Unit 2A Vocab

Question 1

Pork Barrel Spending

Answer 1

Legislation that directions specific funds to projects within districts or states

Question 2

Logrolling

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Constituency

Answer 3

A body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator

Question 4

Oversight

Answer 4

Efforts by Congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet department, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals

Question 5

Apportionment

Answer 5

The process of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data

Question 6

Redistricting

Answer 6

States’ redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census

Question 7

Gerrymandering

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Partisan Gerrymandering

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Majority-Minority District

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Malapportionment

Answer 10

The uneven distribution of the population among legislative district

Question 11

Incumbency

Answer 11

Being already in office as opposed to running for the first time

Question 12

Incumbency Advantage

Answer 12

Institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election

Question 13

Speaker of the House

Answer 13

The leader of the House of Reps, chosen by an election of its members

Question 14

House Majority Leader

Answer 14

The person who is the second in command of the House of Reps

Question 15

Whip

Answer 15

A member of Congress, chosen by his or her party members, whose job is to ensure party unity and discipline

Question 16

Minority Leader

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Senate Majority Leader

Answer 17

The person who has the most power in the Senate is the head of the party with the most seats

Question 18

Committee Chair

Answer 18

Leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee’s agenda

Question 19

Discharge Petition

Answer 19

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

Question 20

House Rules Committee

Answer 20

A powerful committee 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

Question 21

Committee of the Whole

Answer 21

Consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation

Question 22

Hold

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Unanimous Consent Agreement

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Filibuster

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Cloture

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Veto

Answer 26

The power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress, sending it back to the originating branch with objections

Question 27

Delegate Role

Answer 27

The idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to carry out constituents variable

Question 28

Trustee Role

Answer 28

The idea that members of Congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgement

Question 29

Politico Role

Answer 29

Representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interest of their constituents and parties in making decisions

Question 30

Bipartisanship

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Gridlock

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Divided Government

Answer 32

Control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress split between the two major parties

Question 33

Lame Duck Period

Answer 33

Period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees