terms

Question 1

Bi-cameral legislature

Answer 1

Two house legislature

Question 2

Apportionment

Answer 2

the process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the population, following the decennial (every 10 years) census.

Question 3

bill

Answer 3

a proposed law.

Question 4

Impeachment

Answer 4

An action by the House of Representatives to accuse the president, vice president, or other civil officers of the United States of committing “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Question 5

Trustee

Answer 5

A representative who listens to constituents but makes final decision based off their own judgement.

Question 6

delegate

Answer 6

Role played by a representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want, regardless of personal opinions; may refer to an elected representative to Congress or a representative to the party convention.

Question 7

politico

Answer 7

An elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate, depending on the issue

Question 8

Incumbency

Answer 8

holding the political office for which one is running

Question 9

incumbency advantage

Answer 9

institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election. Name recognition, franking privilege, access to media, experience, casework, and redistricting.

Question 10

Redistricting

Answer 10

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

Question 11

Gerrymandering

Answer 11

the drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome without regard to the shape of the district.

Question 12

constituent

Answer 12

a person whom a member of Congress has been elected to represent

Question 13

majority party

Answer 13

the political party in each house of Congress with the most members

Question 14

majority party

Answer 14

the political party in each house of Congress with the most members

Question 15

minority party

Answer 15

the political party in each house of Congress with the second most members

Question 16

party caucus

Answer 16

a formal gathering of all party members

Question 17

Speaker of the House

Answer 17

the only officer of the house mentioned in the consittution; the chamber’s most powerful position; traditionally held by a member of the majority party.

Question 18

majority leader

Answer 18

the leader of the party controlling the most seats in the house or the senate

Question 19

minority leader

Answer 19

the leader of the party controlling the second most seats in the house or the senate

Question 20

whip

Answer 20

party leader who keeps close contact with all members of their party, takes vote counts on key legislation, prepares summaries of bills, and acts as a communication link within a party.

Question 21

President Pro Tempore

Answer 21

The official chair of the Senate; usually the most senior member of the majority party.

Question 22

standing committee

Answer 22

committee to which proposed bills are referred; continues from one Congress to the next

Question 23

joint committee

Answer 23

a committee with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives who join together and meet to discuss issues

Question 24

conference committee

Answer 24

special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

Question 25

select (or special) committee

Answer 25

temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose

Question 26

House Committee on Rules

Answer 26

Determines the scheduling and conditions, such as length of debate and type of allowable amendments, for all bills in the House. Only in the house, also the most important committee.

Question 27

Seniority

Answer 27

time of continuous service on a committee

Question 28

Markup

Answer 28

a session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor

Question 29

Committee of the Whole

Answer 29

A device used in the House of Representatives to expedite the passage of legislation. The quorum is reduced from 218 members to 100. The committee cannot itself pass legislation but may debate and propose amendments.

Question 30

Hold

Answer 30

A procedure by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill or nomination is brought to the floor. This request signals leadership that a member may have objections to the bill (or nomination) and should be consulted before further action is taken.

Question 31

Filibuster

Answer 31

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

Question 32

Cloture

Answer 32

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

Question 33

Veto

Answer 33

Chief executive’s power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

Question 34

pocket veto

Answer 34

A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.