Congress Vocabulary

Question 1

an order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate and forbids a particular bill from being amended on the floor

Answer 1

closed rule

Question 2

A Congressional voting procedure used in both houses in which members vote by shouting yea or nay

Answer 2

voice vote

Question 3

private bill

Answer 3

a legislative bill that deals with specific, private, personal or local matters, like a bill pertaining to an individual becoming a naturalized citizen

Question 3

a procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster, whereby a disputed bill is temporarily shelved so that the Senate can go on with other business

Answer 3

double-tracking

Question 3

a House district in which the winner of general election carries more than 55 percent of the vote

Answer 3

safe district

Question 4

conservative coalition

Answer 4

an alliance between conservative Democrats and Republicans

Question 4

minority leader

Answer 4

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate

Question 4

sequential referral

Answer 4

a congressional process by which a Speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting

Question 5

multiple referral

Answer 5

a congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several committees that consider it simultaneously in whole or in part

Question 5

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hopes of winning their votes in return

Answer 5

pork-barrel legislation

Question 5

a calling of the roll in either house of Congress to see whether the number of representatives in attendance meets the minimum number required to conduct business

Answer 5

quorum call

Question 6

an alliance between conservative Democrats and Republicans

Answer 6

conservative coalition

Question 7

teller vote

Answer 7

a congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, first the yeas and then the nays. Since 1971, teller votes are recorded at the request of twenty members

Question 7

a formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; however joint resolutions proposing a constitutional amendment need not be signed by the president

Answer 7

joint resolution

Question 7

a legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern, like defense expenditures

Answer 7

public bill

Question 9

double-tracking

Answer 9

a procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster, whereby a disputed bill is temporarily shelved so that the Senate can go on with other business

Question 10

roll-call vote

Answer 10

a congressional procedure that consists of members answering yea or nay when their names are called

Question 11

a device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor. If a majority of members agree, the bill is discharged for the committee

Answer 11

discharge petition

Question 12

conference committee

Answer 12

a joint committee appointed to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of the same bill

Question 13

filibuster

Answer 13

an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action

Question 14

discharge petition

Answer 14

a device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor. If a majority of members agree, the bill is discharged for the committee

Question 14

committee on which both representatives and senators serve

Answer 14

joint committee

Question 15

an expression of opinion, without the force of law, either in the House or the Senate, to settle housekeeping or procedural matters in either body

Answer 15

simple resolution

Question 16

a rule used by the Senate, providing to end or limit debate

Answer 16

cloture rule

Question 17

voice vote

Answer 17

A Congressional voting procedure used in both houses in which members vote by shouting yea or nay

Question 17

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate

Answer 17

minority leader

Question 19

open rule

Answer 19

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Question 20

cloture rule

Answer 20

a rule used by the Senate, providing to end or limit debate

Question 20

quorum

Answer 20

the minimum number of members required to be in attendance for Congress to conduct bus

Question 20

A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking

Answer 20

whip

Question 22

party polarization

Answer 22

a vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators

Question 23

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a majority of seats in the House or Senate

Answer 23

majority leader

Question 24

simple resolution

Answer 24

an expression of opinion, without the force of law, either in the House or the Senate, to settle housekeeping or procedural matters in either body

Question 26

majority leader

Answer 26

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a majority of seats in the House or Senate

Question 27

an association of Congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Answer 27

caucus

Question 28

an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action

Answer 28

filibuster

Question 29

the minimum number of members required to be in attendance for Congress to conduct bus

Answer 29

quorum

Question 30

restrictive rule

Answer 30

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made to a bill on the floor

Question 32

division vote

Answer 32

a congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted

Question 33

an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president

Answer 33

concurrent resolution

Question 34

Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent of the vote

Answer 34

marginal districts

Question 36

quorum call

Answer 36

a calling of the roll in either house of Congress to see whether the number of representatives in attendance meets the minimum number required to conduct business

Question 37

permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Answer 37

standing committees

Question 38

a congressional process by which a Speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting

Answer 38

sequential referral

Question 40

concurrent resolution

Answer 40

an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president

Question 41

safe district

Answer 41

a House district in which the winner of general election carries more than 55 percent of the vote

Question 42

caucus

Answer 42

an association of Congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Question 43

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Answer 43

open rule

Question 44

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made to a bill on the floor

Answer 44

restrictive rule

Question 45

a congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, first the yeas and then the nays. Since 1971, teller votes are recorded at the request of twenty members

Answer 45

teller vote

Question 47

marginal districts

Answer 47

Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent of the vote

Question 49

public bill

Answer 49

a legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern, like defense expenditures

Question 50

permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Answer 50

select committees

Question 52

standing committees

Answer 52

permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Question 53

a congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted

Answer 53

division vote

Question 54

joint resolution

Answer 54

a formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; however joint resolutions proposing a constitutional amendment need not be signed by the president

Question 55

a vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators

Answer 55

party polarization

Question 56

whip

Answer 56

A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking

Question 57

a congressional procedure that consists of members answering yea or nay when their names are called

Answer 57

roll-call vote

Question 59

closed rule

Answer 59

an order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate and forbids a particular bill from being amended on the floor

Question 61

pork-barrel legislation

Answer 61

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hopes of winning their votes in return

Question 62

select committees

Answer 62

permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Question 63

a legislative bill that deals with specific, private, personal or local matters, like a bill pertaining to an individual becoming a naturalized citizen

Answer 63

private bill

Question 64

a joint committee appointed to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of the same bill

Answer 64

conference committee

Question 65

a congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several committees that consider it simultaneously in whole or in part

Answer 65

multiple referral

Question 66

a lawmaking body up of two chambers or parts

Answer 66

bicameral legislature

Question 67

bicameral legislature

Answer 67

a lawmaking body up of two chambers or parts

Question 68

joint committee

Answer 68

committee on which both representatives and senators serve