Congress Chapter 12

Front 1

Bicameral legislature

Back 1

A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts. The U.S. Congress is a bicameral legislature composed of the Senate and the House.

Front 2

Filibuster

Back 2

An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely thus is preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill.

Front 3

Marginal districts

Back 3

Political districts in which elected candidates to the House win in close elections, typically less than 55% of the vote.

Front 4

Safe districts

Back 4

Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more.

Front 5

Conservative coalition

Back 5

An alliance between Republicans and conservative Democrats.

Front 6

Majority leader

Back 6

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate.

Front 7

Minority leader

Back 7

The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seat the House or Senate.

Front 8

Whip

Back 8

A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking, rounds up members when important votes are to be taken, and attempts to keep a nose count on how the voting on controversial issues is likely to go.

Front 9

Party polarization

Back 9

A vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican leaders.

Front 10

Caucus

Back 10

An association of members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest.

Front 11

Standing committees

Back 11

Permanently established legislative competition that consider and are responsible for the legislation within a certain subject area.

Front 12

Select committees

Back 12

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.

Front 13

Joint committees

Back 13

Committees on which both representatives and Senators serve.

Front 14

Conference committees

Back 14

made up of representatives and senators appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same piece of legislation before final passage.

Front 15

Public bill

Back 15

A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern.

Front 16

Private bill

Back 16

A legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters rather than with general legislative affairs.

Front 17

Simple resolution

Back 17

An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle housekeeping or procedural matters in either body.

Front 18

Concurrent resolution

Back 18

An expression of congressional opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and Senate but not the president.

Front 19

Joint resolution

Back 19

A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president.

Front 20

Multiple referral

Back 20

A congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several committees that consider it simultaneously in whole or in part.

Front 21

Sequential referral

Back 21

A congressional process by which a speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting, or may refer parts of a bill to separate committees.

Front 22

Discharge petition

Back 22

A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor.

Front 23

Closed rule

Back 23

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate and forbids a particular bill from being amended on the legislative floor.

Front 24

Open rule

Back 24

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the legislative floor.

Front 25

Restrictive rule

Back 25

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill on the legislative floor.

Front 26

Rider

Back 26

An amendment on a matter unrelated to a bill that is added to the bill so that it will “ride” to passage through the Congress.

Front 27

Christmas tree bill

Back 27

when a bill has a lot of riders.

Front 28

Quorum

Back 28

The minimum number of members who must be president for business to be conducted in Congress.

Front 29

Quorum call

Back 29

calling of the roll in either house of Congress to see whether the number of representatives in attendance meets the minimum number required to conduct official business.

Front 30

Cloture rule

Back 30

A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate. Designed to combat filibusters.

Front 31

Double-tracking

Back 31

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.

Front 32

Voice vote

Back 32

A congressional voting procedure in which members shout “yea” in approval or “nay” in disapproval. Allows quick voting.

Front 33

Division vote

Back 33

A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted. recorded

Front 34

Teller vote

Back 34

A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers. recorded

Front 35

Roll-call vote

Back 35

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering “yea” or “nay” to their names. recorded

Front 36

Pork-barrel legislation

Back 36

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constitutes in several districts or states in hope of winning their votes in return.

Front 37

Franking privilege

Back 37

The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage.

Front 38

Qualifications for Senate

Back 38

-at least 30
-citizen for 9 years
-must live in state

Front 39

Qualifications for House

Back 39

-at least 25
-citizen for 7 years
-must live in state where district is located.

Front 40

Which incumbents get elected more? House or Senate

Back 40

House

Front 41

who runs for the Senate?

Back 41

Governors

Front 42

who runs for the House?

Back 42

District leaders

Front 43

Shaw v. Reno

Back 43

against the draw to redistrict based on race. Adjusted because some people need to stay together to get their voice heard. can't be based on race.

Front 44

Double-tracking

Back 44

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.

Front 45

Voice vote

Back 45

A congressional voting procedure in which members shout “yea” in approval or “nay” in disapproval. Allows quick voting.

Front 46

Division vote

Back 46

A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted. recorded

Front 47

Teller vote

Back 47

A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers. recorded

Front 48

Roll-call vote

Back 48

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering “yea” or “nay” to their names. recorded

Front 49

Pork-barrel legislation

Back 49

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constitutes in several districts or states in hope of winning their votes in return.

Front 50

Franking privilege

Back 50

The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage.