test 2 Flashcards
incumbent
a person that currently holds the elected office
pork barrel spending
spending that benefits a legislator’s constituency
constituency
The people residing in the area represented by a legislator or elected official
open-seat election
An election in which there is no incumbent
reapportionment
reallocating seats in the house after a census
gerrymandering
process of redrawing boundaries to benefit the party in power
midterm election
election that occurs halfway through the president’s term
party caucus
members of a party in congress that elect the party leader, set policy goals and plan strategies
party leader
members of the house and senate elected by their party caucus to represent them
standing committee
committee responsible for public policy
conference committee
temporary and reviews bills from house and senate before they go to the president
senority
member of congress’ consecutive years of service
bill
a proposed law within congress
filibuster
a person, usually minority, in the senate can talk for as long as they want to prevent the passing of the bill
rider
amendment to a bill that deals with issues unrelated to the content of the bill
cloture
to end a filibuster it requires 60 votes
law
bill passed by the house or senate that was signed by the president
veto
presidential rejection of a bill, congress can override by two-thirds vote
lawmaking function
authority of congress to write the laws necessary to carry out govs. power
representation function
responsibility of congress members to represent groups in their constituents and interest groups
logrolling
trading of votes between legislators to get what they want