PLSI 2 Terms Exam 3 CSU Fresno
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5p7upm
1. Constituent One of the persons represented by a legislator or other elected or appointed
official.
2. Bicameralism The division of a legislature into two separate assemblies.
3. Lawmaking The process of establishing the legal rules that govern society
4. Earmarks Special provisions in legislation to set aside funds for projects that have not passed
an impartial evaluation by agencies of the executive branch. Also known as pork.
5. representation The function of members of Congress as elected officials representing the views
of their constituents.
6. Trustee A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests
of the entire society.
7. instructed dele- A legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected him or her and who votes
gate according to the views of constituents regardless of personal beliefs.
8. Casework Personal work for constituents by members of Congress.
9. oversight The process by which Congress follows up on laws it has enacted to ensure that
they are being enforced and administered in the way Congress intended.
10. Rules Committee A standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules
under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the
house.
11. Filibuster The use of the Senate's tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block
a bill.
12. Reappointment the allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census
13. Redistricting The redrawing of congressional districts within each state
, PLSI 2 Terms Exam 3 CSU Fresno
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5p7upm
14. Gerrymandering the drawing of legislative district boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining
partisan or factional advantage
15. packing In gerrymandering, packing as many voters as possible of the opposing party into
a single district.
16. Cracking In gerrymandering, splitting the opposing party's voters into many different
districts.
17. discharge peti- A procedure by which a bill in the House of Representatives may be forced
tion (discharged) out of a committee that has refused to report it for consideration
by the House. The petition must be signed by an absolute majority (218) of
representatives and is used only on rare occasions.
18. standing com- A permanent committee in the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain
mittee subject area.
19. select committee A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a
special purpose.
20. joint committee A legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress
21. conference com- A special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pass the
mittee two chambers of Congress in different forms.
22. seniority system A custom followed in both chambers of Congress specifying that the member
of the majority party with the longest term of continuous service will be given
preference when a committee chairperson (or a holder of some other significant
post) is selected.
23. Speaker of the the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen by and from the
House majority party in the House
24.
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5p7upm
1. Constituent One of the persons represented by a legislator or other elected or appointed
official.
2. Bicameralism The division of a legislature into two separate assemblies.
3. Lawmaking The process of establishing the legal rules that govern society
4. Earmarks Special provisions in legislation to set aside funds for projects that have not passed
an impartial evaluation by agencies of the executive branch. Also known as pork.
5. representation The function of members of Congress as elected officials representing the views
of their constituents.
6. Trustee A legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests
of the entire society.
7. instructed dele- A legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected him or her and who votes
gate according to the views of constituents regardless of personal beliefs.
8. Casework Personal work for constituents by members of Congress.
9. oversight The process by which Congress follows up on laws it has enacted to ensure that
they are being enforced and administered in the way Congress intended.
10. Rules Committee A standing committee of the House of Representatives that provides special rules
under which specific bills can be debated, amended, and considered by the
house.
11. Filibuster The use of the Senate's tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block
a bill.
12. Reappointment the allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census
13. Redistricting The redrawing of congressional districts within each state
, PLSI 2 Terms Exam 3 CSU Fresno
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5p7upm
14. Gerrymandering the drawing of legislative district boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining
partisan or factional advantage
15. packing In gerrymandering, packing as many voters as possible of the opposing party into
a single district.
16. Cracking In gerrymandering, splitting the opposing party's voters into many different
districts.
17. discharge peti- A procedure by which a bill in the House of Representatives may be forced
tion (discharged) out of a committee that has refused to report it for consideration
by the House. The petition must be signed by an absolute majority (218) of
representatives and is used only on rare occasions.
18. standing com- A permanent committee in the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain
mittee subject area.
19. select committee A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a
special purpose.
20. joint committee A legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress
21. conference com- A special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pass the
mittee two chambers of Congress in different forms.
22. seniority system A custom followed in both chambers of Congress specifying that the member
of the majority party with the longest term of continuous service will be given
preference when a committee chairperson (or a holder of some other significant
post) is selected.
23. Speaker of the the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen by and from the
House majority party in the House
24.
