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.