Congress

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enumerated powers

Back 1

Specific list of Congressional powers included in Article I of the Constitution.

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elastic clause
(necessary and proper clause)

Back 2

Constutional provision giving Congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper" to put its powers into effect. Used to justify wide expansion of government authority.

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McCulloch v. Maryland

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Supreme Court ruling of 1819 that used the elastic clause to justify a national bank.

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War Powers Act of 1973

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Attempt by Congress to limit the president's power to send troops into combat; requires the president to get congressional approval if American troops are to be on foreign soil for 60 days or more.

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Reapportionment Act of 1929

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Fixed the House of Representatives at 435 voting members.

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reapportionment

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The adjustment of congressional districts that follows a federal census; intended to keep district populations balanced.

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gerrymandering

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The design of oddly shaped legislative districts to ensure victory by a particular party or ethnic group.

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delegates

Back 8

Representatives who see their job as giving the majority what it wants.

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trustees

Back 9

Representatives who see their job as using their best judgment when voting.

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incumbents

Back 10

Candidates seeking to keep a position that they already hold.

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franking privilege

Back 11

Free use of the mail provided to incumbent legislators so that they may keep in touch with their constituents.

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term limits

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Restrictions on how long a public offical may serve.

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majority floor leader

Back 13

Second in command of the House of Representatives.

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caucus

Back 14

State gathering of political party members to select candiates for office.

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minority floor leader

Back 15

Chief spokesperson and legislative strategist for the minority party in the House of Representatives.

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president of the Senate

Back 16

Role played by the vice president as Senate's presiding officer; breaks tie votes.

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president pro tempore

Back 17

Offical who leads the Senate's day-to-day operations.

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whips

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Legislative leaders who whip their party members into line on votes.

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seniority

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The number of years someone has served in an institution or on a committee.

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standing committees

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Permanent legislative committees that sift through proposed legislation.

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select committees
(special committees)

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Temporary legislative committees that consider specific issues, especially to investigate problems.

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confrence committees

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Legislative committees that reconcile the discrepancies in versions of a bill passed by each chamber.

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joint committees

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Legislative committees with members drawn from both chambers; responsible for investigating issues of general concern to the Congress.

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subcommittees

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Legislative groups smaller that whole committees responsible for very specific areas of law.

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unanimous consent agreement

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An agreement to which everyone consents on when they debate a bill.

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Rules Committee

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Powerful House body that decides the terms under which bills are heard, amended, and debated.

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filibuster

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When Senators delay a bill by giving marathon speeches; only stopped with a cloture vote.

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cloture

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A vote of 60 or more senators, required to end a filibuster.

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riders

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Unrelated provisions stuck into a bill.

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logrolling

Back 30

Cooperative effort of multiple legislators to bind together a series of personal projects and push them through the legislative process.

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pork-barrel legislation

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A bill funding improvement projects, such as highway construction.

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earmark

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Directing the expenditure of funds for a specific project in congressional legislation.

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lobbyists

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Paid professionals who try to influence Congress.

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constituents

Back 34

The voters whom any particular elected offical represents.

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pocket veto

Back 35

When the president rejects a bill by refusing to sign it after Congress has adjourned.

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line-item veto

Back 36

When an executive may cut out specific spending provisions from a larger bill.