Congress

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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 to the bill

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marginal districts

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Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representative wins in close elections, typically by less than 55% of the vote

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safe districts

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Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% 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 the 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 the Senate

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whip

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A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay infomred 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 Hosue versions of the same bill

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public bill

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a legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern

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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; constiutional 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 committees

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sequential referral

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a congressional process by which a Speaker may sned a bill to a second committee after the first is finsihed 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 others 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 reqired to conduct business is present

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cloture rule

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a rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate

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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 tellers 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 of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage