unit iv vocab Flashcards
Congressional committee that deals with federal spending
Appropriations Committee
Money that congress has allocated to be spent
Appropriation
Authority of a court to hear an appeal from a lower court
Appellate jurisdiction
Departments, agencies, bureaus, and commissions in the executive branch of government
Bureaucracy
Personal work done by a member of congress for his constituents
Casework
Concerns non criminal disputes between private parties
Civil law
Lawsuit brought on behalf of a class of people against a defendant
Class action lawsuit
Rules Committee rule that bans amendments to a bill
Closed rule
Senate motion to end a filibuster that requires a 3/5 vote
Cloture
Written by a Supreme Court justice who votes with the majority, but for different reasons
Concurring opinion
Works out a compromise between differing House-Senate versions of a bill
Conference committee
The people who are represented by elected officials
Constituents
A motion to force a bill to the House floor that has been bottled up in committee
Discharge petition
Written by a Supreme Court justice who expresses a minority viewpoint
Dissenting opinion
An agreement between the president and another head of state that, unlike a treaty, does not require senate consent
Executive agreement
Presidential rule or regulation that has the force of law
Executive order
The privilege of a president and his staff to withhold their conversations from congress or the courts
Executive privilege
Nonstop senate debate that prevents a bill from coming to a vote
Filibuster
Senate committee that handles tax bills
Finance Committee
Allows members of congress to send mail to their constituents free
Franking privilege
Redrawing district lines to favor one party at the expense of the other
Gerrymandering
Senate maneuver that allows a senator to stop or delay consideration of a bill or presidential appointment
Hold
House action that formally charges an official with wrongdoing
Impeachment
Vote required to convict in impeachment
2/3 senate
Refusal of a president to spend money that has been appropriated by Congress
Impoundment
Court order that forbids a party from performing a certain action
Injunction
Philosophy that the courts should take an active role in solving problems
Judicial activism
Philosophy that the courts should defer to elected lawmakers in setting policy, rather than making law
Judicial restraint
Power of the courts to review the constitutionality of laws or government actions
Judicial review
Court case which established judicial review
Marbury v. Madison, 1803
Ongoing process of congressional monitoring of the executive branch to ensure that the latter complies with the law
Legislative oversight
Process in which Congress overturned rules and regulations proposed by executive agencies
Legislative veto
