U.s. Government

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Term

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Two-year period of time during which Congress meets

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Session

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Period of time during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business

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Adjourn

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Suspend, as in a session of Congress

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Prorogue

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Adjourn, as in a legislative session

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Special Session

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An extraordinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency situation

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Apportion

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Distribute, as in seats in a legislative body

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Reapportion

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Redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body

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Off-year Election

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Congressional election that occurs between presidential election years

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Single-member District

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Electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office

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At-large

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Election of an officeholder by the voters of an entire governmental unit rather than by the voters of a district or subdivision

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Gerrymander

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The drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group

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Continuous Body

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Governing unit whose seats are never all up for election at the same time

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Constituency

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The people and interests that an elected official represents

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Trustee

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Lawmaker who votes based on his or her conscience and judgement, not the views of his or her constituents

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Partisan

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Lawmaker who owes his or her first allegiance to a political party

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Politico

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Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles

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Oversight Function

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Review by legislative committees of the policies and programs of the executive branch

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Franking Privilege

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Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free

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Expressed Powers

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Those delegated powers of the National Government that are spelled out, expressly, in the Constitution

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Implied Powers

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Those delegated powers of the National Government that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the Constitution

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Inherent Powers

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Powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community

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Strict Constructionist

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One who argues a narrow interpretation of the Constitution's provisions, in particular those granting powers to the Federal Government

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Liberal Constructionist

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One who argues a broad interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly those granting powers to the Federal Government

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Consensus

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General agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions

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Tax

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A charge levied by government on persons or property to meet public needs

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Direct Tax

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A tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied

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Indirect Tax

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A tax levied on one party but passed on to another for payment

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Deficit Financing

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Practice of funding government by borrowing to make up the difference between government spending and revenue

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Public Debt

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All of the money borrowed by the government and not yet repaid, plus the accrued interest on that money

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Commerce Power

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Exclusive power of Congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade

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Legal Tender

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Any kind of money that a creditor must, by law, accept in payment for debts

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Bankruptcy

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The legal proceeding by which a bankrupt person's assets are distributed among those to whom he or she owes debts

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Naturalization

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The legal process by which citizens of one country become citizens of another

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Copyright

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The exclusive, legal right of a person to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her own literary, musical, or artistic creations

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Patent

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A license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right to manufacture, use, or sell his or her invention for a limited period of time

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Eminent Domain

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Power of a government to take private property for public use

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Appropriate

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Assign to a particular use

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Necessary and Proper Clause

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Constitutional clause that gives Congress the power to make all laws "Necessary and proper" for executing its powers

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Doctrine

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Principle or fundamental policy

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Successor

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A person who inherits a title or office

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Impeach

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To bring formal charges against a public official; the House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach civil officers of the U.S.

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Acquit

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Find not guilty of a charge

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Perjury

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The act of lying under oath

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Censure

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Issue a formal condemnation

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Subpoena

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An order for a person to appear and to produce documents or other requested materials

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Speaker of the House

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The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen by and from the majority party in the House

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President of the Senate

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The presiding officer of a senate; in Congress, the Vice President of the U.S.; in a State's legislature, either the lieutenant governor or a senator

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President Pro Tempore

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The member of the U.S. Senate, or of the upper house of a State's legislature, chosen to preside in the absence of the president of the Senate

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Party Caucus

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A closed meeting of a party's House or Senate members

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Floor Leader

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Members of the House and Senate picked by their parties to carry out party decisions and steer legislative action to meet party goals

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Whip

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Assistants to the floor leaders in the House and Senate, responsible for monitoring and marshalling votes

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Committee Chairman

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Member who heads a standing committee in a legislative body

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Seniority Rule

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Unwritten rule in both houses of Congress reserving the top posts in each chamber, particularly committee chairmanships, for members with the longest records of service

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Standing Committee

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Permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specific subject-matter area are referred

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Select Committee

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Legislative committee created for a limited time and for some specific purpose

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Joint Committee

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Legislative committee composed of members of both houses

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Conference Committee

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Temporary joint committee created to reconcile any difference between the two houses' versions of a bill

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Bill

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A proposed law presented to a legislative body for consideration

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Joint Resolution

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A proposal for action that has the force of law when passed; usually deals with special circumstances of temporary matters

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Concurrent Resolution

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A statement of position on an issue used by the House and Senate acting jointly, doesn't have the force of law and doesn't require the President's signature

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Resolution

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A measure relating to the business of either house, or expressing an opinion; doesn't have the force of law and doesn't require the President's signature

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Rider

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Unpopular provision added to an important bill certain to pass so that it will "ride" through the legislative process

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Discharge Petition

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A procedure enabling members to force a bill that has been pigeonholed in committee onto the floor for consideration

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Subcommittee

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Division of existing committee that is formed to address specific issues

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Committee of the Whole

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A committee that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself

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Quorum

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Least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business, majority

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Engrossed

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To print a bill in its final form

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Filibuster

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Various tactics aimed at defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote; associated with the U.S. Senate

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Cloture

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Procedure that may be used to limit or end floor debate in legislative body

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Veto

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Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

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Pocket Veto

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Type of veto a chief executive may use after a legislature has adjourned; when the chief executive doesn't sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so