Miller Government Ch. 14

Front 1

legislative power

Back 1

the authority to make laws

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bicameral legislature

Back 2

legislature that is made up of two chambers or houses

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term

Back 3

the period of time during which a public official serves

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convening

Back 4

the formal opening of each term of Congress. The 20th amendment sets it as Jan. 3 of odd-numbered years, unless changed by Congress.

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sessions

Back 5

regular periods of time during which legislative bodies assemble and conduct business

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recesses

Back 6

periods of time during which alegislative or judicial body is not in session.

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special sessions

Back 7

unscheduled sessions of Congress ordered by the president

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apportioned

Back 8

seats in a in a legislative body are distributed among electoral districts based on state population

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census

Back 9

an official count of population of a city, state, or, nation.

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reapportionment

Back 10

the redrawing of legislative district lines usually after a census is taken, in accordance with population changes indicated by the census.

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congressional district

Back 11

the geographic area within a state that is served by one representative in Congress

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single-member districts

Back 12

electoral areas from which single officeholders are chosen by voters

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at large

Back 13

the election of an official by the voters of an entire governmental unit such as a state or a county, rather than voters from a subdivision of that unit.

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gerrymandering

Back 14

the practice of redrawing legislative district boundary lines to obtain voting advantages for a political party or group

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franking privilege

Back 15

a privilege that allows members of Congress to send materials through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for postage.

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casework

Back 16

a form of social work in which members of Congress directly involve themselves in themselves in the problems and needs of individual citizens

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pork barrel

Back 17

appropriations for local projects that improve legislator's popularity in their own districts

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congressional immunity

Back 18

privilege set out in the Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech to members while they are conducting congessional business. Protects the freedom of legislative debate

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censure

Back 19

as official reprimand of a legislator by his or her peers

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expulsion

Back 20

the forced removal of a member of Congress for misconduct.

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reprimand

Back 21

an official reproach used by Congress for a member guilty of misconduct

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majority party

Back 22

the party that holds over half the seats in a legislature

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Speaker of the House

Back 23

presiding officer in the House of Representatives almost always a long-time, powerful member of the House.

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caucus

Back 24

a closed meeting of party leaders to select party candidates or decide policy

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presidential succession

Back 25

the legal procedure by which government leaders succeed the presidency should the president die, become disabled, or be romoved from office

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majority leader

Back 26

the leader of the majority party in the House. Elected by the party and is their leader and must keep them in order.

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minority leader

Back 27

The leader of the minority party in the House. Elected by his party members

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minority party

Back 28

the party with fewer members in each house of Congress

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whips

Back 29

assistant floor leaders who aid tje majority and minority floor leaders

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president pro tem

Back 30

the temporary presiding office of the Senate in the absense of the Vice President

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standing committees

Back 31

permanent committees in the House or Senate that consider bills within a subject area

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seniority rule

Back 32

in Congress, the practice of the majority party caucus choosing the longest serving member of a particular committee to be a committee chairperson

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subcommittees

Back 33

division of larger committees that deal with a particular part of the committee's policy area

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select committees

Back 34

temporary legislative committee established for a specific purpose

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joint committees

Back 35

legislative committees composed of members from both houses of Congress

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conference committees

Back 36

a special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when a bill passes the two houses of Congress in different forms

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administrative assistant

Back 37

person hired to manage a lawmaker's office, supervise his or her scchedule, and give advice.

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legislative director

Back 38

aide to a lawmaker who directs and manages the lawmaker's staff

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legislative assistants

Back 39

aides to lawmakers who make sure they are informed about the bills the must deal with

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caseworkers

Back 40

membera of congressional staffs who manage the numerous requests for help from constituents.

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legislative correspondents

Back 41

aides to lawmakers who handle their correspondence