The Legislative Branch Flashcards

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1
Q

Appropriation

A

money that Congress has allocated to be spent.

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2
Q

Appropriations Committee

A

congressional committee that deals with federal spending.

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3
Q

Bill

A

proposed law under consideration by a legislature.

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4
Q

Casework

A

personal work done by a member of Congress for his constituents.

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5
Q

Closed Rule

A

Rules Committee rule that bans amendments to a bill.

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6
Q

Cloture

A

Senate motion to end a filibuster that requires a 3/5 vote.

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7
Q

Conference Committee

A

works out a compromise between differing House-Senate versions of a bill.

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8
Q

Constituents

A

the people who are represented by elected officials.

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9
Q

Discharge petition

A

a motion to force a bill to the House floor that has been bottled up in committee.

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10
Q

Filibuster

A

nonstop Senate debate that prevents a bill from coming to a vote.

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11
Q

Franking Privilege

A

allows members of Congress to send mail postage free

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12
Q

Gerrymandering

A

redrawing district lines to favor one party at the expense of the other.

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13
Q

Impeachment

A

House action that formally charges official with wrongdoing. Conviction requires 2/3 vote in the Senate.

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14
Q

Incumbency Effect

A

The tendency of those already holding office to win reelection.

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15
Q

Legislative Oversight

A

congressional monitoring of the executive branch to ensure that the latter complies with the law.

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16
Q

Legislative Veto

A

process in which Congress overturned rules and regulations proposed by agencies. Struck down in 1983.

17
Q

Lobbying

A

act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government

18
Q

Logrolling

A

when two members of Congress agree to vote for each other’s bill.

19
Q

Mark Up

A

committee action to amend a proposed bill

20
Q

Open Rule

A

House Rules Committee rule that allows amendments to a bill.

21
Q

Pork Barrel

A

wasteful congressional spending, e.g. funding for a Lawrence Welk museum in North Dakota.

22
Q

Reapportionment

A

reallocation of House seats on the basis of changes in state populations, as determined by the census.

23
Q

Redistricting

A

redrawing of congressional district boundaries by the party in power of the state legislature.

24
Q

Rider

A

amendment to a bill that has little to do with that bill. Also known as a nongermane amendment.

25
Q

Rules Committee

A

the “traffic cop” of the House that sets the legislative calendar and issues rules for debate on a bill.

26
Q

Senatorial Courtesy

A

tradition in which the President consults with the senators within a state in which an appointment is to be made.

27
Q

Seniority System

A

tradition in which the Senator from the majority party with the most years of service on a committee becomes the chairman of that committee.

28
Q

Standing Committee

A

the permanent congressional committees that handle legislation.

29
Q

Sunset Laws

A

laws that automatically expire after a given time.

30
Q

Ways and Means Committee

A

House committee that handles tax bills.