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| A draft of a proposed law. |
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| A type of representation in which legislators simply reflect the views of their constituents. |
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| A resident of the district or state represented by a member of the house or senate. |
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| A type of representation in which legislators exercise judgment independent of their constituents` views. |
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| A legislative body that has two separate chambers or houses, with equal power to pass or amend legislation. |
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| The custom in the senate in which the full body will not confirm presidential nominees for federal district judge, attorney, or federal marshal if the senior senator of the president`s party from the state where the appointment is to be made objects. |
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| Different parties control the presidency and at least one of the chambers of Congress. |
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| The chief officer of the house of representatives. |
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| In the senate it is the highest ranking member of the majority party and in the house it is the highest ranking member after the speaker. |
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| In the senate and in the house it is the highest ranking member of the minority party. |
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| A staff expert on the rules in the house of representatives and senate. |
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| Under the Constitution, it is the officer who presides over the Senate when the vice president is not presiding. It is an honorary position that goes the longest serving member of the majority party. |
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| When senators continue speaking to prevent final action on a bill. |
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| A party leader whose job is to count votes and gather support from party lawmakers. |
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| They screen bills and enable lawmakers to develop their own areas of expertise. |
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| They are the most important and are a permanent body that evaluates legislative proposals within their jurisdictions, choose certain bills for consideration, and then revise and report those bills to the full chamber. |
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| They handle pieces of the committee`s jurisdiction. |
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| They may be permanent or temporary, and they are set up to mount an investigation or to handle an issue that the standing committees do not address effectively. |
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| They include members of the House and Senate and are permanent panels that carry out studies or administrative tasks. |
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| A temporary joint committee that settles differences between the senate and the house versions of a bill. |
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| Continuous service in either the house or the senate or continuous service on a committee. Committee chairmanships usually go to the senior committee member of the majority party. |
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| Any session of Congress that occurs after a national election and before the new Congress has convened. |
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| A measure in one house that is similar or identical to a bill in another. |
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| It is passed by both the House and the senate and is subject to a presidential veto. Once it is enacted, it has the full force of law. |
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| The president`s constitutional power to disapprove of a bill passed by the house and the senate. The bill is subject to override by a two-thirds vote in both houses |
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| A resolution passed by both the house and the senate that expresses the sentiment of Congress. |
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| A resolution passed by either the house or the senate that usually addresses a matter affecting only one house. |
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| The parliamentarian of the house or the senate sends a bill to a committee for consideration. |
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| When one bill is sent to two or more committees for consideration. |
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| The process where a committee or subcommittee proposes changes to a bill. |
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| A rule governing debate in the house of representatives that allows any amendments to be considered. |
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| A rule governing debate in the House of Representatives that prohibits amendments. |
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| A practice in the senate that allows a member to request the leader to hold up action on a bill, presidential nomination, or other matter. |
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| Unanimous consent agreement |
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Definition
| An agreement negotiated in the senate before floor debate begins to specify the terms of debate. These require the approval of all interested senators. |
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| The procedure used by the senate to place a time limit on debate on a ill or other matter in order to stop a filibuster. This requires approval by three-fifths of the full senate, currently 60 votes. |
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| A legislative measure attached to a bill that often has little substantive relation to it. |
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| When the House and the senate approves a bill over the president`s veto by two-thirds vote. |
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| When a president refuses to sign a bill within 10 days of Congress passing it and Congress had adjourned. The presidential inaction kills the bill. |
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| A recorded vote on major amendments or final passage of a bill. This is done electronically in the House and by voice in the Senate. |
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| Congressional review of the activities of federal agencies and programs. |
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| A lecture that members of the house of representatives can give before or after each day`s formal session in order to call attention to some matter. |
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| Efforts taken by congress to assist constituents, such as intervening with the bureaucracy and bringing home federal projects. |
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| Assistance to constituents in their dealings with federal agencies. |
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| When two or more legislators trade votes for each other`s proposals or exchange other legislative favors. |
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| A term for projects that benefit specific localities without serving the national interest. |
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| A provision of a spending bill that sets aside funds for a specific purpose in a district or state. |
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| The right of members of congress to send mail to their constituents without paying for the postage. |
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