| A | B |
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| reapportionment | The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts. |
| 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 imcumbent. |
| 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 office. |
| bicameralism | The principle of a two-house legislature. |
| enumerated powers | The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution. |
| speaker | The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally elected by the House but actully selected by the majority party. |
| 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. |
| whip | Party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 relinguish 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. |
| senatorial controversy | Presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work. |
| standing committee | A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focused on a policy area. |
| select or special 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. |
| seniority rule | A legislative practice that assigns the chair of a committee of subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest concinuous service on the committee. |
| conference committee | Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particual bill passed by each in different form. |
| delegate | An official who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislature. |
| trustee | An official who is expected to vote indeperdently based on his or her judgement of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislature. |
| attentive public | Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully. |
| logrolling | Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators. |
| discharge petition | Petition that, if signed by a majority of the members of the House of Representatives, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration. |
| rider | A provision attached to a bill - to which it may or may not be related - in order to secure its passage. |
| pocket veto | A veto exercised by the president after congress has adjourned, if the president takes no action for ten days, the bill does not become a law and is not returned to Congress for a possible override. |
| override | An action taken by Congress to reverse a presidential veto that requires a two-thirds majority in each chamber. |
| The framers of the Constitution believed that Congress could also be successful by? | By NOT passing any laws at all |
| The PATRIOT ACT is an example of? | Congress's ability to address foreign and domestic threats |
| The House of Representatives have how many members? | 435 |
| Members are elected to House how often and in what kind of year? | Every two years, and only in even years |
| How many House Representatives are up for election every year? | 435 |
| How long is the term of a Senator? | Six years |
| How many Senators are there? | 100 |
| How many Senators are up for election at one time? | One Third |
| How often are Senate elections? | Every two years |
| Requirements for a Representative? | 25 yrs/residency for 7yrs |
| Requirements for a Senator | 30yrs/residency for 9yrs |
| Both a Senator and a Representative have this reqirement in common... | Both must reside in the state which they represent |
| Are there term limits for a member of the Senate or House? | No |
| Why are the terms in the Senate longer? | To serve as a check against the "unpredictable" House |
| How do you tell when a politician is lying? | Whenever his lips are moving |
| Representation in the House is determined by? | Population |
| Each state has how many Senators? | Two |
| Redistricting is performed how often? | Every ten years |
| Who controls the redistricting process? | The states |
| Redistricting that is done for partisan purposes, or to help incumbents, especially the legislative majority, is called? | Gerrymandering |
| Is gerrymandering legal? | Yes |
| What is illegal when it comes to redistricting? | Redistricting so that a minority party loses influence |
| Factors on a a Congressional Election? | Campaign financing, local and national policy issues, skill |
| Senate elections tend to be? | Highly competitve, well financed, focused on national issues |
| House elections tend to be? | Local affairs |
| If looking at the Capitol Building from the front, the House of Representatives can be found on what side? | Your left hand side |
| If two legislative bodies are separated, they are considered what? | Bicameral |
| Although bicameral, the Senate and the House publish their records together. What is the name of the publication? | Congressional Record |
| The major idea in bicameralism is to? | Protect the minortity from being oppressed by strong willed majorities |
| Bicameralism ensures what? | That votes will be taken before policy is approved, and gives legislators bargain time on their different views on issues |
| List some ENUMERATED POWERS of Congress... | Abilities to coin money, regulate citizenship, build post offices, levy taxes, establish lower courts |
| Clause that allows Congress to do whatever is necessary to carry out its duties? | Necessary and Proper Clause |
| Nonlegislative functions of Congress? | Impeachment and constitutional amendments |
| Which body of Congress can bring charges against an official? | The House of Representatives |
| The body of Congress that tries the official? | The Senate |
| What is a function exclusive to the House of Representatives? | All revenue bills must orginate in the House |
| Regular rules can be overidden in the House by what kind of vote? | 2/3s |
| Immediate action can be taken in the House with what? | Unanimous consent |
| In a quorum there are how many members? | 100 |
| Who chooses the Speaker of the House? | The House of Representatives |
| The Speaker ranks where in the Presidential heirarchy? | 3rd (President, Vice President, Speaker of the House) |
