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51 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Constituent
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One of the persons rep’d by a legislator or other elected/appointed official.
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Homestyle
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The actions and behaviors of a member of Congress aimed at the consituents and intended to win the support and trust of the voters at home.
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Hillstyle
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The actions and behaviors of a member of Congress in Washington DC intended to promote policies and the member’s own career aspirations.
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Bicameralism
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The division of a legislature into two separate assemblies.
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Lawmaking
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The process of establishing the legal rules that govern society.
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Logrolling
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An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other’s bills.
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Representation
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The function of members of Congress as elected officials representing the views of their constituents.
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Trustee
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A legislator who acts accoring to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society.
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Instructed Delegate
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A legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected his/her and who votes according to the views of constituents regardless of personal beliefs.
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Casework
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Personal work for constituents by members of Congress
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Ombudsperson
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A person who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies.
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Oversight
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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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Enumerated Power
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A power specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution. The first 17 clauses of Article 1, Section 8 specify most of the enumerated powers of Congress
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Rules Committee
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A standing committee of the House of Reps that provides special rules under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the House.
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Rule
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The proposal by the Rules Committee of the House that states the conditions for debate for one piece of legislation.
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Unanimous Consent Agreement:
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An agreement on the rules of debate for proposed legislation in the Senate that is approved by all members.
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Filibuster
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The use of the Senate’s tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.
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Direct Primary
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An intraparty election in which the voters select the candidates who will run on a party’s ticket in the subsequent general election.
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Party Identifier
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A person who identifies with a political party.
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Reapportionment
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The allocation of seats in the House of Reps to each state after each census.
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Redistricting
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The redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional districts in each state.
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Justiciable Question
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A question that may be raised and reviewed in court.
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Gerrymandering
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The drawing of legislative district boundary lines to obtain partisan or factional advantage. A district is said to be gerrymandered when its shape is manipulated by the dominant party in the state legislator to maximize electoral strength at the expense of the minority party.
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Franking
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A policy that enables members of Congress to send material through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for postage
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Disharge Petition
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A procedure by which a bill in the HoR may be forced (discharged) out of a committee that has refused to report it for consideration by the House. The petition must be signed by an absolute majority. (218) of reps and is used only in rare occasions.
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Standing Committee
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A permanent comittee in the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain subject area.
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Select Committee
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A temporary legislative comittee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.
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Joint Committee
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A legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress
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Conference Committee
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A special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pass the two chambers of Congress in different forms.
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Seniority System
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A custom followed in both chambers of Congress specifying that the member opf the majoirty party with the longest term of conitniuous service will be given preference when a committee chariperson (or holder of some other significant post) is selected.
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Safe Seat
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A district that returns a legislator with 55% of the vote or more.
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Speaker of the House
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The presiding officer in the House. Always a member of the majority party and is the most powerful and influential member of the House. (Nancy Pelosi)
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Majority Leader of the House
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A legislative position held by an important party member in the HoR. Is selected by the majority party in the caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for the majority in the House.
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Minority Leader of the House
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The party leader elected by the minority party in the House.
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President Pro Tempore
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The temp. presiding officer of the Senate in the abscence of the VP.
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Senate Majority Leader
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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
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The party officer in the Senate who commands the minority party's opposition to the policies of the majority party and directs the legislative program and strategy of his/her party.
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Conservative Coalition
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An alliance of Repub's. and Southern Dems that can form in the House or Senate to oppose liberal legislation and support conservative legislation.
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Blue Dog Democrats
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Member of Congress from more moderate states or districts who sometimes "cross over" to vote w/Repubs on legislation.
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Earmarks
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Funding appropriations that are specifically designated for a named project in a member's state or district.
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Pork
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Special projects or appropriations that are intended to benefit a member's dist. or state; slang term for 'earmark.' "Bringing home the bacon or pork."
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Executive Budget
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The budget prepared and submitted by the president to Congress.
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Fiscal Year
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12 month period that's used for bookkeeping or accounting purposes. Govt's Fiscal year runs from 10/1-9/30
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Spring Review
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The annual process in which the Office of Mgmt. amd Budget req's federal agencies to review their programs, activities and goals and submit their requests for funding for the next fiscal year.
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Fall Review
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The annual process in which the Office of Mgmt. and Budget after receiving formal federal agency requests for the next fiscal year, reviews the requests, makes changes and submits its recommendations to the president.
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Authorization
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A forma declaration by a legislative committeee that a certain amount of funding may be available to an agency. Some authorizations terminate in a year, others are renewable automatically w/o further Congressional axn.
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Appropriation
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The passage, by Congress, of a spending bill specifying the amount of authorized funds that actually will be allocated for an agency's use.
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First Budget Resolution
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A resolution passed by Congress in May that sets overall revenue and spending goals for the fiscal year.
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Second Budget Resolution
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A resolution passed by Congress in Sep. that sets "binding" limits on taxes and spending for the following fiscal year.
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Continuing Resolution
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A temp. funding law that Congress passes when an appropriations bill has not been decided by the beginning of the new fiscal year on Oct.
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Whip
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A member of Congress who aids the majority/minority leader of the HoR or Senate
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