Ap Government Vocab From Chapter 13-14 Of American Government

Front 1

A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts.

Back 1

bicameral legislature

Front 2

An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill.

Back 2

filibuster

Front 3

Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent of the vote.

Back 3

marginal districts

Front 4

Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent or more.

Back 4

safe districts

Front 5

An alliance between Republican and conservative Democrats.

Back 5

conservative coalition

Front 6

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate.

Back 6

majority leader

Front 7

The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or Senate.

Back 7

minority leader

Front 8

A senator or representative who helps keep the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking.

Back 8

whip

Front 9

A vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators.

Back 9

party polarization

Front 10

An association of Congress members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest.

Back 10

caucus

Front 11

Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area.

Back 11

standing committees

Front 12

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.

Back 12

select committees

Front 13

Committees on which both senators and representatives serve.

Back 13

joint committees

Front 14

A joint committee appointed to resolve difference in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.

Back 14

conference committees

Front 15

A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern.

Back 15

public bill

Front 16

A legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters.

Back 16

private bill

Front 17

An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body.

Back 17

simple resolution

Front 18

An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the President.

Back 18

concurrent resolution

Front 19

A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president.

Back 19

joint resolution

Front 20

A congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several important committees.

Back 20

multiple referral

Front 21

A congressional process by which a Speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting.

Back 21

sequential referral

Front 22

A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor.

Back 22

discharge petition

Front 23

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor.

Back 23

closed rule

Front 24

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor.

Back 24

open rule

Front 25

An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill on the floor.

Back 25

restrictive rule

Front 26

The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress.

Back 26

quorum

Front 27

A roll call in either house of Congress to see whether the minimum number of representatives required to conduct business is present.

Back 27

quorum call

Front 28

A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate.

Back 28

cloture rule

Front 29

A procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with other business.

Back 29

double-tracking

Front 30

A congressional voting procedure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills.

Back 30

voice vote

Front 31

A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted.

Back 31

division vote

Front 32

A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the "yeas" first and the "nays" second.

Back 32

teller vote

Front 33

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering "yea" or "nay" to their names.

Back 33

roll-call vote

Front 34

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to the constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return.

Back 34

pork-barrel legislation

Front 35

The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage.

Back 35

franking privilege

Front 36

One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Back 36

divided government

Front 37

The same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress.

Back 37

unified government

Front 38

The inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government.

Back 38

gridlock

Front 39

The people chosen to cast each state's votes in a presidential election.

Back 39

electoral college

Front 40

A president's subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff.

Back 40

pyramid structure

Front 41

Several of the president's assistants reports directly to him.

Back 41

circular structure

Front 42

Several subordinates, cabinet officers, and committees report directly to the president on different matters.

Back 42

ad hoc structure

Front 43

The heads of fifteen executive branch departments of the federal government.

Back 43

cabinet

Front 44

The president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public.

Back 44

bully pulpit

Front 45

A message from the president to Congress stating that he will not sign a bill it has passed.

Back 45

veto message

Front 46

A bill fails to become law because the president did not sign it within ten days before Congress adjourns.

Back 46

pocket veto

Front 47

An executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature.

Back 47

line-item veto

Front 48

A presidential document that reveal what the president thinks of a new law and how it ought to be enforced.

Back 48

signing statement

Front 49

The authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place. Congress does not have this power.

Back 49

legislative veto

Front 50

Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representatives.

Back 50

impeachment

Front 51

A person still in office after he or she has lost a bid for reelection.

Back 51

lame duck