| Although the duties of the Speaker of the House aren't defined in the Constitution, the Speaker's routine powers include? | Recognizing members who wish to speak rulings on parliamentary procedures, committee appointments |
| The minority leader will step into what position if his party becomes the majority? | Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| The House Rules Committee does what? | Regulates floor time for debates, sets limitations on floor amendments |
| The Rules Committee can delay bill consideration by what? | Refusing to grant rule |
| The Senate's leader is elected by who? | The majority party |
| Who does the Senate majority leader work with? | The minority leader in the Senate |
| Who is the first to be heard on the Senate floor? | The Senate majority leader |
| Who serves as the President of the Senate? | The Vice President of the United States |
| When can the President of the Senate vote? | In cases of a tie |
| The most senior member of the majority party is usually elected to the position of? | President pro tempore |
| The President pro tempore acts as what? | The chair of the Senate in the abscence of the Vice President of the United States |
| A senator can hold the floor as long as he wants, unless a what is reached? | Supermajority, consisting of 60 members |
| The hold in the Senate has what function? | Allows senators to temporarily block the consideration of a bill or presidential nomination |
| The power of the hold in the Senate was or was not found in the Constitution? | WAS NOT |
| Filibusters, not the Ghostbusters, do what? | Delay Senate proceedings talking continuously |
| Filibusters are dangerous at what time? | At the end of a session when a date has been fixed for adjournment |
| Clotures can do what? | Stop filibusters |
| How are clotures attained? | By getting 16 senators to sign a petition, and then 60/100 senators to vote in favor |
| When it comes to confirmations, the Senate plays the most important role in the appointments of which branch? | Judicial |
| Which Congressional Committes are the most durable and serve as the source for most bills? | Standing Committees |
| Committees that address tempory or special concerns are? | Special or Select Committees |
| Joint Committees consist of members of what? | The House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Standing Committees are divided into what subcommittees? | Authorizing, Appropriation, Rules and Administration, and Revenue and Budget Committees |
| Authorizing committees main functions are to? | Pass laws that tell government what to do, and to oversee federal bureaucracies |
| Appropriations committees main function is to? | Determine how much the government should spend on programs and operations |
| The Rules and Administration Committees role is to? | Determine the basic operations of the two houses |
| The Revenue and Budget Committees role is to? | Raise money for the Appropriation Committee |
| The committee in the House that consists of Republicans that selects committee members is called? | The Committee on Committees |
| The Steering and Policy Committee is exclusive to the? | House Democrats |
| Both parties in the Senate have (blank) that selects committee members? | Steering Committees |
| Committees and subcommittees in Congress are often grouped by? | Subject matter |
| Most committee and subcommittee chairs are determined by? | Seniority rule |
| What qualifies one for the chair of a committee? | To be considered you must be a member of the majority party and have the served the most time on that committee |
| When do committee chairs change? | With a change in the party majority, or the previous committee chair passes or steps down |
| Seniority Rule gives power to those who come from what kind of districts? | Safe |
| Two functions of the different committees of Congress are? | Investigation to see if legislation is needed, and oversight of the Executive Branch |
| To settle the differences between similar bills from each chamber what kind of committee is created? | Conference Committee |
| The Conference Committee is comprised of? | Both chambers, and both parties, with the majority party having more representatives |
| A bill that went under the scope of the Conference Committee can't be? | Amended |
| Delegates to the Conference Committee must convince its colleagues upon return that? | Unimportant points were changed, and that the bill is close to its originality |
| Caucuses are house, party, interest specific TRUE or FALSE? | TRUE |
| Privilege that is shared by Congressman? | Franking Privilege |
| Name the old "norms" of courtesy for Congressman? | Specialization, seniority, courtesy, apprenticeship |
| In today's Congress, there is still courtesy, however who comes first? | Yourself if you are a Congressman |
| Congressmen have two parties to please, who or what are they? | Their home districts, and the needs of the nation |
| Some influences on on legislators as lawmakers? | Policy and philosophy,voters, colleagues, congressional staff, party, interest groups, the President |
| Name the four stages of a bill? | Introduction (1), committee review (2), floor debates and passage (3), presidential approval (4) |
| Can the President introduce a bill? | NO, he can recommend legislation, but all bills must originate in the House or the Senate |
| Who is responsible for building a legislative record of the bill? | Congress |
| Bills can or cannot carry over into different Congressional terms? | CAN'T |
| Compromise is important because? | Without compromise, the bill won't pass in either house, the bills have to be identical, and the whole thing must be ratified |
| One criticism of Congress is that it is inefficient, has Congress done anything to change this? | Yes, and the pace of legislation hasn't changed |
| Name two criticism against Congress | Unethical, unrepresentative |
| Was the system of government that we have today meant to be inefficient? | YES |
