Unit 4 Vocab Chapter 12

Front 1

Bill

Back 1

A proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language. Anyone can draft a bill, but only a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate can formally submit a bill for consideration.

Front 2

Casework

Back 2

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.

Front 3

Caucus

Back 3

A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristics. Most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.

Front 4

Conference committee

Back 4

Congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.

Front 5

Filibuster

Back 5

A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate. Today, 60 members present and voting can halt of filibuster.

Front 6

House Rules Committee

Back 6

An institution unique to the House of Representatives that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full house.

Front 7

Incumbents

Back 7

Those already holding office. In congressional elections, incumbents usually win.

Front 8

Joint committee

Back 8

Congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.

Front 9

Legislative oversight

Back 9

Congress' monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

Front 10

Majority leader

Back 10

The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or party's manager in the Senate. The majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions.

Front 11

Minority Leader

Back 11

The principal leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.

Front 12

Pork barrel

Back 12

The mighty list of federal projects, grants and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district.

Front 13

Seniority system

Back 13

The simple rule of picking committee chairs, in effect until the 1970s. The members who have served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence

Front 14

Speaker of the House

Back 14

An office mandated by the Constitution. The speaker is chosen in practice by the Majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and it is second in line to succeed to the presidency should at office become vacant.

Front 15

Standing Committee

Back 15

Separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas.

Front 16

Whips

Back 16

Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party.