| A | B |
|---|
| Speaker of the House | the presiding officer of the House of Reprsenatives, chosen by and from the majority party in the House |
| President of the Senate | the presiding officer of a senate |
| President pro tempore | the member of the US Senate, or of the upper house of a State's legislature, chosen to preside in the absence of the President of the Senate |
| Floor leaders | members of the House and Senate picked to carry out party decisions and steer legislative action to meet party goals |
| Whip | assistants to the floor leaders, responsible for monitoring and marshalling votes |
| Party caucus | a meeting of party leaders and/or members to conduct party business |
| Committee chairman | member who heads a standing committee in a legislative body |
| Seniority rule | unwritten rule in both houses of Congress, the the top posts in each chamber will be held by "ranking members;" applied most strictly to committee chairmanships |
| Standing committees | permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specified subject matter area are referred |
| Select committee | legislative committee created for a limited time and for some specific purpose |
| Joint committee | legislative committee composed of member of both houses |
| Conference committee | temporary joint committee created to reconcile any differences between the two houses' versions of a bill |
| Bill | a proposal presented to a legislative body for possibe enactment as a law |
| Joint resolution | legislative measure that must be passed by both houses and approved by the chief executive to become effective; similar to a bill, with the force of law, and often used for unusual or temporary purposes |
| Concurrent resolution | measure passed by both houses of a legislature that does not have the force of law or require the chief executive's approval; often used to express the legislature's opinion or for internal rules or housekeeping |
| Resolution | measure relating to the internal business of one house in a legislature, or expressing that chamber's opionion on some matter, without the force of law |
| Rider | provision, unlikely to pass on its own merit, added to an important bill certain to pass so that it will "ride" through the legislative process |
| Discharge petition | a procedure to bring a bill to the floor of the legislative body when a committee has refused to report it |
| Subcommittee | division of existing committee that is formed to address specific issues |
| 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 | least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business |
| Cloture | procedure that may be used to limit or end floor debate in a legislative body |
| Veto | Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature |
| Pocket veto | type of veto a chief executive may use after a legislature had adjourned; it is applied when the chief executive does not formally sign or reject a bill within the time period allowed to do so |
| Filibuster | various tactics aimed at defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote on it; often associated with the US senate |
