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| filibuster |
DEF: A tactic used by senators to block a bill by continuing to hold the floor and speak.
EX: Holding the floor for 24 hours until the bill is killed.
SIG: Provides a way to kill an unwanted bill by talking until the bill's supporters back down. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:47:19 GMT |
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| cloture |
DEF: A procedure through which the Senate can limit the amount of time spent debating a bill (cutting off a filibuster), if a supermajority of sixty senators agree.
EX:
SIG: Prevents a filibuster and saves time. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:47:19 GMT |
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| veto |
DEF: The president's rejection of a bill that has been passed by Congress.
EX: If Obama received a bill he didn't approve of, he would not sign it.
SIG: Allows the executive branch to check the legislative branch. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:47:19 GMT |
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| conference committee |
DEF: Temporary committee created to negotiate differences between the House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation that has passed through both chambers.
EX: Composed of standing committee members.
SIG: Makes sure the President gets the same exact version of a bill from the House and Senate. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:41:01 GMT |
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| joint committee |
DEF: Committees that contain members of both the House and Senate but have limited authority.
EX: Joint Committee of Atomic Energy or Joint Committee on Taxation.
SIG: Has little legislative authority and typically takes care of administrative housekeeping tasks. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:41:01 GMT |
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| select committee |
DEF: Committees in the House or Senate created to address a specific issue for one or two terms.
EX: Select House Committee or Homeland Security
SIG: Allows a certain policy to be specifically focused on by one committee. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:36:05 GMT |
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| standing committee |
DEF: Committees that are a permanent part of the House or Senate structure, holding more importance and authority than other committees.
EX: Standard committee
SIG: Draft legislation and oversee the implementation of the laws they pass. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:36:05 GMT |
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| president pro tempore |
DEF: A largely symbolic position usually held by the most senior member of the majority party in the Senate.
EX:
SIG: Presides over Senate when the President is not there. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:36:05 GMT |
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| minority leader |
DEF: The elected head of the party holding the minority of seats in the House or Senate.
EX:
SIG: Presides over the minority party. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:36:05 GMT |
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| whip system |
DEF: An organization of House leaders who work to disseminate information and promote party unity in voting on legislation
EX:
SIG: Gathers information, disseminates information, and builds coalitions. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:28:38 GMT |
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| majority leader |
DEF: The elected head of the party holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate.
EX:
SIG: National spokesperson for the party and helps with day-to-day legislation. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:23:34 GMT |
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| Speaker of the House |
DEF: The elected leader of the House of Representatives.
EX:
SIG: Influences legislative agenda, committee assignments, scheduling, and overall strategy. Third in line for succession for the President. Makes the rules for debates on the floor. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:23:34 GMT |
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| seniority |
DEF: The informal congressional norm of choosing the member who has served the longest on a particular committee to be the committee chair.
EX: Joe has served thirty years on a committee which is the longest of anyone so he is granted committee chair.
SIG: Provides a simple fair way to assign the committee chair. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:23:34 GMT |
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| apportionment |
DEF: The process of assigning the 435 seats in the House to the states based on increases or decreases in state populations.
EX: California currently holds 53 seats and if population decreases then California could end up with 52 seats.
SIG: Keeps House representation roughly equal in proportion. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:23:34 GMT |
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| redistricting |
DEF: Redrawing the geographic boundaries of legislative districts.
EX: If the population decreases in a certain state according to the census then new districts are drawn.
SIG: Happens every ten years to ensure that districts remain roughly equal in proportion. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:07:58 GMT |
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| substantive representation |
DEF: When a member of Congress represents constituents' interests and policy concerns.
EX: A member from a district in California votes the way his constituents wants him to.
SIG: Helps build popularity for the Congressman and helps get him reelected. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:07:58 GMT |
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| gridlock |
DEF: An inability to enact legislation because of partisan conflict within Congress or between Congress and the President.
EX: A bill for lower taxes is passed by Congress, but the President is of a different party so the bill gets vetoed.
SIG: Causes a lot of bills to be killed and many possible laws not get passed. |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:07:58 GMT |
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| pork barrel |
DEF: Legislative appropriations that benefit specific constituents.
EX:
SIG: Aim of helping local representatives win reelection |
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aaadd Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:07:58 GMT |
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