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Chapter 12 Vocabulary
Congress
39
Political Studies
9th Grade
11/16/2008

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Term
Incumbents
Definition
Those already holding office. In congressional elections, incumbents usually win.
Term
Casework
Definition
Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.
Term
Pork Barrel
Definition
The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions int he district of a member of Congress.
Term
bicameral legislature
Definition
A legislature divided into two houses. The U.S. Congress and every American state legislature except Nebraska's are this type of legislature.
Term
House Rules Committee
Definition
An institution unique to the House that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.
Term
filibuster
Definition
A strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislature try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate. Today, 60 members present and voting can halt it (cloture)
Term
Speaker of the House
Definition
An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is seconds in line to succeed the president.
Term
majority leader
Definition
The principal partisan ally of the Speaker or the party's wheel horse in the Senate. The majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions.
Term
whips
Definition
Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party.
Term
minority leader
Definition
The principal leader of the minority party in the House or Senate.
Term
standing committees
Definition
Separate subject-matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas.
Term
joint committees
Definition
Congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.
Term
conference committees
Definition
Congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out differences and bring back a single bill.
Term
select committees
Definition
Congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation.
Term
legislative oversight
Definition
Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.
Term
committee chairs
Definition
The most important influences of the congressional agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house
Term
seniority system
Definition
A simple rule for picking committee chairs, in effect until the 1970s. The member who had served on the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence.
Term
caucus
Definition
A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.
Term
bill
Definition
A proposed law, drafter in precise, legal language. Anyone can draft one, but only a member of the House of Senate can formally submit a bill for consideration.
Term
House
Definition
Articles of impeachment must be passed by which house of Congress?
Term
Senate
Definition
Nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court must be confirmed by what house?
Term
Senate
Definition
Which house are federal officials tried in once they are impeached, according to the Constitution?
Term
majority whip
Definition
Keeps a close had count on key votes, and attempts to keep party members in line.
Term
Vice President
Definition
Has the job of presiding over the Senate, breaking ties when necessary.
Term
Meetings of standing committees and their subcommittees
Definition
The most important congressional activity is done in meetings of what committees?
Term
Legislative oversight
Definition
What is the process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy.
Term
from the majority of members in the chamber.
Definition
How is the majority party determined?
Term
instructed delegates
Definition
Some prefer this concept of legislators as _________ _______, mirroring the preferences of their constituents.
Term
435
Definition
The Reapportionment Act of 1929 permanently set number in House at
Term
Compact territory requirement
Definition
districts should not be irrationally arranged.
Term
gerrymander
Definition
drawing legislative districts to advantage the party in power
Term
contiguous territory requirement
Definition
territory cannot be broken up
Term
equal in population requirement
Definition
should be relatively equal in population
Term
descriptive representation
Definition
opinions of constituents, politically relevant characteristics
Term
substantive representation
Definition
interests of groups
Term
House
Definition
more centralized
Term
Senate
Definition
decentralized
Term
House
Definition
limits debate
Term
Senate
Definition
encourages debate
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