Term
| House Committees - Ways and Means |
|
Definition
| The chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The Committee has jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs and other revenue-raising measures, as well as a number of other programs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor. |
|
|
Term
| House Committees - Appropriations |
|
Definition
| In charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Speaker of the House is the leader of majority party; presides over the House.
1. Decides whom to recognize to speak on the floor
2. Rules of germaneness of motions
3. Decides to which committee bills go
4. Appoints members of special and select committees
5. Has some patronage power |
|
|
Term
| Senate Committees - Judiciary |
|
Definition
| a standing committee of the United States Senate, the upper house of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on whether to confirm or not confirm prospective federal judges (including Supreme Court justices) nominated by the president. |
|
|
Term
| Senate Committees - Appropriations |
|
Definition
| Largest committee in the US Senate. It writes legislation that annually allocates federal funds to the numerous government agencies, departments, etc. |
|
|
Term
| Senate Leadership - Majority Leader |
|
Definition
| The leader of the majority party in the Senate, elected by his/her peers. In the House, the Majority Leader is the second in command in the House. |
|
|
Term
| Senate Leadership - Minority Leader |
|
Definition
| Leader of the minority party in the House and Senate. |
|
|
Term
| Senate Leadership - Vice President |
|
Definition
| The Vice President of the US is the President of the Senate. |
|
|
Term
| Senate Leadership - President pro tempore |
|
Definition
| The second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate and the highest-ranking senator. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The authority to amend the Constitution of the United States. An amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A joint resolution requires the approval of both houses of Congress and the signature of the President, just as a bill does, and has the force of law if approved. There is no real difference between a bill and a joint resolution. |
|
|
Term
| Legislative Process (how a bill becomes a law) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Legislative Process - Discharge petition |
|
Definition
| If bill is not reported out, the House can use the discharge petition. It is a mean of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from a Committee and usually without cooperation of the leadership. |
|
|
Term
| Legislative Process - Filibuster |
|
Definition
| A time-delaying tactic used by a minority in an effort to prevent a vote on a bill that probably would pass if brought to a vote. |
|
|
Term
| Legislative Process - Cloture |
|
Definition
| sets time limit on debate--three-fifths of Senate must vote for a cloture petition |
|
|
Term
| Legislative Process - Closed rule |
|
Definition
| Sets time limit on debate and restricts amendments |
|
|
Term
| Legislative Process - Open Rule |
|
Definition
| Permits amendments from the floor |
|
|
Term
| Types of Voting - Representational |
|
Definition
1. Assumes that members vote to please their constituents
2. Constituents must have a clear opinion of the issue
1. Very strong correlation on civil rights and social welfare bills
2. Very weak correlation on foreign policy
3. May be conflict between legislator and constituency on certain measures: gun control, Panama Canal treaty, abortion
4. Constituency influence more important in Senate votes
5. Members in marginal districts as independent as those in safe districts
6. Weakness of representational explanation: no clear opinion in the constituency |
|
|
Term
| Types of Voting - Attitudinal |
|
Definition
1. Assumes that ideology affects a legislator's vote
2. House members tend more than senators to have opinions similar to those of the public.
1. 1970s: senators more liberal
2. 1980s: senators more conservative
3. Prior to 1990s, southern Democrats often aligned with Republicans to form a conservative coalition.
4. Conservative coalition no longer as important since most southerners are Republicans |
|
|
Term
| Types of Voting - Organizational |
|
Definition
1. Assumes members of Congress vote to please colleagues
2. Organizational cues
1. Party
2. Ideology
3. Problem is that party and other organizations do not have a clear position on all issues
4. On minor votes most members influenced by party members on sponsoring committees |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a district or constituency held with a particularly small majority in a Parliamentary election. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a seat in a legislative body (e.g., Congress, Parliament, City Council) which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both. |
|
|
