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34 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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bicameral legislature
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A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts.
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filibuster
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An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill.
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marginal districts
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Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent.
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safe districts
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Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent or more.
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conservative coalition
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An alliance between Republican and conservative Democrats.
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majority leader
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The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate.
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minority leader
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The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or Senate.
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whip
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A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking.
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party polarization
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A vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators.
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caucus
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An association of Congress members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest.
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standing committees
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Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area.
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select committees
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Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.
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joint committees
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Committees on which both senators and representatives serve.
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conference committees
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A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.
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public bill
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A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concerns.
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private bill
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A legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters.
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simple resolution
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An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body.
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concurrent resolution
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An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president.
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joint resolution
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A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president.
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multiple referral
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A congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several important committees.
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sequential referral
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A congressional process by which a speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting.
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discharge petition
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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.
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closed rule
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An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor.
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open rule
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An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor.
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restrictive rule
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An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not other to be made into a bill on the floor.
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quorum
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The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress.
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quorum call
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A roll call in either house of Congress to see whether the minimum number of representatives required to conduct business in present.
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double-tracking
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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.
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voice vote
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A congressional voting procedure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills.
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division vote
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A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted.
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teller vote
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A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two teller, the "yeas" first and the "nays" second.
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roll-call vote
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A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering "yea" or "nay" to their names.
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pork-barrel legislation
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Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return.
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franking privilege
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The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free if charge by submitting their facsimile signature on the postage.
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