Ap Politics Ch 12

Front 1

incumbents

Back 1

those who are already holding office. in congressional elections, they usually win

Front 2

casework

Back 2

activities of members of congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get

Front 3

pork barrel

Back 3

the mighty list of federal projects, grants and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges and institutions on the district of a member of congress

Front 4

bicameral legislature

Back 4

divided into two houses. the US congress and every american state legislature except nebraska's is bicameral

Front 5

house rules committee

Back 5

an institution unique to the house of representatives that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a house committee before they go to the full house

Front 6

filibuster

Back 6

a strategy unique to the senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate. today, 60 members present and voting can halt it

Front 7

speaker of the house

Back 7

an office mandated by the constitution . the speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant

Front 8

majority leader

Back 8

the principal partisan ally of the speaker of the house or the party's wheel horse in the senate. the majority party leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions

Front 9

whips

Back 9

party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party

Front 10

minority leader

Back 10

the emergence of a non-caucasian majority as compared with a white, generally anglo-saxon majority. it is predicted that, by around 2060, hispanic americans, african americans, and asian americans together will outnumber white americans

Front 11

standing committee

Back 11

separate subject-matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas.

Front 12

joint committee

Back 12

congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses

Front 13

conference committee

Back 13

congressional committees formed when the senate and the house pass a particular bill in different forms. party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill

Front 14

select committees

Back 14

congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the watergate investigation

Front 15

legislative oversight

Back 15

congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings

Front 16

committee chairs

Back 16

the most important influencers of the congressional agenda. they play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

Front 17

seniority system

Back 17

a simple rule for picking committee chairs, in effect until 1970s. the member who had served the committee the longest and whose party controlled congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence.

Front 18

caucus (congressional)

Back 18

a group of members of congress sharing some interest or characteristic. most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses

Front 19

bill

Back 19

a proposed law, anyone can draft a bill, but only a member of the house of representatives or the senate can formally submit a bill for consideration

Front 20

politicos

Back 20

members of congress use their best judgements to make policy decisions while also trying to mirror their constituents