Unit 5 Part 2 - Congress

Pork Barrel

Legislators' appropriations of funds for special projects located within their congressional district. As in reps. want the ____ (funds) from congress that they can "bring home the _____".

Rules Committee

One of the most important committees in the House, which decides the length of debate and the scope of amendments that will be allowed on a bill.

Delegate Model

Opposite of Trustee model, legislators should follow the will of their constituents even if it is contrary to their own personal views. Legislators should be the agent of their constituents and nothing more.

Reapportionment

Reallocation of seat in the House of Representatives to each state based on changes in the state populations since the last census.

Politico Model

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

Casework

When an incumbent personally helps constituents solve problems (typically with the federal bureaucracy.)

Nuclear Option

a maneuver exercised by the presiding officer in the Senate that eliminates the possibility of filibusters by subjecting votes on certain matters to a simple majority vote.

Gerrymandering

The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit an incumbent, political party, or other group. Unethical practice leads to slanted representation.

Majority Whip

The go-between with the majority leadership and party members in the House of Representatives. Helps the majority leadership keep the party members coordinated.

Speaker of the House

The leader of the House of Reps, chosen by majority party. Manages House: chairs floor debates, makes majority party committee assignments, assigns members to the powerful riles committee, guides legislation through the house, and negotiates with the minority party and the White House.

Senate Majority Leader

The most powerful position in the Senate; the majority leader manages the legislative process and schedules debate on legislation.

Logrolling

The practice of members of Congress agreeing to vote for a bill in exchange for their colleagues vote on another bill.

Oversight

The process by which the legislative branch "checks" the executive branch to ensure that the laws Congress has passed are being administered in keeping with legislator's intent. (Ex. investigations to determine whether a law or policy is being implemented the way Congress intended it to be.)

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional district boundaries within each state, based on the reapportionment from the census.

Markup

The third step in the committee/sub committee review process where legislators "______" a bill with suggested language for changes and amendments.

Unanimous Consent

A Senate requirement, applied to most of that body's business, that all senators agree before an action can proceed.

Conference Committee

A bicameral, bipartisan committee composed on legislators whose job is to reconcile two versions of a bill for the president.

Earmarks

A designation within a spending bill that provides for a specific expenditure. Used to also bring funds home to constituents more direct then pork barrels.

Trustee model

A model of representation in which a member of the House or the Senate acts according to his or her own conscience/morals when making decisions in congress even if it is against the will of his/her constituents. Argued that people elected them for a reason and that they must trust in their judgement.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in congress, with a defined legislative jurisdiction.

Filibuster

A procedural move by a member of the senate to attempt to halt passage of a bill, during which the senator can speak for an unlimited time on the senate floor.

Cloture

A procedural move in which a super majority of 60 senators agrees to end a filibuster.

Pocket Veto

A special presidential veto of a bill passed at the conclusion of a legislative session, whereby the president waits 10 days without signing the bill, and the bill dies.

Discharge Petition

A special tactic used to extract a bill from a committee to have it considered by the entire House. Requires a majority of signatures from House reps. likely reserved for bills regarding very delicate matters.

Franking Privilege

Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free. Gives incumbent advantage, incumbents can send tremendous amounts of mail to their constituency demonstrating what they've done for them for free.

Congressional Oversight

Congress "checks" the executive branch (president and bureaucracy) to ensure that laws are being implemented based on congressional intent

Caucus

Congress people working together on common goals.

Seniority System

Customary way of choosing the chairperson of the committee - congress person with the longest committee service from the majority party.

Committee of the Whole

Entire House meets in committee on House floor to debate and amend bill; vote as a group as opposed to individually; smaller quorum needed (100); after done - report bill to full House as per Rules Committee rules.