Unit 4 Buzzwords Flashcards
Bicameral
A two-house legislature; consisting of the House and the Senate. The Virginia Plan had this, and so did the Great Compromise; however, the New Jersey Plan did not.
Filibuster
A formal way of halting Senate action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate.
Cloture
Mechanism requiring the vote of 60 senators to cut off debate or filibuster.
Censure
A process by which a formal reprimand is issued to an individual by an authoritative body.
Apportionment
The process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the population, following the decennial census.
Redistricting
The process of redrawing congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states, as well as population shifts in a state.
Gerrymandering
The drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome without regard to the shape of the district.
Incumbency
Already holding an office.
Majority Leader
The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line. He/she is the 2nd most powerful member of the HOR and is the most powerful member of the Senate.
Minority Leader
The head of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the House or Senate.
Whip
A representative who serves under the majority or minority leader, and who keeps in close contact with all party members, takes nose counts, provides summaries of bills, and acts as a communication link within the legislative party.
Logrolling
Vote trading; voting to support a colleague’s bill in return for a promise of future support.
Caucus (congressional)
an asociation of Congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest.
Standing Committee
Committee to which proposed bills are referred; continues from one Congress to the next.
Select (special) committee
Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose.
Joint committee
Standing committee that includes members of both houses of Congress set up to conduct investigations or special studies.
Rules Committee
An institution unique to the House of Representatives that review all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full house.
Ways and Means Committee
The House of Representatives committee that, along with the Senate Finance Committee, writes the tax codes, subject to the approval of Congress as a whole.
Conference Committee
A special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate.
Public Bill
A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern; includes defense expenditures.
Private Bill
A legislative bill that deals with specific, private, personal or local matters, like a bill pertaining to an individual becoming a naturalized citizen.
Simple Resolution
An expression of opinion, without the force of law, either in the House or the Senate, to settle housekeeping or procedural matters in either body.
Joint Resolution
A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; however, joint resolutions proposing a constitutional amendment need not be signed by the president. Carries the power of law.
Concurrent Resolution
An expression of opinion without the force of law the requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president.
Discharge Petition
Petition that gives a majority of the House of Representatives the authority to bring an issue to the floor in the face of committee inaction.
Open Rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor.
Closed Rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate and forbids a particular bill from being amended.
Restrictive Rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments.
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action. Must be the majority (51).
Rider
Unrelated amendments added to a bill.
Christmas Tree Bill
A bill that has many riders.
Pork
Legislation that allows representatives to bring money and jobs to their districts in the form of public works programs, military bases, or other programs.
Impeachment
The power delegated to the House to charge the President, Vice President, or other “civil officers”, including federal judges, with “Treason, bribery, or other high high crimes and misdemeanors.” This is the first step in removing government officials from office.
Pocket Veto
If Congress adjourns during the 10 days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses, then the bill is considered vetoed without the president’s signature.
Filibuster
A formal way of halting Senate action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate.
Cloture
Mechanism requiring the vote of 60 senators to cut off debate. Also requires 16 senators to call for cloture before voting.
Franking Privilege
The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for postage.
Census
An official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals. Happens every 10 years.
Pigeonholing
To set a congressional bill aside in committee without considering it.
Legislative oversight
One of Congress’s most importat tasks, the investigation and evaluation of the performance of corresponding executive agencies and departments to check the power of the executive branch.
