Vocab 1-4

Question 1

Pork Barrel spending

Answer 1

legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states

Question 2

Logrolling

Answer 2

trading of votes on legislation by members of congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation

Question 3

oversight

Answer 3

efforts by congress to ensure that executive branch agencies and departments as well as officials are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals.

Question 4

Constituency

Answer 4

a body of voters in a given area who vote on a rep/senator

Question 5

apportionment

Answer 5

the process of determining the # of reps for each state

Question 6

redistricting

Answer 6

states redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts

Question 7

gerry mandering

Answer 7

international use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest group

Question 8

partisan gerry mandering

Answer 8

drawing of district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party

Question 9

majority-minority district

Answer 9

a district in which voters if a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within the electoral district

Question 10

malapportionment

Answer 10

the uneven distribution of the population among the legislative districts

Question 11

speaker of the house

Answer 11

leader of the house of reps

Question 12

political action committee

Answer 12

organization that raises money for candidates and campaignes

Question 13

house majority leader

Answer 13

2nd in command of the house of reps

Question 14

Whip

Answer 14

Member of congress, chosen by party members, whose job is to ensure unity and discipline

Question 15

minority leader

Answer 15

head of party with the 2nd highest # of seats in congress

Question 16

Senate majority leader

Answer 16

person who has the most power in Senate and is the head of the party with the most seats

Question 17

Committee chair

Answer 17

leader of congressional committee who has authority over the committees agenda

Question 18

discharge petition

Answer 18

motion filed by a member of congress to move a bill out of committee onto the floor of the house of reps for a vote

Question 19

House rules committee

Answer 19

determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the debate is, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor.

Question 20

Committee of the whole

Answer 20

consists of all members of the House and meets in the house chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex legislation.

Question 21

hold

Answer 21

delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill

Question 22

unanimous consent agreement

Answer 22

agreement in the senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill

Question 23

filibuster

Answer 23

tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation

Question 24

cloture

Answer 24

procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided 60 senators agree to it

Question 25

veto

Answer 25

powers of a president to reject a bill passed by congress sending it back to the originating branch with objections

Question 26

OMB

Answer 26

executive branch that assists the president in setting national spending priorities.

Question 27

entitlement program

Answer 27

provides benefits for those who qualify under the law regardless of income

Question 28

mandatory spending

Answer 28

spending required by existing laws, "locked in" the budget

Question 29

discretionary spending

Answer 29

spending for programs and policies at the discretion of congress and the president

Question 30

budget surplus

Answer 30

amount of money remaining when the government in intaking more money than they are spending

Question 31

budget deficit

Answer 31

shortfall when a govt. takes in less than they are spending

Question 32

national dept

Answer 32

total amount of money owed by federal govt.

Question 33

delegate role

Answer 33

idea that the main duty of a member of congress is to carry out wishes of constituents

Question 34

trustee role

Answer 34

idea that members of congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgement

Question 35

politico role

Answer 35

representation where members of congress balance their choices with the interests if their constituents and parties in making decisions

Question 36

bipartisanship

Answer 36

agreement between the parties to work together in congress to pass legislation

Question 37

grindlock

Answer 37

slowdown in congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship

Question 38

divided govt.

Answer 38

control of the presidency and one or both chambers of congress split between the two major parties.

Question 39

lame duck period

Answer 39

period at the end of a presidential term when congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees