Legislative Branch Flashcards
What is a bicameral legislature?
A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or houses.
What is a quorum?
The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress.
What is the franking privilege?
The ability of congressional members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by using their signature for postage.
Who is the majority leader?
The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate.
Who is the minority leader?
The legislative leader elected by party members holding the minority of seats in the House or the Senate.
What is a whip?
A senator or representative who assists the party leader by staying informed about the voting decisions of other members.
What is party polarization?
A strong division in the views of Republicans and Democrats on the legislative agenda.
What is a congressional caucus?
A group of congressional members that meet to pursue a common legislative agenda.
What are standing committees?
Permanently established legislative committees that review and consider bills in both the House and Senate.
What are select committees?
Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and usually for an investigative purpose.
What are joint committees?
A committee made up of members from both the House and the Senate.
What are conference committees?
A joint committee appointed to iron out the differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.
What is a discharge petition?
A device used to force a bill that has been stuck in committee for over thirty days, out onto the floor.
What is unanimous consent?
A request or agreement setting the terms for the consideration or debate of a specified bill or other measure.
What is a political/policy agenda?
Issues that people believe require governmental action.
What is logrolling?
Practice of legislators trading mutual support for their legislative proposals.
What is divided government?
Occurs when different parties control the White House and Congress.
What is unified government?
Occurs when the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress.
What is a hold?
A stalling approach by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor; tactic used to stop a bill from reaching the floor.
What are earmarks?
“Hidden” congressional provisions that designate money for specific projects or programs.
What is pork barrel legislation?
Legislation that provides benefits to constituents in a particular district or state in the hope of winning their votes in return.
For example: providing funding to build a bridge in a particular city.
What is a trustee?
Descriptive of elected representatives who use their best judgment when making legislative voting decisions.
What is a delegate?
Descriptive of elected representatives who base their legislative voting decisions on the desires and opinions of their constituents.
What is a politico?
Descriptive of elected representatives who balance their constituents’ opinions with their best judgment when making legislative voting decisions.
What is the cloture rule?
A process used by the Senate to end or limit debate/filibusters.
What is a filibuster?
An attempt to stall or defeat a bill in the Senate by talking for an extended period of time.
What is gerrymandering?
The practice of drawing districts in unusual shapes for the political advantage of one political party or group.
What is reapportionment?
The practice of redistributing House seats every ten years according to census data.
What is malapportionment?
The practice of distributing House seats into unequal districts, which diminishes certain district’s representative voice.
What is redistricting?
The redrawing of legislative district lines after the census has been taken, to accommodate population shifts and ensure equal representation.
What is a constituency?
The individuals who live in the area an elected official is representing.
