Congress vocab words

Cloture

A rule in the Senate that ends a fillibuster

Closed Rule

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

Continuous Body

1/3 of senate elected every 2 years

Caucus

A group of members of Congress from both houses that share similar characteristics or interests

Casework

Activities of Congress that helps constituents on an individual basis

House Appropriations Committee

Among the most powerful standing committees in the house, all bills must eventually pass through this committee to receive funding

Filibuster

An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking it to death

Senate Judiciary

Confirms presidential appointments for Supreme Court justices and federal judges

Joint Committee

Congressional Committee on a few subject areas with membership drawn from both houses

Select Committee

Congressional Committees appointed for a specific purpose

Conference Committee

Congressional committees formed when the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill to work out the language so that a single bill is formed

Speaker of the House

Constitutionally mandates position. Appointed by the majority person in charge of Congress

Pro Tempore

Leader of Senate in absence of the Vice President

Vice president

Leader of the Senate, gets final vote if votes are tied.

Pork Barreling

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several different districts or states

Whips

Members of Congress who work with Congressional leaders to help facilitate voting and unity in the party

Committees Chair

Most important influences of the Congressional agenda; they schedule hearings, hire staff, appoint subcommittees

Majority leader

Partisan ally of the speaker, responsible for scheduling bills, placing members on committees, and rounding up votes

Standing Committee

Permanent subject matter committees in both House and Senate

Ways and Means COmmittee

Powerful standing committee in the House. Any bill that impacts revenue must pass through this

17th Amendment

Senate originally appointed by state legislatures, now elected by people

Earmark

Similar to pork-barreling, the delineation of specific funds for specific purposes in a particular district or state

House Rules Committee

Standing committee in the House. All bills must first go to rules. It sets rules for the bill; schedules it on calendar, allots time for debate and if amendments can be added.

Incumbency Advantage

The concept that someone who is currently in office running of re-election has a very good chance of winning in the general election. Includes; Name recognition, record, casework, and Franking privileges.

Gerrymandering

The process of dividing up representatives by a state legislature to achieve a political advantage

Sophomore Surge

When a member is more likely to get re-elected after the first term

Christmas tree bill

a bill that has a lot of riders attached to it

Bi-cameral Legislature

a legislative body that is divided into two houses

Bill

a potential law

Ride

an addition to a bill

Mid-term election

an election that takes place halfway though a president's term in office

Oversight

review, monitor, and supervise federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation

Incumbent

someone who is already in office who is running for re-election

Census

the counting of the total population every 10 years for re-apportionment purposes

reciprocity

the exchanging of favors between members of Congress

Logrolling

the exchanging of political favors, especially the trading of influence or votes among legislators to achieve passage of projects

District

the fixed boundary that a house of representatives represents

quorom

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

Constituency

the people who an elected official represent

Minority leader

the principal leader of the minority party in the house

Apportionment

the process of dividing up the representatives between the states

Single Member Districts

the type of district that we have in the United States, Only one representative is elected from each district