Unit 4 Words

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114th Congress

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The One Hundred-Fourteenth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.

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Bicameral

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having two branches or chambers.

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constituents

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a member of a constituency.

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gerrymander

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manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

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majority and minority party

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Both houses of Congress, the House of Representatives and Senate, have majority and minority whips.

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Speaker of the House

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Speaker of the House definition. The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The Speaker, a member of the House, is elected by a majority party caucus.

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President pro tempore

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a high-ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate in the absence of the vice president.

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committee

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a group of people appointed for a specific function, typically consisting of members of a larger group

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seniority

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the fact or state of being older or higher in position or status than someone else.

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expressed powers

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"Expressed powers," are powers granted to the government mostly found in Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution within 18 clauses. Expressed powers, also known as the "enumerated powers," include the power to coin money, regulate foreign and interstate commerce, declare war, grant patents and copyrights and more.

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implied powers

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Implied powers are authoritative actions that aren't specifically granted to Congress in the Constitution but are considered necessary to fulfill governmental duties. For example, the Constitution allows Congress to raise an army, which is known as an "expressed power

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elastic clause

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elastic clause. noun. 1. a statement in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers.

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authorization bills

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An authorization bill is a type of legislation used in the United States to authorizethe activities of the various agencies and programs that are part of the federal government of the United States. Authorizing such programs is one of the powers of the United States Congress.

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appropriations bills

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An appropriation bill or running bill or supply bill is a legislative motion (bill) that authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending. In most democracies, approval of the legislature is necessary for the government to spend money.

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Impeach

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call into question the integrity or validity of (a practice).

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writ of habeas corpus

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A writ of habeas corpus (which literally means to "produce the body") is a court order to a person or agency holding someone in custody (such as a warden) to deliver the imprisoned individual to the court issuing the order and to show a valid reason for that person's detention.

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bills of attainder

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an act of legislature finding a person guilty of treason or felony without trial.

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ex post facto laws

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ex post facto law definition. A law that makes illegal an act that was legal when committed, increases the penalties for an infraction after it has been committed, or changes the rules of evidence to make conviction easier. The Constitution prohibits the making of ex post facto law.

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franking privilege

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Franking privilege refers to the privilege of sending mail without payment of postage. This privilege is exercised in pursuance of personal or official designations. The members of Congress have the right to send mail to their constituents at the government's expense.

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lobbyists

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A lobbyist is someone hired by a business or a cause to persuade legislators to support that business or cause. Lobbyists get paid to win favor from politicians.

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pork-barrel projects

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Pork barrel is a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district. The usage originated in American English. In election campaigns, the term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents.

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filibuster

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an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.

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cloture

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a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote."a cloture motion"

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veto & pocket veto

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pocket veto definition. An automatic veto of a bill that occurs if the president or governor neither signs nor vetoes a bill within ten days of receiving it — as long as the legislature adjourns during that period.