American Citizen Vocabulary Terms For Chapter 12 - Congress - Its Powers, Structure And Members

Front 1

A system of election by which the voters of a city, state, or country -- as a whole -- elect government officials

Back 1

at large

Front 2

Work done by public officials (or members of their staff) to help individual constituents solve problems

Back 2

casework

Front 3

An official declaration of disapproval of the actions of a member of Congress

Back 3

censure

Front 4

An official survey of the population of the U.S., taken to determine how representatives should be re-apportioned among the states

Back 4

census

Front 5

The rules and guidelines for behavior of the members of Congress

Back 5

code of ethics

Front 6

Freedom from arrest granted to members of Congress while they are attending or traveling to and from legislative sessions

Back 6

congressional immunity

Front 7

The exclusive right to publish, produce, distribute, perform, display, or sell a literary or artistic work

Back 7

copyright

Front 8

A tax on goods imported into a country (through customs officials)

Back 8

duty, impost

Front 9

Clause in the Constitution that gives Congress the right to pass any laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out its functions

Back 9

elastic clause

Front 10

A tax paid on specific activities, services, or goods (such as alcohol, tobacco, or gasoline) that are produced, manufactured, sold, transported, or used within the U.S.

Back 10

excise tax

Front 11

Sometimes referred to as delegated powers, these powers are specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution

Back 11

expressed powers

Front 12

Free postal service for mail sent by members of Congress to their constituents

Back 12

franking privilege

Front 13

To draw district boundary lines in such a way that favors a particular candidate of political party, or reduces the voting power of a racial or ethnic group

Back 13

gerrymander

Front 14

To bring criminal charges against a government official for “high crimes and misdemeanors” (in the executive and judicial branches of our national government)

Back 14

impeach

Front 15

Those powers of the national government that are not specifically stated in the Constitution but that derive from the elastic clause

Back 15

implied powers

Front 16

A person who holds a political office is called this, most often when he or she is running for re-election

Back 16

incumbent

Front 17

The power of Congress to review or cancel an action taken by the executive branch (this has been declared to be unconstitutional)

Back 17

legislative veto

Front 18

The exclusive right to produce, sell, or use an invention

Back 18

patent

Front 19

A benefit, allowance, or service that is awarded in addition to a regular salary (sometimes called a "perk")

Back 19

perquisite

Front 20

A project or grant of funds that chiefly benefits a legislator's home district

Back 20

pork, pork-barrel

Front 21

Routes over which the mail is carried (and, therefore, can be maintained by the federal government)

Back 21

post roads

Front 22

The redistribution of legislative seats (most often after a census is taken)

Back 22

reapportionment

Front 23

To redraw the boundary lines of legislative districts (most often, after a census is taken)

Back 23

redistrict

Front 24

The region stretching across the U.S. from the U.S. from the southeastern Atlantic coast to southern California, where most population growth has happened since World War Two

Back 24

sunbelt