Legislative Branch
Nancy Pelosi
Democrat, House Minority Leader
Steny Hoyer
Democrat, House Minority Whip
Chuck Schumer
Democrat, Senate Minority Leader
Richard Durbin
Democrat, Senate Minority Whip
Rider
In Congress, this is a provision added on to a bill that has little or nothing to do with the original bill.
Minority Leader
In a legislative body, this is the person who is usually the floor leader of the political party that does not have the most representation within the legislative body.
Majority Leader
In a legislative body, this is the person who is usually the floor leader of the political party with the most representation within the legislature.
Kevin McCarthy
Republican, House Majority Leader
Steve Scalise
Republican, House Majority Whip
Orrin Hatch
Republican, President Pro Tempore
Mike Pence
Republican, President of the Senate
Mitch McConnell
Republican, Senate Majority Leader
John Cornyn
Republican, Senate Majority Whip
Paul Ryan
Republican, Speak of the House
17th Amendment
This amendment provided for the direct election of U.S. senators.
Article II
This article of the Constitution deals with the Executive Branch, including Presidential qualifications and impeachment proceedings.
Majority Rule
This is a basic rule of democracy: one more than half of all voting persons must approve for something to become law.
Ex Post Facto
This is a law that punishes someone for an act that is now illegal but was not when the person committed it. These types of laws are illegal in the United States.
Judiciary Committee
This is a standing committee of the U.S. House that is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts and is the committee responsible for impeachments of federal officials.
Elastic Clause
This is a statement in the U.S. Constitution granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers.
Standing Committee
This is a type of committee that is found in both houses of Congress and are permanent panels in every session.
Bill
This is name for a piece of legislation that is being considered and debated before a legislative body
Override
This is name given to the power of a Legislative branch of government to vote a bill into law even though it has been vetoed by the head of the Executive branch.
Pardon
This is the act of a political executive officially forgiving a person of any crime that person may have committed.
Legislative
This is the branch of government that creates and makes laws.
Impeachment
This is the formal accusation against a Federal (or state) official for wrong-doing while in office. It is the first step in the process of removing the official from office.
House of Representatives
This is the lower house of the Legislative branch at both the national and state levels, and is where tax bills must originate.
Whip
This is the name given to a member of a legislative body whose job is make sure his political party stays unified when debating and voting on bills.
Lobbyist
This is the name given to a person who tries to influence legislation on the behalf of a special interest group.
Resolution
This is the name of a motion that is adopted by a legislative body. It is also known as a law.
Bicameral
This is the practice of having two chambers in a legislature or a parliament.
Speaker of the House
This is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and is chosen from the majority party in the House.
President Pro Tempore
This is the presiding officer of the Senate who is from the majority party and who serves as the leader when the Vice-President of the United States is absent.
Cloture
This is the term for a Congressional procedure that is used to limit or quickly end debate on issues before the Senate. It requires the support of 60% of the Senate.
Filibuster
This is the term for a tactic in which a Senator attempts to delay a vote on a bill by talking continuously, refusing to \"yield the floor\' to other Senators.
Congress
This is the term used to generally describe the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Government (House of Representatives AND Senate).
Senate
This is the upper house of the Legislative branch- at both the national and state levels- where treaties and appointments are approved, and where impeachment trials are held.
Censure
This means to formally reprimand a member of Congress or the Federal government for their actions. It has no force of law.
Conference Committee
This only forms when the Senate and House of Representatives pass different versions of the same bill; members of both houses meet to work out the differences.
