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| Division of sovereignty between at least two different levels of government. In the United States, the fundamental units are the national government and the state government, and each has the power to act independently of the other. |
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| Fundamental governmental authority. Federalism is defined in terms of sovereignty. |
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| A theory of federalism saying that both the national and state governments have final authority over their own policy domains. |
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| System under which all authority is held by a single, national government. The vast majority of countries in the world reject federalism in favor to a unitary government. |
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| Necessary and Proper clause |
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| Constitutional clause that gives Congress the power to take all actions that are "necessary and proper" to the carrying out of its delegated powers. Also known as the elastics clause. |
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| Constitutional provision that says the laws of the national government "shall be the supreme Law of the Land." This and the Necessary and Proper clause were added to the constitution to satisfy the Federalists. |
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| Court authority to declare laws null and void on the grounds that they violate the Constitution. |
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| Suppression of rights imposed by those voted into power by a majority. |
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| A doctrine that says that states have the authority to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional. |
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| Deciosn in 1819 in which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the state's power to tax a government entity. |
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| Constitutional provision that gives Congress power to regulate commerce "among the states." |
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| Programs created by the Franklin Roosevelt administration that expanded the power of the federal government for the purpose of stimulating economic recovery and establishing a national safety net for those in need. |
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| The theory that all levels of government can work together to solve common problems. Also known as cooperative federalism. |
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| Special legislative benefits targeted toward the constituents of particular members of Congress, but with little or no general value. |
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| Federal grants to a state and/or local government that impose programmatic restrictions on the use of funds. |
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| Federal regulations that impose burdens on state and local governments without approaching enough money to cover costs. |
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| Return of governmental responsibilities to state and local governments. |
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| Redrawing of electoral district lines to reflect population changes. |
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| Containing two chambers, as does a legislature such as the U.S. Congress. |
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| all Democratic members of the House of Senate. Members in caucus elect the party leaders, ratify the choice of committee leaders, and debate party positions on issues. |
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| Members of Congress who serve as informational channels linking the leadership and the rank-and-file, communicating the leadership's views and intentions to the members and vice versa. |
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Delaying tactic by which one of more senators refuse to allow a bill or resolution to be considered, either by speaking indefinitely or by offering dilatory motions and amendments.
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| motion to end debate in the Senate; requires 60 votes to pass. |
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committee with fixed membership and jurisdiction, continuing from Congress to Congress.
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practice in which the majority-party member with the longest continuous service on a committee becomes the chair.
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Representative or Senator who introduces a bill or resolution.
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process of providing funding for governmental activities and programs that have been authorized.
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process of providing funding for governmental activities and programs that have been authorized.
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in a budget, to designate funds for a specific use.
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role a representative plays when acting in accordance with his or her own best judgment to decide what is best for the country.
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role a representative plays when following the wishes of those who have elected him or her regardless of what he or she believes good public policy ought to be.
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gives presidents the capacity to prevent bills passed by Congress from becoming law. It may be overridden by a 2/3 vote in each congressional chamber. Most state governors also have veto power over their legislatures.
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presidential veto after congressional adjournment, executed merely by not signing a bill into law.
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the control of the presidency by one party and the control of one or both houses of Congress by the other.
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top administration officials, most of whom are heads of departments in the executive branch.
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presidential authority to negate particular provisions of a law while letting the remainder stand; granted by Congress in 1996 but struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998.
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a presidential directive that has the force of law, though it is not enacted by Congress.
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recommendation by a majority of the House of Representatives that a president, another official in the executive branch, or a judge of the federal courts be removed from office. Removal depends on a 2/3 vote of the Senate.
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| States first used the doctrine of nullification in 1798 in response to the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, national laws that outlawed criticism of government officials. |
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