AP Gov - Congress and Presidency
Constituents
The residents of a congressional district or state.
Reapportionment
The process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census.
Redistricting
The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census,
to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.
Gerrymandering
The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.
Safe Seat
An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that
party's candidate is almost taken for granted.
Incumbent
The current holder of an elected office.
Franking Privilege
Benefit that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to
constituents postage-free.
Earmarks
Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of
Congress for their constituents. (Also called Pork Barreling)
Bicameralism
The principle of a two-house legislature.
Enumerated Powers
The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.
Unanimous Consent
Legislative action taken "without objection" as a way to expedite business; used to
conduct much of the business of the Senate
Committee of the Whole
A committee that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a
legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself.
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to
take official action.
Speaker of the House
The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen by and from the majority
party in the House.
Party Caucus
A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and
to develop party policy. Called a conference by the Republicans.
Party Conference
What Republicans call their party caucus.
Majority Leader
The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy,
confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.
, Minority Leader
The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.
Whips
Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes
beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party.
Rule
A precise legal definition on how government will implement a policy.
Closed Rule
A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to
bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer
amendments.
Open Rule
A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within
the overall time allocated to the bill.
Policy Committee
Composed of party leaders; theoretically responsible for the party's overall legislative
program.
President Pro Tempore
Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the
vice president.
Hold
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the
consideration of a bill or nomination.
Filibuster
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor
and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.
Cloture
A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.
Standing Committee
A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.
Special/Select Committee
A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an
investigation.
Joint Committee
A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the
Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.
Authorizing Committees
Pass laws that tell government what to do; make the most basic decisions about who
gets what, when and how from government; also responsible for oversight of the federal
bureaucracy.
Appropriations Committees
Committees of Congress that decide which of the programs passed by the authorization
committees will actually be funded; deal with money.
Rules and Administration Committees
Determine the basic operations of their chamber; in the House, has the responsibility of
issuing rules to bills.
Constituents
The residents of a congressional district or state.
Reapportionment
The process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census.
Redistricting
The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census,
to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.
Gerrymandering
The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.
Safe Seat
An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that
party's candidate is almost taken for granted.
Incumbent
The current holder of an elected office.
Franking Privilege
Benefit that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to
constituents postage-free.
Earmarks
Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of
Congress for their constituents. (Also called Pork Barreling)
Bicameralism
The principle of a two-house legislature.
Enumerated Powers
The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.
Unanimous Consent
Legislative action taken "without objection" as a way to expedite business; used to
conduct much of the business of the Senate
Committee of the Whole
A committee that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a
legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself.
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to
take official action.
Speaker of the House
The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen by and from the majority
party in the House.
Party Caucus
A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and
to develop party policy. Called a conference by the Republicans.
Party Conference
What Republicans call their party caucus.
Majority Leader
The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy,
confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.
, Minority Leader
The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.
Whips
Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes
beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party.
Rule
A precise legal definition on how government will implement a policy.
Closed Rule
A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendments to
bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer
amendments.
Open Rule
A procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within
the overall time allocated to the bill.
Policy Committee
Composed of party leaders; theoretically responsible for the party's overall legislative
program.
President Pro Tempore
Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the
vice president.
Hold
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the
consideration of a bill or nomination.
Filibuster
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor
and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.
Cloture
A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.
Standing Committee
A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.
Special/Select Committee
A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an
investigation.
Joint Committee
A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the
Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.
Authorizing Committees
Pass laws that tell government what to do; make the most basic decisions about who
gets what, when and how from government; also responsible for oversight of the federal
bureaucracy.
Appropriations Committees
Committees of Congress that decide which of the programs passed by the authorization
committees will actually be funded; deal with money.
Rules and Administration Committees
Determine the basic operations of their chamber; in the House, has the responsibility of
issuing rules to bills.
