Unit 4 Assignment Study Guide Graded A+
1). Incumbents
Ans: individuals who are already holding office that are up for reelection; in
congressional elections, incumbents usually win more often than not (especially in the
H.O.R.)
2). Casework
Ans: activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals,
particularly by cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they
have a right to get
3). Pork barrel
Ans: Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state & local governments,
businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district
4). Bicameral legislature
Ans: a legislature divided into 2 houses; the U.S. Congress & all state legislatures
except Nebraska's are bicameral (created from Connecticut Compromise); allows Senate/
House to check each other
5). House rules committee
Ans: the committee in the H.O.R. that reviews most bills (decides whether it gets put on
the calendar) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House
6). Filibuster
Ans: a strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation use
their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill; signaled by
a hold60 members present and voting can halt a filibuster
7). Speaker of the house
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, Ans: an office mandated by the Constitution; the speaker is chosen in practice by the
majority party, has both formal and informal power, and is second in line to succeed to the
presidency should that office become vacant, sets agenda for congress (along w/
majority leader)
8). Majority leader
Ans: the principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House, or the party's manager in
the Senate; the majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee
assignments, and rounding up votes on behalf of the party's legislative positions (sets
agenda for congress, along w/ speaker of the house)
9). Whips
Ans: 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
10). Minority leader
Ans: the principal leader of the minority party in the H.O.R. or in the Senate
11). Standing committees
Ans: separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills
in different policy areas
12). Joint committees
Ans: congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn
from both houses
13). Conference committees
Ans: congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a
particular bill in different forms; party leadership appoints members from each house to
iron out the differences and bring back a single bill
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1). Incumbents
Ans: individuals who are already holding office that are up for reelection; in
congressional elections, incumbents usually win more often than not (especially in the
H.O.R.)
2). Casework
Ans: activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals,
particularly by cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they
have a right to get
3). Pork barrel
Ans: Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state & local governments,
businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district
4). Bicameral legislature
Ans: a legislature divided into 2 houses; the U.S. Congress & all state legislatures
except Nebraska's are bicameral (created from Connecticut Compromise); allows Senate/
House to check each other
5). House rules committee
Ans: the committee in the H.O.R. that reviews most bills (decides whether it gets put on
the calendar) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House
6). Filibuster
Ans: a strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation use
their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill; signaled by
a hold60 members present and voting can halt a filibuster
7). Speaker of the house
PaperStoc.com Page 1 of 6
, Ans: an office mandated by the Constitution; the speaker is chosen in practice by the
majority party, has both formal and informal power, and is second in line to succeed to the
presidency should that office become vacant, sets agenda for congress (along w/
majority leader)
8). Majority leader
Ans: the principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House, or the party's manager in
the Senate; the majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee
assignments, and rounding up votes on behalf of the party's legislative positions (sets
agenda for congress, along w/ speaker of the house)
9). Whips
Ans: 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
10). Minority leader
Ans: the principal leader of the minority party in the H.O.R. or in the Senate
11). Standing committees
Ans: separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills
in different policy areas
12). Joint committees
Ans: congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn
from both houses
13). Conference committees
Ans: congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a
particular bill in different forms; party leadership appoints members from each house to
iron out the differences and bring back a single bill
PaperStoc.com Page 2 of 6
