| A | B |
|---|
| The system under which committee chairs are awarded to members who have the longest continuous service on the committee | seniority |
| An assembly of party representatives that chooses a government and discusses major national issues | Parliament |
| Explanation of congressional voting which suggests members of Congress respond primarily to cues provided by their colleagues | organizational view |
| An alliance of conservative Democrats with Republicans for voting purposes | conservative coalition |
| Indicated by votes in which a majority of voting Democrats oppose a majority of voting Republicans | party polarization |
| A rule issued by the Rules Committee that does not allow a bill to be amended on the House floor | closed rule |
| Resolution used for matters such as establishing the rules under which each body will operate | simple resolution |
| Resolution used for settling housekeeping and procedural matters that affect both houses | concurrent resolution |
| Resolution that is essentially the same as a law and is used to propose constitutional amendments | joint resolution |
| A means by which senators can extend debate on a bill in order to prevent or delay its consideration | filibuster |
| Explanation of congressional voting which emphasizes the impact of personal ideology and party identification as a voting cue | attitudinal view |
| A Senate rule offering a means for stopping a filibuster | cloture rule |
| A rule issued by the Rules Committee that permits some amendments to a bill but not to others | restrictive rule |
| Committee revisions of a bill | markup |
| An association of members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional or economic interest | congressional caucus |
| An individual who assists the party leader in staying abreast of the concerns and voting intentions of the party members | party whip |
| Assigns Republicans to standing committees in the Senate | Committee on Committees |
| Explanation of congressional voting that is based on the assumption that members want to get reelected and vote to please their constituents. | representational view |
| The group that decides what business comes up for a vote and what the limitations on debate should be | House Rules Committee |
| A means by which the House can remove a bill stalled in committee | discharge petition |
| The process through which a bill is referred to several committees that simultaneously consider it in whole or in parte | multiple referral |
| Assigns Democrats to standing committees in the Senate | Steering Committee |
| A meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of policy | party caucus |
| The extent to which members of a party vote together in the House or the Senate | party vote |
| A lawmaking body composed of two chambers or parts | bicameral legislature |
| Districts in which the winner got less than 55 percent of the vote | marginal districts |
| Unrelated amendments added to a bill | riders |
| Districts in which the winner got more than 55 percent of the vote | safe districts |
| The process through which a bill is referred to second committee after the first is finished acting | sequential referral |
| A traditional, pejorative name for the United States Senate | Millionaire’s Club |
| The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate | majority leader |
| Congressional committees appointed for a limited time period and purpose | select committees |
| The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge | franking privilege |
| A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering yea or nay to their names | roll call vote |
| The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or Senate | minority leader |
| A committee on which both representatives and senators serve | joint committee |
| Legislation that deals with matters of general concern | public bill |
| An order from the Rules Committee in the House that permits a bill to be amended on the legislative floor | open rule |
| A method of voting used in both houses in which members vote by shouting yea or nay | voice vote |
| A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, first the yeas and then the nays | teller vote |
| A procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster; the disputed bill is shelved temporarily | double tracking |
| A special type of joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation | conference committees |
| A bill that has many riders Aiß | Christmas tree bill |
| A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted | division vote |
| The permanent committees of each house with the power to report bills | standing committees |
| Legislation that deals only with specific matters rather than with general legislative affairs | private bill |
| Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in the hope of winning their votes | pork barrel legislation |
| A calling of the role in either house of Congress to determine whether the number of members in attendance meets the minimum number required to conduct official business | quorum call |
