US Government Vocabulary

Question 1

Term

Answer 1

Two-year period of time during which congress meets

Question 2

Session

Answer 2

Period of time during which, each year, congress assembles and conducts business

Question 3

Special session

Answer 3

An extraordinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency situation

Question 4

Apportion

Answer 4

Distribute, as in seats in a legislative body

Question 5

Reapportion

Answer 5

Redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body

Question 6

Off-year election

Answer 6

Congressional election that occurs between presidential election years

Question 7

Single-member district

Answer 7

electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office

Question 8

Continuous body

Answer 8

Governing unit, whose seats are never all up for election at the same time

Question 9

Constituency

Answer 9

The people and interests that an elected official represents

Question 10

Direct tax

Answer 10

One must be paid directly to the government by the person on whom it is imposed

Question 11

Indirect tax

Answer 11

One first paid by one person but then passed on to another

Question 12

Public debt

Answer 12

All of the money borrowed by the government and not yet repaid, plus the accrued interest on the money: also called the national debt or federal debt

Question 13

Bankruptcy

Answer 13

The legal proceeding by which a bankrupt person’s assets are distributed among those to whom he or she owes debts

Question 14

Naturalization

Answer 14

The legal process by which citizens of one country become citizens of another

Question 15

Copyright

Answer 15

The exclusive, legal right of a person to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her own literary, musical, or artistic creations

Question 16

Patent

Answer 16

A license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right to maunfacture, use, or sell his or her invention for a limited period of time

Question 17

Censure

Answer 17

Issue a formal condemnation

Question 18

Subpoena

Answer 18

An order for a person to appear and to produce documents or other requested materials

Question 19

Speaker of the house

Answer 19

The presiding officer of the house of representatives, chosen by and from the majority party in the house

Question 20

President pro tempore

Answer 20

The member of the united states senate, or of the upper house of a state’s legislature, chosen to preside in the absence of the president of the senate

Question 21

Committe chairman

Answer 21

Member who heads a standing committee in a legislative body

Question 22

Rider

Answer 22

Unpopular provision added to an important bill certain to pass so that it will “ride” through the legislative process

Question 23

Discharge petition

Answer 23

A procedure enabling members to force a bill that has been pigeonhold in committee onto the floor for consideration

Question 24

Committe of the whole

Answer 24

An old parliamentary device for speeding business on the floor

Question 25

Quorum

Answer 25

Least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; majority

Question 26

Engrossed

Answer 26

To print a bill in its final form

Question 27

Filibuster

Answer 27

Various tactics aimed at defeating a bill in legislative body by preventing a final vote; associated with the U.S senate ; see cloture

Question 28

Cloture

Answer 28

Procedure that may be used to limit or end floor debate in a legislative body

Question 29

Veto

Answer 29

Chief executive’s power to reject a bill passed by a legislature; literally “I forbid”; see pocket veto

Question 30

Pocket Veto

Answer 30

Type of veto a cheif executive may use after a legislature has adjourned; when the chief executive does not sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so; see veto