The Legislative Branch

Question 1

Appropriation

Answer 1

money that Congress has allocated to be spent.

Question 2

Appropriations Committee

Answer 2

congressional committee that deals with federal spending.

Question 3

Bill

Answer 3

proposed law under consideration by a legislature.

Question 4

Casework

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Closed Rule

Answer 5

Rules Committee rule that bans amendments to a bill.

Question 6

Cloture

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Conference Committee

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Constituents

Answer 8

the people who are represented by elected officials.

Question 9

Discharge petition

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Filibuster

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Franking Privilege

Answer 11

allows members of Congress to send mail postage free

Question 12

Gerrymandering

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Impeachment

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Incumbency Effect

Answer 14

The tendency of those already holding office to win reelection.

Question 15

Legislative Oversight

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Legislative Veto

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Lobbying

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Logrolling

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Mark Up

Answer 19

committee action to amend a proposed bill

Question 20

Open Rule

Answer 20

House Rules Committee rule that allows amendments to a bill.

Question 21

Pork Barrel

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Reapportionment

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Redistricting

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Rider

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Rules Committee

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Senatorial Courtesy

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Seniority System

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Standing Committee

Answer 28

the permanent congressional committees that handle legislation.

Question 29

Sunset Laws

Answer 29

laws that automatically expire after a given time.

Question 30

Ways and Means Committee

Answer 30

House committee that handles tax bills.