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| the assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts. |
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| an elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted. |
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| the powers specifically given to Congress in the Constitution |
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| the presiding officer in the house, formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party. |
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| a meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy. called a conference by the Republicans. |
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| the legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line. |
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| the legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition |
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| a procedural rule in the House that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments. |
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| a procedural rule in the House that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill. |
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| officer of the senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president |
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| a procedural practice in the senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination. |
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| a procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate. |
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| Presidential custom of submitting the names of the perspective appointees for approval to the senators from the states in which the appointees are to work. |
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| a permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area. |
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| special (select) committee |
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| a congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation. |
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| a committee composed of members of both the House and Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations. |
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| special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of congress for their constituents. |
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| a legislative practice that assigns the chair of the committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee. |
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| committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form. |
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| an official is supposed to uphold the will of his/her constituents even when they disagree with his/her personal opinions. |
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| an official should do what is best for the people, not necessarily what they want. |
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| mutual aid and vote trading among legislators. |
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| if signed by majority of the House, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration |
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