Ch 11 Congress Flashcards
(43 cards)
Vocabulary:
Bicameral Legislature
A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
V: Bill
A formally proposed law in the House or Senate
V: Concurrent Resolution
A resolution adopted by both houses of a bicameral legislature that does not have the force of law and does not require the signature of the chief executive
V: Congress
Term referring to both the Senate and House of Representatives collectively or to just the House
(i.e. “Congress and the Senate)
V: Constituents
Voters represented by a particular representative or senator
V:
House of Representatives
Half of the legislative branch of the United States government comprising proportional representation per state based on population
(435 members); sometimes called the Lower House
V: Franking Privilege
The right of members of Congress to send mail to their constituents at the government’s expense. Their signature is placed on the corner of the envelope where the stamp would usually be placed
V: Impeachment
Power reserved to the House of Representatives for the purpose of drawing up charges against a political figure
V: Iron Triangle
A close relationship between a government agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group
V: Joint Committee
A temporary committee on which both representatives and senators serve
V: Joint Resolution
A formal expression of Congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the President. Proposing constitutional amendment do not need to be signed by the president
V: Override
When the House and/or the Senate votes to pass a bill over a president’s veto; requires a 2/3 in both houses
V: Private Bill
A legislative bill that deals with specific, private, personal or local matter, like a bill pertaining to and individual becoming a naturalized citizen
V: Public Bill
A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern, like defense expenditures
V: Resolution
A formal motion that may or may not have legal binding adopted by the House or Senate, or both
V: Revenue Bill
A bill concerning the raising or spending of money; all such bills must originate in the House of Representatives
V: Senate
Half of the legislative branch of the United States government comprising equal representation per state
( 2 members per state, 100 members
V: Simple Resolution
A legislative proposal that does not require action from the president that is used by a single house to take action affecting its own procedure
V: Amendment
A formal addition or change to a bill under consideration
V: Appropriations Bill
Any piece of legislation involving the funding of a particular program or government agency
V: Caucus
Meeting or organization of particular members of a political party in the House or Senate
(i.e. Congressional Black Caucus or Congressional Progressive Caucus)
V: Closed Rule
A rule set by the Rules Committee before a bill comes to the House of Representatives that states no additional amendments or substitutes to the bill may be offered from the floor
V: Committee Chair
The head of a committee appointed by the Speaker of the House
(always of the majority party)
V:
Committee of the Whole
A parliamentary device in which the House of Representatives is considered one large congressional committee but only requires 100 members to be present. This allows bills and resolutions to be considered without adhering to the formal House rules requiring a quorum of 218. Most bills are considered by the Committee of the Whole before they go before the full House for debate and vote.
