Term
|
Definition
| the division of a legislature into two separate assemblies |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| one of the people represented by a legislator or other elected or appointed official |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a power specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution. The first 17 clauses of Article I, Section 8, specify most of the enumerated powers of Congress |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the process of deciding the legal rules that govern society. Such laws may regulate minor affairs or establish broad national policies |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other's bills |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| personal work for constituents by members of Congress |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a person who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the function of members of Congress as elected officials in representing the views of their constituents |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in regard to a legislator, one who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected him or her and who votes according to the views of constituents regardless of personal assessments |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the responsibility Congress has for following up on laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administered in the way Congress intended |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a provision in a bill reserving to Congress or to a congressional committee the power to reject an action or regulation of a national agency by majority vote; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1983 |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Determining which public-policy questions will be debated or considered by Congress |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the House |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in the Senate, unlimited debate to halt action on a particular bill |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a method used to close off debate and to bring the matter under consideration to a vote in the Senate (16 votes to call for one, 60 to successfully enact) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an intraparty election in which the voters select the candidates who will run on a party's ticket in the subsequent general election |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a person who identifies with a political party |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives to each state after each census |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional districts within each state |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a question that may be raised and reviewed in court |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the drawing of legislative district boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining partican or factional advantage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a policy that enables members of Congress to send material through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature for postage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a procedure by which a bill in the House of Representatives may be forced out of a committee that has refused to reprt it for consideration by the House(must be signed by at least 218 reps) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a permanent committee within the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain subject area |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pas the two chambers of Congress in different forms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a custom followed in both chambers of Congress specifying that members with longer terms of continuous service will be given preference when committee chairpersons and holders of other significant posts are selected |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a district that returns the legislator with 55% of the vote or more |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the presiding officer in the House of Representatives. The speaker is always a member of the majority party and is the most powerful and influential member of the House |
|
|
Term
| majority leader of the House |
|
Definition
| a legislative position held by an important party member in the House, they are selected by the majority party in caucua or conference |
|
|
Term
| minority leader of the House |
|
Definition
| the party leader elected by the minority party in the House |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an assistant who aids the majority or minority leader of the House or the Senate majority or minority floor leader |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the temporary presiding officer of the Senate in the absence of the vice president |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the chief spokeperson of the majority party in the Senate, who directs the legislative program and party strategy |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the party officer in the Senate who commands the minority party |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an alliance of Republicans and southern Democrats that can form in the House or the Senate to oppose liberal legislation and support conservative legislation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the budget prepared and submitted by the president to Congress |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The twelve-month period that is used for bookkeeping, or accounting, purposes. Usually, the fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year. For example, the federal government's fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 20 |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the time every year when the Office of Management and Budget requires federal agencies to review their programs, activities, and goals and submit their requests for funding for the next fiscal year |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the time every year when, after receiving formal federal agency requests for funding for the next fisccal year, the Office of Management and Budget reviews the requests, makes changes, and submits its recommendations to the president |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a resolution passed by Congress in May that sets overall revenue and spending goals for the following fiscal year |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a resolution passed by Congress in September that sets "bindding" limits on taxes and spending for the next fiscal year beginning October 1 |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A temporary law that Congress passes when an appropriations bill has not been decided by the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1 |
|
|
