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26 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
bicameral
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containing two chambers, as does a legislature such as the U.S. Congress
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Speaker
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the presiding officer of the House of Representatives; normally, the Speaker is the leader of the majority party
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majority leader
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title used for the Speaker's chief lieutenant in the House and for the most important officer in the Senate. Chosen by the majority party, responsible for the day-to-day work necessary to build political coalitions and enact laws
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minority leader
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leader of the minority party who coordinates the minority's attempts to improve or defeat majority legislation
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whips
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members of Congress who serve as informational channels linking the leadership and the rank and file, communicating the leadership's views and intentions to the members and vice versa.
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party caucus
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all Democratic members of the House or Senate. Members in caucus elect the party leaders, ratify the choice of committee leaders, and debate party positions on issues
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party conference
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what Republicans call their party caucus
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president pro tempore
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the president of the Senate, who presides in the absence of the vice president
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unanimous-consent agreement
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an agreement that sets forth the terms and conditions according to which the Senate will consider a bill; these agreements are individually negotiated by the leadership for each bill.
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filibuster
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delaying tactic by which one or more senators refuse to allow a bil or resolution to be considered, either by speaking indefinitely or by offering dilatory motions and amendments. Only way to end is through a cloture.
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cloture
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motion to end debate in the Senate; requires 60 votes to pass
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standing committee
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committee with fixed membership and jurisdiction, continuing from Congress to Congress
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select committee
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temporary committee created to deal with a specific issue or problem
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seniority
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practice by which the majority-party member with the longest continuous service on a committee becomes the chair
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caucus
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a voluntary group within Congress, formed by members to pursue shared interests; a caucus can cross party, committee, and even chamber lines
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sponsor
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representatives or senator who introduces a bill or resolution
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multiple referrals
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process occurring when party leaders give more than one committee responsibility for considering a bill
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markup
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process in which a committee or subcommittee considers and revises a bill that has been introduced
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suspension of the rules
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fast-track procedure for considering bills and resolutions in the House; debate is limited to 40 minutes, no amendments are in order, and a two-thirds majority is required for passage.
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rule
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the terms and conditions under which a bill or resolution will be considered on the floor of the House--in particular, how long debate will last, how time will be allocated, and the number and type of amendments that will be in order.
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conference committee
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a group of representatives from both the House and the Senate who iron out the differences between the two chambers' versions of a bill or resolution
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authorization process
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term applied to the entire process of providing statutory authority for a government program or activity
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appropriations process
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process of providing funding for governmental activities and programs that have been authorized
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trustee
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role a representative plays when acting in accordance with his or her own best judgment to decide what is best for the country
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delegate
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role a representatives plays when following the wishes of those who have elected him or her regardless of what he or she believes good public policy ought to be
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earmarks
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in a budget, designation of funds for a specific use
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