Legislative Branch Vocab (Ch 5,6,7)

Question 1

a two-chamber lawmaking body

Answer 1

Bicameral legislature

Question 2

a period of time during which a legislature meets to conduct business

Answer 2

Session

Question 3

a population count (every 10 years)

Answer 3

Census

Question 4

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

Answer 4

Reapportionment

Question 5

to set up new district lines after reapportionment is complete

Answer 5

Redistrict

Question 6

to draw a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in elections

Answer 6

gerrymander

Question 7

as a whole; for example, statewide

Answer 7

At-large

Question 8

a vote of formal disapproval of a member’s actions

Answer 8

Censure

Question 9

elected official who is already in office

Answer 9

incumbent

Question 10

a person whom a member of Congress has been elected to represent

Answer 10

Constituent

Question 11

a private meeting of party leaders to choose candidates for office

Answer 11

caucus

Question 12

The Speaker’s top assistant whose job it is to help plan the majority party’s legislative program and to steer important bills through the House

Answer 12

Majority leader

Question 13

an assistant to the party floor leader in the legislature

Answer 13

Whip

Question 14

a proposed law

Answer 14

Bill

Question 15

a schedule that lists the order in which bills will be considered in Congress

Answer 15

Calendar

Question 16

the minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action

Answer 16

Quorum

Question 17

the senate member, elected by the Senate, who stands in as president of the Senate in the absence of the vice president

Answer 17

President pro tempore

Question 18

a method of defeating a bill in the Senate by stalling the legislative process and preventing a vote

Answer 18

Filibuster

Question 19

a procedures that allows each Senator to speak only 1 hour on a bill under debate

Answer 19

Cloture

Question 20

a law proposed to raise money

Answer 20

Revenue Bill

Question 21

a proposed law to authorize spending money

Answer 21

Appropriations Bill

Question 22

trade among the states

Answer 22

Interstate commerce

Question 23

a formal accusation of misconduct in office against a public official

Answer 23

Impeachment

Question 24

a bill dealing with general matters and applying to the entire nation

Answer 24

Public bill

Question 25

a statement adopted to cover matters affecting only one house of Congress

Answer 25

simple resolution

Question 26

a provision included in a bill on a subject other than the one covered in the bill

Answer 26

Rider

Question 27

a session at which a committee listens to testimony from people interested in the bill

Answer 27

Hearing

Question 28

rejection of a bill

Answer 28

Veto

Question 29

when a president kills a bill passed during the last 10 days Congress is in session by simply refusing to act on it

Answer 29

Pocket Veto

Question 30

Representatives of interest groups (groups of people with common goals who organize to influence government)

Answer 30

Lobbyists

Question 31

the yearly financial plan for the federal government

Answer 31

national budget