Chapter 13 Part 2

majority leader of the house

A legislative position held by an important party member in the House of Representatives. The majority leader is selected by the majority party in caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for the majority party in the House.

majority leader of the senate

A legislative position held by an important party member in the House of Representatives. The majority leader is selected by the majority party in caucus or conference to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for the majority party in the House.

whip

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

revenue bills

Bills that deal with money must originate in the House of Representatives

safe districts

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

malapportionment

Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population

quorum

Least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; majority

term limits

Restrictions that exist in some states about how long an individual may serve in state or local elected offices

Speaker of the House

An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant.

select committees

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.

minority leader of the house

Nancy Pelosi The party leader elected by the minority party in the House

president pro tempore

Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

minority leader of the Senate

The party leader elected by the minority party in the Senate

seniority system

a system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee the leadership of that committee

party polarization

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

pork-barrel legislation

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

standing committees

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

pigeonholing

the process by which a Congressional Committee chairperson can kill a bill assigned to his/her committee simply by ignoring it, such as not scheduling it for hearings or for a markup session

"marking up"

the process by which a U.S. congressional committee or state legislative session debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation