Chapter 11 Key Terms

Question 0

Legislative Oversight

Answer 0

Congress’s monitoring of bureaucracy and its administration of policy performed mainly through hearings.

Question 1

Committee Chairs

Answer 1

The most important influencers of congressional agenda. They have dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

Question 2

Select Committees

Answer 2

Congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as, the Watergate investigation.

Question 3

Conference Committees

Answer 3

Congressional committees formed when Senate and House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.

Question 4

Joint Committees

Answer 4

Congressional committed on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.

Question 5

Standing Committees

Answer 5

Separate subject-mater committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas.

Question 6

Minority Leader

Answer 6

Principal leader of the minority party in the House or Senate.

Question 7

Whips

Answer 7

Party leaders who work with the majority or minority leader to count voted beforehand and to lean on wavers who’s votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party.

Question 8

Majority Leader

Answer 8

Principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House, or the party’s manager in the Senate. They are responsible or scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes on behalf of the party’s legislative positions.

Question 9

Speaker of the House

Answer 9

An office mandated by the Constitution. The speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, they have both formal and informal powers, and is second in lie to succeed the presidency.

Question 10

Filibuster

Answer 10

Strategy unique to the Senate. Whereby opponents of a piece of legislature use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from even voting on a bill. 60 members present and voting can halt a filibuster.

Question 11

House Rules Committee

Answer 11

The committee in the House of Representatives that reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full house.

Question 12

Bicameral Legislature

Answer 12

A legislature divided into two houses. The U.S. Congress and all state legislatures except Nebraska’s are all bicameral.

Question 13

Pork Barrel

Answer 13

Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges and other institutions in the Congressional district.

Question 14

Casework

Answer 14

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals, particularly by cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.

Question 15

Incumbent

Answer 15

Those already holding office. In Congressional elections, incumbents usually win.

Question 16

Bill

Answer 16

A proposed law, drafted in legal language. Anyone can draft a bill, but only a member of Congress can formally submit a bill for consideration.

Question 17

Caucus (Congressional)

Answer 17

Group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Many are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.

Question 18

Seniority System

Answer 18

Rule for poking committe chairs in effect until the 1970’s. The dominant party and oldest member become chair regardless of mental competency.