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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Constituents
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The residents of a congressional district or state
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Reapportionment
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The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts
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Redistricting
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The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district t lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population
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Gerrymandering
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The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent
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Safe seat
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An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted
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Incumbent
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The current holder of elected office
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Earmarks
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Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents
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Bicameralism
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The principle of a two-house legislature
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Enumerated powers
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The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution
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Speaker
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The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally elected by the house but actually selected by the majority party
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Party caucus
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A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop a party policy. Called a conference by the Republicans
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Majority leader
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The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy
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Minority leader
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The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition
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Whip
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The party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature
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Closed rule
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A procedural in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments
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Open rule
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A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill
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President pro tempore
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An officer of the senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president
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Filibuster
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A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue
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Cloture
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A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the senate
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Standing commitee
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A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.
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Special or select commitee
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A congressional committee created for a specific purpose sometimes to conduct an investigation
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Joint committee
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A committee composed of members of both the house of reps and the senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations
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Seniority rule
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A legislative practice that assigns the chair of a committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee
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Conference committee
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A committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in a different form
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Discharge petition
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A petition that, if signed by a majority of the members of the House, will pry a bill from the committee and bring it to the floor for consideration
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Rider
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A provision attached to a bill - to which it may or may not be related - in order to secure its passage or defeat
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Pocket veto
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A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for 10 days, the bill does not become law and is not turned to congress for a possible override
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Override
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An action taken by Congress to reverse a presidential veto, requiring a 2/3 majority in each chamber
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Delegate
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An official who is expected to represent the views of his or her constitutions even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator
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Trustee
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An official who is expected to vote independently based on his/her judgement of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator
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Logrolling
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Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators
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Attentive public
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Citizens who follow public affairs closely
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