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APUSGOVT-Congress-EAR
Chapter 11 People's Branch
30
Political Studies
12th Grade
11/18/2008

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Cards

Term

Reapportionment

Definition
the assigning by congress of congressional seats after each census. state legislatures reapportion state legislative districts
Term
Redistricting
Definition
the redrawing of congressional and othere legislative districts lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population
Term
Gerrymandering
Definition
the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent
Term

Incumbents

Definition
the current holders of elected office
Term
Enumerated Powers
Definition

the powers explicitly given to congress in the consitution

Term
Speaker
Definition
the presiding officer in the house of representatives, formally elected by the house but actually selected by the majority party
Term
Majority Leader
Definition
the legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other pary leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in a line
Term
Minority Leader
Definition
the legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for opposition
Term
Whip
Definition
party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature
Term
Party Caucus
Definition
a meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy
Term
Closed Rule
Definition
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
Term
Open Rule
Definition
a procedural rule in the house of representatives that permits floor amendments whithin the overall time allocated to the bill
Term
President Pro Tempore
Definition
officer of the senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president
Term
Hold
Definition
procedural practice in the senate wherby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of a bill or nomination
Term
Fillibuster
Definition
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
Term
Cloture
Definition
a precedure for terminating debate, especially fillibuster, in the senate
Term
Senatorial Courtesy
Definition
presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work
Term
Standing Committee
Definition

permanent committee est. in a legislature, usually focusing on a party area

Term

Special or Select Committee

Definition

congressional commitee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation

Term

Joint Committee

Definition
a committee composed of members of both the house of representatives and that senate
Term
Senoirity Rule
Definition
legislative practice that assigns the chair of a committee or subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee
Term
Conference Committee
Definition
committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form
Term
Delegate
Definition
an official who is expected to represent views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator
Term
Trustee
Definition
an official who is expected to vote independently based on his or her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of the role of the legislator
Term
Attentive Public
Definition
those citizens who follow public affairs carefully
Term
Logrolling
Definition
mutual aid and vote trading among legislators
Term
Discharge Petition
Definition
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
Term
Rider
Definition
provision attached to a bill-to which it may or may not be related-in order to secure its passage
Term
Pocket Veto
Definition
a veto exercised by the president after congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for ten days, the bill does not become law and is not returned to congress for a possible override
Term
Override
Definition

action taken by congress to reverse a presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber

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