vocab 2 Flashcards
(54 cards)
incumbent
An officeholder who is seeking reelection
franking privilege
The right of members of congress to mail newsletters to their constituents at the government’s expense
standing committees
Permanent subject-matter congressional committees that handle legislation & oversee the bureaucracy
Edit/revise/markup/hold hearings - Congressional oversight
conference committee
Temporary bodies that are formed to resolve differences between House & Senate versions of a bill
select committee
Specifically created congressional committees that conduct special investigations
Ex.) Watergate or Iran-Contra investigations
house rules committee
Sets the guidelines for floor debates. It gives each bill a rule that places the bill on the legislative calendar, limits time for debate, and determines the type of amendments that will be allowed
house ways and means committee
House committee that handles tax bills
filibuster
A way the minority party or those not in favor of certain legislation of delaying or preventing action on a bill by using long speeches & unlimited debate to “talk a bill to death” End with cloture (60 votes)
discharge petition
Rarely used in the House b/c it challenges majority leadership and informal rules
a way in the House to get a bill out of committee & possibly around rules committee & voted on House floor, but requires 218 signatures.
This was designed to prevent a committee from killing a bill by holding it for too long.
unanimous consent agreements
An agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for the consideration of a bill. Typically used to restrict debate and to expedite action.
logrolling
Tactic of mutual aid & vote trading among legislators. “I’ll vote for your bill if you vote for mine”
riders
non-germane amendments to bills, often in forms of appropriations, that sometime have nothing to do with bill, sometimes called pork-barrel legislation (created to help a representative’s district)
gridlock
Describes people’s perception of Congress and the president in a state of disagreement that results in little legislation passing or judicial nominations being confirmed
congressional oversight
Congressional review of the activities of an executive agency, department, or office. Gathers info useful for policy making, conducts investigations through committee hearings, and brings public attention to public policy
closed primary
A primary in which voters are required to identify a party preference before the election & are not allowed to split their ticket
open primary
Any registered voter can participate in either party’s primary and can do split-ticket voting
frontloading
The recent pattern of states holding primaries early in order to maximize their media attention & political influence. 3/4 of the presidential primaries are now held between February & mid-March.
Bipartisan Campagin Reform Act BCRA
Banned soft money (later struck down by Citizens United), banned corporations from airing political ads within 60 days of a general or 30 days of a primary election, banned corporations from contributing directly to a candidate. Attempted to reduce attack ads with “Stand by Your Ad” provision
pocket veto
Formal power of Presidency where he/she Rejects legislation that occurs if the president does not sign a bill within 10 days and Congress is also adjourned during same time period
line item veto
The power to veto specific dollar amounts of line items from major congressional spending bills. The Supreme Court struck down in Clinton v. New York this as an unconstitutional expansion of the president’s veto power
executive agreement
Informal power of Presidency: A pact between the president & a head of a foreign state. They do not have to be approved by the Senate. However, unlike treaties, executive agreements are not part of U.S. law & are not binding on future presidents
executive order
Informal power of President: A directive, order or regulation issued by the president that has power of law, no Congressional approval & usually used to direct the bureaucracy or foreign policy
executive privilege
Informal power of Presidency: The president’s power to refuse to disclose confidential information. Nixon tried this during Watergate and failed.
lame duck period
The period of time in which the president’s term is about to come to an end & has less influence
