Section Two - Legislative Branch Flashcards
enumerated or expressed power:
National Powers given explicitly to the federal government
by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8) to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and
support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs.
interstate commerce clause
One of the enumerated (express) powers of Congress; this is the
power to regulate commerce and trade between two or more states.
inherent power
National Powers of the president or Congress that are neither enumerated nor
implied but assumed to exist as a direct result of the country’s existence.
implied power
A power not expressly defined in the Constitution but ‘implied’ to Congress
through a loose interpretation (or stretching the words) of the ‘Necessary and Proper’ clause
bipartisan
Meaning “two factions,” or both political parties agree on a particular government
action, issue, or law
oversight
The right and responsibility of one body or branch of government to review and
monitor other bodies; for example, Congress oversees federal agencies and programs which are
managed by the executive branch.
impeachment
:A process for removing government officials suspected of “high crimes and
misdemeanors,” including judges and even the president; impeachment requires a majority vote in the
House of Representatives on articles of impeachment and then the support of two-thirds of the Senate
for conviction and removal.
committees
: a small set of representatives tasked with considering, researching, introducing, and
investigating particular policy areas.
discretionary spending
In the context of the U.S. budget, pending that can be altered from year to year
through the congressional appropriations process, including spending on scientific research, housing
assistance, veterans’ health care, education, and transportation
budget resolution
: A plan for government will receive in revenue and spend over the next fiscal year,
including a set of budget priorities and discretionary spending limits
pork-barrel spending
spending on often unnecessary local projects that benefit a specific member of
Congress’s district or state.
advice and consent
: A Constitutional power, stating that presidential nominations for executive and
judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate. Also, foreign treaties become official only
when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote
impeachment
: Legislative process for removing government officials suspected of “high crimes and
misdemeanors,” including judges and even the president; impeachment requires a majority vote in the
House of Representatives on articles of impeachment and then the support of two-thirds of the Senate
for conviction and removal.
supermajority
: Also referred to as an absolute majority, this is any number greater than 50%.
committee
Small set of representatives or senators tasked with considering, researching, introducing,
and investigating particular policy areas.
standing committee
A permanent committee that exists from session to session for the purpose of
researching, writing, and introducing proposed pieces of legislation in a particular policy area.
select committees
A temporary congressional committee established to investigate a particular issue or
policy area not covered by a standing committee.
joint committees
A committee containing members of both the House of Representatives and the
Senate who work together on a particular issue such as economic or tax policies.
conference committees
a type of joint committee whose job it is to form one unified bill from of
different versions of the same piece of legislation passed by the House of Representatives and the
Senate to be sent to the President.
rules committee
In the House of Representatives, a powerful committee that determines the
parameters for debate and amendments to a piece of legislation. In the Senate, a similar group, the
Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, is less powerful, as it does not set the terms of debate.
census
A population count which, in the United States, is constitutionally required every ten years as
the first step in congressional reapportionment.
reapportionment
The once-per-decade process of assigning the House of Representatives’ 435 seats to
districts in the 50 states according to population, as determined by the most recent U.S. census
redistricting
After reapportionment, this is when each State Government will re-draw the boundary
lines of each electoral voting districts to accommodate changes in a state’s population based on the last
census with the goal is of creating congressional districts that are as equal as possible in population
gerrymandering
When redistricting is done illegally to favor a political party. The word happened
because of a colorful origin (Elbridge Gerry, Massachusetts governor, signed a bill in 1812 that created a
partisan district in the Boston area that was shaped like a salamander; Gerry + salamander became
“gerrymander”), this is the manipulation of political advantage by re-drawing electoral districts,
producing districts biased in favor of one particular political party.
majority party
In either the House of Representatives or the Senate—or both, collectively—the political
party with more seats.
minority party
In either the House of Representatives or the Senate—or both, collectively—the political
party with fewer seats.
speaker of the house
In the House of Representatives, the elected leader of the majority party who
serves as the chief presiding officer; makes committee assignments, controls the agenda and voting, etc
majority leader
In the U.S. House of Representatives, second-in-command to the Speaker of the House;
both are affiliated with the party with majority control.
minority leader
the elected leader of the minority party. In the U.S. House of Representatives, the
leader of the minority party, elected by the party members in the House
majority whip
In either the House of Representatives or the Senate, a leader from the majority political
party whose job it is to help coordinate strategy and maintain discipline among the members of the
party. The term derives from a hunting term, “whipper-in,” whose job is to prevent hounds from
wandering away from the pack.
minority whip
In either the House of Representatives or the Senate, a leader from the minority political
party whose job it is to help coordinate strategy and maintain discipline among the members of the
party. The term derives from a hunting term, “whipper-in,” whose job is to prevent hounds from
wandering away from the pack.
president pro tempore
In the U.S. Senate, the person who serves as the Chief Presiding Officer in the
absence of the Vice President; this role is often ceremoniously given to the longest-serving senator of
the majority party
filibuster
A political procedure allowed in the US Senate to delay or prevent debate on a proposal,
usually by holding the floor and speaking continuously, refusing to yield. To break a filibuster, two-thirds
of senators present must vote to end it (called a cloture vote).
cloture
: A procedural mechanism in the U.S. Senate whereby 60 members (three-fifths) of the entire
Senate vote to end a filibuster
