 2

delegate

Answer 2

a representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituency

Question 3

trustee

Answer 3

a representative who votes based on what he or she thinks is best for his or her constituency

Question 4

agency representation

Answer 4

the type of representation according to which representatives are held accountable to their constituents if they fail to represent them properly. that is, constituents have the power to hire and fire their representatives

Question 5

bicameral legislature

Answer 5

a legislative assembly composed of two chambers, or houses.

Question 6

incumbency

Answer 6

holding a political office for which one is running.

Question 7

casework

Answer 7

an effort by members by members of congress to gain the trust and support of constituents by providing personal service. one important type of casework constituents obtain favorable treatment from the federal bureacracy

Question 8

patronage

Answer 8

the resources available to higher officials, usually opportunities to make partisan appointments to offices and confer grants, licenses, or special favors to supporters

Question 9

pork-barrel legislation

Answer 9

the appropriations made by legislative bodies for local projects that often are not needed but are created so that local representatives can carry their home district in the next election

Question 10

gerrymandering

Answer 10

the apportionment of voters in districts in such a way as to give unfair advantage to one political party

Question 11

party, caucus, or party conference

Answer 11

a normally closed meeting of a political or legislative group to select candidates or leaders, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters

Question 12

speaker of the house

Answer 12

the chief presiding officer of the house of representatives. the speaker is elected at the beginning of every congress on a straight party vote. he or she is the most important party and House leader

Question 13

majority leader

Answer 13

the elected leader of the party holding a majority of the seats in the house of representatives or the senate. in the house, the majority leader is subordinate in the party hierarchy to the speaker.

Question 14

minority leader

Answer 14

the elected leader of the party holding less than a majority of the seats in the house or senate

Question 15

standing committee

Answer 15

a permanent legislative committee that considers legislation within its designated subject area; the basic unit of deliberation in the house and senate

Question 16

gatekeeping authority

Answer 16

the right and power to decide if a change in policy will be considered

Question 17

proposal power

Answer 17

the capacity to bring a proposal before the full legislature

Question 18

after-the-fact authority

Answer 18

the authority to follow up on the fate of a proposal once it has been approved by the full chamber

Question 19

conference committee

Answer 19

a joint committee created to work out a compromise for House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation

Question 20

oversight

Answer 20

the effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies

Question 21

seniority

Answer 21

the priority or status ranking given to an individual on the basis of length of continuous service on a congressional committee.

Question 22

agency loss

Answer 22

the difference between what a principal would like an agent to do and the agent’s performance

Question 23

staff agencies

Answer 23

the agencies responsible for providing congress with independent expertise, administration and oversight capability

Question 24

congressional caucus

Answer 24

an association of members of congress based on party, interest, or social characteristics such as gender or race

Question 25

closed rule

Answer 25

the provision by the house rules committee that prohibits the intro of amendments during debate

Question 26

open rule

Answer 26

the provision by the house rules committee that permits floor debate and the addition of amendments to a bill

Question 27

cloture

Answer 27

a rule allowing a supermajority of the members of a legislative body to set a time limit on debate over a given bill

Question 28

veto

Answer 28

the president’s constitutional power to turn down acts of Congress within 10 days of their passage while Congress is in session. a presidential veto may be overridden by a two thirds vote of each house of Congress

Question 29

pocket veto

Answer 29

a veto that is effected when congress adjourns during the time a president has to approve a bill and the president takes no action on it

Question 30

distributive tendency

Answer 30

the tendency of Congress to spread the benefits of a policy over a wide range of members’ districts

Question 31

party vote

Answer 31

a roll-call vote in the House or Senate in which at least 50 percent of the members of one party take a particular position and are opposed by at least 50 percent of the members of the other party, party votes are less common today than they were in the nineteenth century

Question 32

roll-call votes

Answer 32

votes in which each legislator’s yes or no vote is recorded

Question 33

whip system

Answer 33

a communications network in each house of Congress. whips poll the membership to learn their intentions on specific legislative issues and assist the majority and minority leaders in various tasks

Question 34

logrolling

Answer 34

a legislative practice wherein reciprocal agreements are made between legislators, usually in voting for or against a bill. in contrast to bargaining, logrolling unites parties that have nothing in common but their desire to exchange support

Question 35

executive agreement

Answer 35

an agreement between the president and another country that has the force of a treat but doe snot require the Senate’s “advice and consent”

Question 36

impeachment

Answer 36

the charging of a government official (president or otherwise) with “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” and bringing him or her before congress to determine guilt