Quiz 4b Flashcards
Minority leader (House of representatives)
The spokesperson for the minority party, and usually steps into the position of the speaker when and if his or her party gains majority in the house
Majority Leader (House of representatives)
The speakers most important colleague Responsible for scheduling bills and for rounding up votes for bills the party favors
Party whip
Assist each floor leader Serve as Go-betweens for the members and the leadership
President of the Senate
The vice president of the United States
Majority Leader (senate)
Most influential person in the Senate and has the right to be the first senator heard on the floor Determines the Senate agenda and usually has much to say about committee assignments
Minority leader (senate)
Generally only has as much say as the majority leader is willing to allow
Conference committees
Consists of members from both the House and the Senate, but they are formed exclusively to hammer out differences between House and Senate versions of similar bills
Pigeonholed
When a bill is forgotten for weeks or forever and never make it out of committee
Closed rule
Set strict time limits on debate and forbids amendments from the floor, except those from the presenting committee Members not on the committee have little choice but to vote for or against the bill as it is
Caucuses
Groupings of members of Congress sharing the same interests or points of views
Congressional Budget Office ( CBO)
Advises Congress on the possible economic effects of various spending programs and policies
Open rule
Permits amendments and often has less strict time limits, allowing for input from other members
Discharge petition
In the house, may be signed by 218 members to bring it to the floor, but the vast majority of bills are referred to the floor only after committee recommendation
Congressional calendars (House)
Union calendar House calendar Private calendar Consent calendar Discharge calendar
Congressional calendars (senate)
Executive calendar Calendar of business
Union calendar
Bills to raise revenue or spend money
House calendar
Nonmoney bills of major importance
Private calendar
Private bills that do not affect the general welfare
Consent calendar
Non-controversial bills
Discharge calendar
Discharge petitions
Executive calendar
Presidential nominations, proposed treaties
Calendar of business
All legislation
Germane amendments
Amendments that are relevant to the topic of the bill Allowed with the committee of the whole
Committee of the whole
Important bills in the house, including all bills of revenue, must first be referred to this –it Sits on the floor, but is directed by the chairman of the sponsoring committee 100 members instead of 218 The debate is conducted by the committee chairman
Filibuster
The practice of talking a bill to death
Cloture rule
3/5 of the entire Senate membership must vote to stop debate Used to stop a filibuster
Christmas tree bill
A bill with many riders Usually occurs because individual senators are trying to attach their favorite ideas or benefits to their states
Veto
The president can do this to a bill that was approved by both houses Maybe overridden by two thirds of both houses
Pocket veto
When the president receives a bill within 10 days of the adjournment of the congressional session and does not respond and the bill dies
Teller vote (house)
Vote in which members file past the clerk, first the “yays” and then the “nays”
Voice vote (house)
They vote by simply shouting a yay or nay
Division vote
Voting in which Members stand out to be counted
Roll call vote
Vote which consists of people answering “yay” or “nay” to their names. Can be called for by 1/5 of house membership
Electronic Voting
Voting that permits each members to insert a plastic card in a slot to record his or her vote Most common (Senate doesn’t have)
Pork
Benefits for their districts
Pork Barrel legislation
Bills that give benefits to constituents in hope of gaining their votes Critics point out that such actions do not ensure that the federal money goes to the places where it is needed, but to district’s representatives who are most aggressive or most in need of votes
2005 Consolidated appropriations act
Funded about 11,000 projects Controversial because so much of the money went to constituencies well represented on the Appropriations Committee’s in Congress
“Bridge to nowhere”
Congress passed the transportation equity act– that resulted in this controversial project Project to provide a bridge for a small city in Alaska to an island where the airport is located This project has become symbolic of the financial irresponsibility of pork projects
Earmark
Any part of a spending bill that provides money for a specific project, location or institution
Logrolling
Occurs when a member of congress supports another members pet project in return for support for his or her own project
Sequential referral
The speaker may send the bill to another committee once one has completed its work Parts of the bill may also be referred to separate committees
backwards
The speakers most important colleague Responsible for scheduling bills and for rounding up votes for bills the party favors
Majority Leader (House of representatives)
backwards
