The Legislative Branch

Question 1

refers to the authority of the Senate to approve or reject a resolution of ratification of any treaty to which the US is a proposed signatory, as well as to evaluate and confirm Presidential nominees to positions in the federal government

Answer 1

Advice and Consent

Question 2

the theory of congressional voting behavior which assumes that members vote on the basis of their own beliefs because the array of conflicting pressures on members cancel out one another

Answer 2

Attitudinal View of Representation

Question 3

U.S. Supreme Court case that held that federal courts could hear cases alleging that a state’s drawing of electoral boundaries, i.e. redistricting, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution

Answer 3

Baker v. Carr

Question 4

a Senate procedure that limits further consideration of a pending proposal to thirty hours in order to end a filibuster

Answer 4

Cloture Rule

Question 5

a joint committee that is appointed to hold a conference on differing versions of a bill

Answer 5

Conference Committee

Question 6

a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from the committee by “discharging” the committee from further consideration of a bill or resolution

Answer 6

Discharge Petition

Question 7

a type of government in presidential systems, when control of the executive branch and the legislative branch is split between two political parties, respectively, and in semi-presidential systems, when the executive branch itself is split between two parties

Answer 7

Divided Government

Question 8

an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures

Answer 8

Fillibuster

Question 9

the relevance or appropriateness of amendments or motions to the item under discussion

Answer 9

Germaneness

Question 10

manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class

Answer 10

Gerrymandering

Question 11

the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other’s proposed legislation

Answer 11

logrolling

Question 12

an electoral district, such as a United States congressional district, in which the majority of the constituents in the district are racial or ethnic minorities

Answer 12

Majority-Minority Districts

Question 13

a single document that is accepted in a single vote by a legislature but packages together several measures into one or combines diverse subjects

Answer 13

Omnibus Bill

Question 14

the theory of congressional voting behavior which assumes that members make voting decisions to please fellow members and obtain their goodwill. Such behavior is possible since constituents seldom know how their representatives vote. Members vote by following cues provided by colleague

Answer 14

Organizational View of Representation

Question 15

is the divergence of political attitudes away from the centre, towards ideological extremes

Answer 15

Party Polarization

Question 16

a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district

Answer 16

Pork Barrel Lesgislation / Earmarks

Question 17

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Answer 17

representational view of representation

Question 18

an additional provision added to a bill or other measure under the consideration by a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill

Answer 18

Rider

Question 19

a legislative committee responsible for expediting the passage of bills

Answer 19

Rules Committee (HOR)

Question 20

is an electoral district (constituency) in a legislative body (e.g. Congress, Parliament, City Council) which is regarded as fully secure, for either a certain political party, or the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both

Answer 20

Safe District (HOR)

Question 21

a custom whereby presidential appointments are confirmed only if there is no objection to them by the senators from the appointee’s state, especially from the senior senator of the president’s party from that state

Answer 21

Senatorial Courtesy

Question 22

is seen as the chief spokesperson for their party in the Senate, and, if the House is controlled by the opposite party, the United States Congress as whole

Answer 22

Senate Majority Leader

Question 23

provides for the election of senators by replacing the phrase “chosen by the Legislature thereof” with “elected by the people thereof.”

Answer 23

Seventeenth Amendment

Question 24

Shaw’s group claimed that drawing districts based on race violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 lead to the rise of the Shaw v. Reno court case which allowed for more representation of the Black (minority) representation in the state of North Carolina

Answer 24

Shaw v. Reno

Question 25

an electoral district represented by a single officeholder

Answer 25

Single Member District

Question 26

to consider and recommend actions and propose policies in the functional areas under their jurisdictions, subject to final approval by the Council

Answer 26

Standing Committees