Chapter 10 – The Congress

Front 1

Agenda setting

Back 1

Determining which public-policy questions will be debated or considered.

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Appropriation

Back 2

The passage, by Congress, of a spending bill specifying the amount of authorized funds that actually will be allocated for an agencys use.

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Authorization

Back 3

A formal declaration by a legislative committee that a certain amount of funding may be available to an agency. Some authorizations terminate in a year; others are renewable automatically without further congressional action.

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Bicameralism

Back 4

The division of a legislature into two separate assemblies.

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Casework

Back 5

Personal work for constituents by members of Congress.

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Conference committee

Back 6

A special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pass the two chambers of Congress in different forms.

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Conservative coalition

Back 7

An alliance of Republicans and southern Democrats that historically formed in the House or the Senate to oppose liberal legislation and support conservative legislation.

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Constituent

Back 8

One of the persons represented by a legislator or other elected or appointed official.

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Continuing resolution

Back 9

A temporary funding law that Congress passes when an appropriations bill has not been decided by the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1st.

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Discharge petition

Back 10

A procedure by which a bill in the House of Representatives can be forced (discharged) out of committee that has refused to report it for consideration by the House. The petition must be signed by an absolute majority (218) of representatives and is used only on rare occasions.

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Earmarks

Back 11

Special provisions in legislation to set aside funds for projects that have not passed an impartial evaluation by agencies of the executive branch. Also known as “pork”.

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Enumerated power

Back 12

Powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution. The first seventeen clauses of Article 1, section 8, specify most of the enumerated powers of Congress.

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Executive budget

Back 13

The budget prepared and submitted by the president to Congress.

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Fall review

Back 14

The annual process in which the Office of Management and Budget, after receiving formal federal agency requests for funding for the next fiscal year, reviews the requests, makes changes, and submits its recommendations to the president.

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Filibuster

Back 15

The use of the Senates tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.

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First budget resolution

Back 16

A resolution passed by Congress in May that sets overall revenue and spending goals for the following fiscal year.

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Fiscal year (FY)

Back 17

A twelve-month period that is used for book-keeping, or accounting, purposes. Usually, the fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year. For example, the federal governments fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30.

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Franking

Back 18

A policy that enables members of Congress to send material through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) postage.

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Gerrymandering

Back 19

The drawing of legislative district boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining partisan or factional advantage. A district is said to be gerrymandered when its shape is manipulated by the dominant party to maximize electoral strength at the expense of the minority party.

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Instructed delegate

Back 20

A legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected him or her and who votes according to the views of constituents regardless of personal beliefs.

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Joint committee

Back 21

A legislative committee composed of member from both chambers of Congress.

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Justiciable question

Back 22

A controversy that is real and substantial, as opposed to hypothetical or academic.

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Lawmaking

Back 23

The process of establishing the legal rules that govern society.

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Logrolling

Back 24

An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each others bills.

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Majority leader of the House

Back 25

A legislative position held by an important party member in the House of Representatives. The majority leader is selected by the majority party in caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party member and to act as spokesperson for the majority party in the House.

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Minority leader of the House

Back 26

The party leader elected by the minority party in the House.

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Ombudsperson

Back 27

A person who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies.

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Oversight

Back 28

The process by which Congress follows up on laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administered in the way Congress intended.

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Party identifier

Back 29

A person who identifies with a political party.

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President pro tempore

Back 30

The temporary presiding officer of the Senate in the absence of the vice president.

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Reapportionment

Back 31

The allocation of seats in the House of Representatives to each state after each census.

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Redistricting

Back 32

The redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional districts within each state.

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Representation

Back 33

The function of members of Congress as elected officials representing the views of the constituents.

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Rules Committee

Back 34

A standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the House.

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Safe seat

Back 35

A district that returns a legislator with 55 percent of the vote or more.

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Second budget resolution

Back 36

A resolution passed by Congress in September that sets “binding” limits on taxes and spending for the following fiscal year.

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Select committee

Back 37

A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.

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Senate majority leader

Back 38

The chief spokesperson of the majority party in the Senate, who directs the legislative program and party strategy.

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Senate minority leader

Back 39

The party officer in the Senate who commands the minority partys opposition to the policies of the majority party and directs the legislative program and strategy of his or her party.

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Seniority system

Back 40

A custom followed in both chambers of Congress specifying that the member of the majority party with the longest term of continuous service will be given preference when a committee chairperson (or a holder of some other significant post) is selected.

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Speaker of the House

Back 41

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives. The Speaker is always a member of the majority party and is the most powerful and influential member of the House.

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Spring review

Back 42

The annual process in which the Office of Management and Budget requires federal agencies to review their program, activities, and goals and submit their requests for funding for the next fiscal year.

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Standing committee

Back 43

A permanent committee in the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain subject area.

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Trustee

Back 44

A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society.

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Whip

Back 45

A member of Congress who aids the majority or minority leader of the House or Senate.