The spokesperson for the minority party, and usually steps into the position of the speaker when and if his or her party gains majority in the house
Minority leader (House of representatives)
backwards
Assist each floor leader Serve as Go-betweens for the members and the leadership
Party whip
backwards
The vice president of the United States
President of the Senate
backwards
Most influential person in the Senate and has the right to be the first senator heard on the floor Determines the Senate agenda and usually has much to say about committee assignments
Majority Leader (senate)
backwards
Generally only has as much say as the majority leader is willing to allow
Minority leader (senate)
backwards
Consists of members from both the House and the Senate, but they are formed exclusively to hammer out differences between House and Senate versions of similar bills
Conference committees
backwards
When a bill is forgotten for weeks or forever and never make it out of committee
Pigeonholed
backwards
Set strict time limits on debate and forbids amendments from the floor, except those from the presenting committee Members not on the committee have little choice but to vote for or against the bill as it is
Closed rule
backwards
Groupings of members of Congress sharing the same interests or points of views
Caucuses
backwards
Advises Congress on the possible economic effects of various spending programs and policies
Congressional Budget Office ( CBO)
backwards
Permits amendments and often has less strict time limits, allowing for input from other members
Open rule
backwards
In the house, may be signed by 218 members to bring it to the floor, but the vast majority of bills are referred to the floor only after committee recommendation
Discharge petition
backwards
Union calendar House calendar Private calendar Consent calendar Discharge calendar
Congressional calendars (House)
backwards
Executive calendar Calendar of business
Congressional calendars (senate)
backwards
Bills to raise revenue or spend money
Union calendar
backwards
Nonmoney bills of major importance
House calendar
backwards
Private bills that do not affect the general welfare
Private calendar
backwards
Non-controversial bills
Consent calendar
backwards
Discharge petitions
Discharge calendar
backwards
Presidential nominations, proposed treaties
Executive calendar
backwards
All legislation
Calendar of business
backwards
Amendments that are relevant to the topic of the bill Allowed with the committee of the whole
Germane amendments
backwards
Important bills in the house, including all bills of revenue, must first be referred to this –it Sits on the floor, but is directed by the chairman of the sponsoring committee 100 members instead of 218 The debate is conducted by the committee chairman
Committee of the whole
backwards
The practice of talking a bill to death
Filibuster
backwards
3/5 of the entire Senate membership must vote to stop debate Used to stop a filibuster
Cloture rule
backwards
A bill with many riders Usually occurs because individual senators are trying to attach their favorite ideas or benefits to their states
Christmas tree bill
backwards
The president can do this to a bill that was approved by both houses Maybe overridden by two thirds of both houses
Veto
backwards
When the president receives a bill within 10 days of the adjournment of the congressional session and does not respond and the bill dies
Pocket veto
backwards
Vote in which members file past the clerk, first the “yays” and then the “nays”
Teller vote (house)
backwards
They vote by simply shouting a yay or nay
Voice vote (house)
backwards
Voting in which Members stand out to be counted
Division vote
backwards
Vote which consists of people answering “yay” or “nay” to their names. Can be called for by 1/5 of house membership
Roll call vote
backwards
Voting that permits each members to insert a plastic card in a slot to record his or her vote Most common (Senate doesn’t have)
Electronic Voting
backwards
Benefits for their districts
Pork
backwards
Bills that give benefits to constituents in hope of gaining their votes Critics point out that such actions do not ensure that the federal money goes to the places where it is needed, but to district’s representatives who are most aggressive or most in need of votes
Pork Barrel legislation
backwards
Funded about 11,000 projects Controversial because so much of the money went to constituencies well represented on the Appropriations Committee’s in Congress
2005 Consolidated appropriations act
backwards
Congress passed the transportation equity act– that resulted in this controversial project Project to provide a bridge for a small city in Alaska to an island where the airport is located This project has become symbolic of the financial irresponsibility of pork projects
“Bridge to nowhere”
backwards
Any part of a spending bill that provides money for a specific project, location or institution
Earmark
backwards
Occurs when a member of congress supports another members pet project in return for support for his or her own project
Logrolling
backwards
The speaker may send the bill to another committee once one has completed its work Parts of the bill may also be referred to separate committees
Sequential referral
