American Government: Continuity And Change, Ch 7

Front 1

bicameral legislature

Back 1

A legislature divided into 2 houses; the U.S. Congress and the state legislatures are bicameral except Nebraska, which is unicameral

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Apportionment

Back 2

The process of allotting congressional seats to each state following the decennial census according to their proportion of the population

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redistricting

Back 3

the redrawing of congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states, as well as population shifts w/in a state.

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bill

Back 4

a proposed law.

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impeachment

Back 5

the power delegated to the House of Representatives in the Constitution to charge the pres., vice pres., or other "civil officers, including federal judges, which "Treason, Bribery or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." This is the first step in the constitution process of removing such gov't officials from office.

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majority party

Back 6

The political party in each house of Congress w/the most members

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minority party

Back 7

The political party in each house of Congress w/ the second most members.

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Speaker of the House

Back 8

The only officer of the House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution; elected at the beginning of each new Congress by the entire House; traditionally a member of the majority party.

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party caucus or conference

Back 9

A formal gathering of all party members

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majority leader

Back 10

The elected leader of the party controlling the most seats in the House of Representatives or in the Senate; is second in authority to the Speaker of the House and in the Senate is regarded as its most powerful member

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minority leader

Back 11

The elected leader of the party w/the second highest number of elected representatives in the House of Rep. or the Senate

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whip

Back 12

Key representative who keeps close contact w/all members and takes nose counts on key votes, prepares summaries of bills, and in general acts as comm. link w/in the party.

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pres. pro tempore

Back 13

The official chair of the Senate; usually the most senior member of the majority party.

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standing committee

Back 14

Committee to which proposed bills are referred

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joint committee

Back 15

Includes members from both houses of Congress; conducts investigations or special studies.

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conference comittee

Back 16

joint committee created to iron out differences btwn Senate and House versions of a specific piece of legislation.

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select (or special) committee

Back 17

Temporary committee appointed for specific purpose, such as conducting a special investigation or study.

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discharge petition

Back 18

petition that gives a majority of the House of Rep. the authority to bring an issue to the floor in the face of committee inaction.

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pork

Back 19

Legislation that allows representatives to bring home the $$ to their districts in the form of public works programs, military bases, or other programs designed to benefit their districts directly

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earmark

Back 20

Funds that an appropriations bill designates for a particular purpose w/in a state or congressional district.

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seniority

Back 21

Time of continuous service on a committee

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incumbency

Back 22

the fact that being in office helps a person stay in office because of a variety of benefits that go w/the position

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trustee

Back 23

Role played by elected representatives who listen to constituents' opinions and then use their best judgment to make final decisions.

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delegate

Back 24

role played by elected representatives who vote the way their constituents would want them to, regardless of their own opinions.

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politico

Back 25

role played by elected representatives who act as trustees or as delegates, depending on the issue

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divided gov't

Back 26

the political condition in which different political parties control White House and Congress

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logrolling

Back 27

Vote trading, voting yea to support a colleague's bill in return for a promise of future support.

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markup

Back 28

A process in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor in either house for a vote.

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hold

Back 29

A tactic by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor. This stops the bill from coming to the floor until the hold is removed

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filibuster

Back 30

A formal way of halting action on a bill by means of long speeches or unlimited debate in the Senate

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cloture

Back 31

mechanism requiring sixty senators to vote to cut off debate

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veto

Back 32

formal constitutional authority of the pres. to reject bills passes by both houses of the legislative body, thus preventing their becoming law w/out further congressional activity.

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pocket veto

Back 33

If congress adjourns during the ten days the pres. has to consider a bill passed by both houses of congress, w/out the pres's signature, the bill is considered vetoed.

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oversight

Back 34

Congressional review of the activities of an agency, department or office

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congressional review

Back 35

a process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval.

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War Powers Act

Back 36

Passed by congress in 1973; the pres is limited in the deployment of troops overseas to a 60 day period in peacetime (which can be extended for an extra 30 days to permit withdrawl) unless Congress explicitly gives its approval for a longer period.

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senatorial courtesy

Back 37

a process by which pres, when selecting district court judges, defer to the senator in whose state the vacancy occurs.