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| money that the Congress has allocated to be spent |
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| congressional House committee that deals with federal spending |
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| authority of a court to hear an appeal from a lower court |
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| departments, agencies, bureaus, and commissions in the executive branch of government |
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| personal work done by a member of Congress for his constituents |
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| concerns noncriminal disputes between private parties |
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| lawsuit brought on behalf of a class of people against a defendant, e.g. lawsuits bought by those who have suffered from smoking against tobacco companies |
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| Rules Committee rule that bans amendments to a bill |
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| Senate motion to end a filibuster that requires a 3/5 vote |
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| written by a Supreme Court Justice who voted with the majority, but for different reasons |
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| works out a compromise between differing House-Senate versions of a bill |
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| the people who are represented by elected officials |
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| a motion to force a bill to the House floor that has been bottled up in committee |
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| written by a Supreme Court Justice (or Justices) who express a minority viewpoint in a case |
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| presidential rule or regulation that has the force of law |
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| the privilege of a President and his staff to withhold their "privileged" conversations from Congress or the courts |
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| nonstop Senate debate that prevents a bill from coming to a vote |
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| Senate committee that handles tax bills |
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| allows members of Congress to send mail postage free |
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| redrawing district liens to favor one party at the expense of the other |
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| Senate maneuver that allows a Senator to stop or delay consideration of a bill or presidential appointment |
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| House action that formally charges an official with wrongdoing. Conviction requires 2/3 vote from the Senate |
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| refusal of a President to spend money that has been appropriated by Congress |
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| court order that forbids a party from performing a certain action |
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| philosophy that the courts should take an active role in solving problems |
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| philosophy that the courts should defer to elected lawmakers in settling policy, and should instead focus on interpreting law rather than making law |
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| power of the courts to review the constitutionality of laws or government actions |
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| Ongoing process of congressional monitoring of the executive branch to ensure that the latter complies with the law |
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| process in which Congress overturned rules and regulations proposed by executive branch agencies. Struck down in 1983 |
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| power of most governors (and President Clinton for only a few years) to delete or reduce funding in a bill on a line by line basis |
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| when two members of Congress agree to vote for each other's bill |
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| written to express the majority viewpoint in a Supreme Court case |
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| committee action to amend a proposed bill |
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| system of hiring federal workers based upon competitive exams |
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| House Rules Committee rule that allows amendments to a bill |
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| authority of a court to first hear a case |
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| power to appoint loyal party members to federal positions |
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| presidential killing of a bill by inaction after Congress adjourns |
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| those who have received presidential appointments to office. Contrast with Civil Service employees who receive federal jobs by competitive exams |
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| wasteful congressional spending, e.g. funding for a Lawrence Welk museum in North Dakota |
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| minimum number of members needed for the House or Senate to meet |
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| reallocation of House seats to the states on the basis of changes in state populations, as determined by the census |
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| redrawing of congressional district boundaries by the party in power of the state legislature |
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| complex rules and procedures required by bureaucratic agencies |
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| the Supreme court's sending of a case back to the original court in which it was heard |
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| amendment to a bill htat has little to do with that bill. Also known as a nongermane amendment |
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| the Supreme Court will hear a case if four Justices agree to do so |
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| the "traffic cop" of the House that sets the legislative calendar and issues rules for debate on a bill |
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| tradition in which the President consults with the senators within a state in which an appointment is to be made |
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| tradition in which the senator from the majority party with the most years of service on a committee becomes the chairman of that committee |
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| the permanent congressional committees that handle legislation |
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| Latin for "let the decision stand." Supreme Court policy of following precedent in deciding cases |
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| Laws that automatically expire after a given time |
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| House committee that handles tax bills |
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| an employee who exposes unethical or illegal conduct within the federal government or one of its contractors |
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| issued by the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up the records of a case so that it can be reviewed by the high court |
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| Court order that the authorities show cause for why they are holding a prisoner in custody. Deters unlawful imprisonment |
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| Court order directing a party to perform a certain action |
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