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| Those already holding office. In congressional elections, incumbents usually win. |
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| 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. |
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| The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions int he district of a member of Congress. |
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| A legislature divided into two houses. The U.S. Congress and every American state legislature except Nebraska's are this type of legislature. |
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| 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. |
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| 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) |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| The principal leader of the minority party in the House or Senate. |
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| Separate subject-matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas. |
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| Congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses. |
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| 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. |
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| Congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation. |
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| Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings. |
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| 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 |
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| 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. |
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| A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses. |
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| 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. |
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| Articles of impeachment must be passed by which house of Congress? |
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| Nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court must be confirmed by what house? |
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| Which house are federal officials tried in once they are impeached, according to the Constitution? |
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| Keeps a close had count on key votes, and attempts to keep party members in line. |
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| Has the job of presiding over the Senate, breaking ties when necessary. |
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| Meetings of standing committees and their subcommittees |
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| The most important congressional activity is done in meetings of what committees? |
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| What is the process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy. |
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| from the majority of members in the chamber. |
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| How is the majority party determined? |
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| Some prefer this concept of legislators as _________ _______, mirroring the preferences of their constituents. |
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| The Reapportionment Act of 1929 permanently set number in House at |
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| Compact territory requirement |
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| districts should not be irrationally arranged. |
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| drawing legislative districts to advantage the party in power |
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| contiguous territory requirement |
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| territory cannot be broken up |
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| equal in population requirement |
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| should be relatively equal in population |
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| descriptive representation |
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| opinions of constituents, politically relevant characteristics |
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| substantive representation |
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