Unit 2: chapter 4 vocab

Question 1

legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or staes.

Answer 1

pork-barrel spending

Question 2

trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation

Answer 2

logrolling

Question 3

effrots by Congress to ensure that executive branch eagencies, bueraus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officals, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals

Answer 3

oversight

Question 4

a body of voters in a given area who elect a represenative or senator

Answer 4

constitiuency

Question 5

the process of determining the number of representatives for each state using cenus data

Answer 5

apportionment

Question 6

states’ redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each cenus

Answer 6

redistricting

Question 7

the intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters

Answer 7

gerrymandering

Question 8

drawing of district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party

Answer 8

partisan gerrymandering

Question 9

a district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district

Answer 9

majority-minority district

Question 10

the uneven distribution of the population amoung legislative districts

Answer 10

malapportionment

Question 11

being alreay in office as opposed to running for the first time

Answer 11

incumbency

Question 12

instutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend of challengers in an election

Answer 12

incumbency advantage

Question 13

a motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of commmittee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote

Answer 13

discharge petition

Question 14

a powerful committe that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the debate will last and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor

Answer 14

House of Rules Committee

Question 15

consisits of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by diffrent rules, making it easier to consider complex and controverisal legislation

Answer 15

Committee of the Whole

Question 16

a delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill

Answer 16

hold

Question 17

an agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill

Answer 17

unanimous consent agreement

Question 18

a tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation

Answer 18

filibuster

Question 19

a procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided 60 senators agree to it

Answer 19

cloture

Question 20

the power of the president to reject a bill pass by Congress, sending it back to the orignating branch with objections

Answer 20

veto

Question 21

the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending prioties

Answer 21

Office of Managment and Budget (OMB)

Question 22

a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income

Answer 22

entitlement program

Question 23

spending required by existing laws that is “locked in” the budget

Answer 23

mandatory spending

Question 24

spending for programs and policies at the discretion of the Congress and the president

Answer 24

discretionary spending

Question 25

the amount of money remaining when the goverment takes in more than it spends

Answer 25

budget surplus

Question 26

the shortfall when a government takes in less money than it spens

Answer 26

budget deficit

Question 27

the total amount of money owed by the federal government

Answer 27

national debt

Question 28

the idea that the main duty of a member of congress is to carry out constituents wishses

Answer 28

delegate role

Question 29

the idea that members of Congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowlege and judgment

Answer 29

trustee role

Question 30

representation where members of Congress balance their choices with their interests of their consitituents and parties in making decisions

Answer 30

politico role

Question 31

agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation

Answer 31

bipartisanship

Question 32

a slowdown or halt in Congress’s ability to legislate and overcome divisions, espcially those based on partisanship

Answer 32

gridlock

Question 33

control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress is split between the twi major parties

Answer 33

divided government

Question 34

period at the end of a presidental term when Congress may block presidential intitatives and nominees

Answer 34

lame duck period

Question 35

the leader of the house of representatives, chosen by an election of its members

Answer 35

speaker of the house

Question 36

an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns

Answer 36

politcal action committee (PAC)

Question 37

the person who is the second in command of the house of representatives

Answer 37

house majority leader

Question 38

a member of congresss, chosen by his or her party members, whoes job is to ensure party unity and discipline

Answer 38

whip

Question 39

the head of the party with the second-highest number of seats in Congrss, chosen by the party’s members

Answer 39

minority leader

Question 40

the person who has the most power in the senate and i shte headc of they party with the most seats

Answer 40

senate majority leader

Question 41

leader of a congressional committee who as authoriy over the committee’s agenda

Answer 41

committee chair