Ch 13 Sidlel Ap Gov Vocab

Front 1

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

Back 1

bicameral legislaturean

Front 2

an order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

Back 2

closed rule

Front 3

a rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate

Back 3

cloture rule

Front 4

an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president

Back 4

concurrent resolution

Front 5

a joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill

Back 5

conference committes

Front 6

an alliance between Republican and conservative Democrats

Back 6

conservative coalition

Front 7

a device by which any member of the house, after a committee has had the bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor

Back 7

discharge petition

Front 8

a congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted

Back 8

division vote

Front 9

a procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with other business

Back 9

double trackign

Front 10

an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill

Back 10

fillibuster

Front 11

the ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage

Back 11

franking privlege

Front 12

committees on which both senators and representatives serve

Back 12

joint comittees

Front 13

a formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be singed by the president

Back 13

joint resolution

Front 14

the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate

Back 14

majority leader

Front 15

political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent of the vote

Back 15

marginal districts

Front 16

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate

Back 16

minority leader

Front 17

a congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several important committees

Back 17

multiple referral

Front 18

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Back 18

open rule

Front 19

a vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators

Back 19

party polarization

Front 20

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constitutents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return

Back 20

pork barrel legislation

Front 21

a legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters

Back 21

private bill

Front 22

a legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern

Back 22

public bill

Front 23

the minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress

Back 23

quorum

Front 24

a roll call in either house of Congress to see whether the minimum number of representatives required to conduct business is present

Back 24

quorum call

Front 25

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill on the floor

Back 25

restrictive rule

Front 26

a congressional voting procedure that consists of members andwering "yea" or "nay" to their names

Back 26

roll call vote

Front 27

districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent or more

Back 27

safe districts

Front 28

congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose

Back 28

select committees

Front 29

a congressional process by which a Speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting

Back 29

sequential referrel

Front 30

an expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body

Back 30

simple resolution

Front 31

permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Back 31

standing committees

Front 32

a congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the "yeas" first and the "nays" second

Back 32

teller vote

Front 33

a congressional voting procedure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills

Back 33

voice vote

Front 34

a senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking

Back 34

whip

Front 35

an association of Congress members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Back 35

caucus