This site is 100% ad supported. Please add an exception to adblock for this site.

AP Govt. Terms: Congress

Important terms (regarding Congress) to know for the AP US Government test.

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
discharge petition
A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor. If a majority of members agree, the bill is discharged for the committee.
restrictive rule
an order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made to a bill on the floor
double-tracking
a procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster, whereby disputed bill is temprairly shelved so that the Senate can go on with other business
open rule
an order from teh HOuse Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor
pork-barrel legislation
legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hopes of winning their votes in return
majority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding a majority of seats in the House of the Senate
roll-call vote
a congressional procedure that consists of members answering yea or nay when their names are called
standing committees
permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area
safe district
a house district in which the winner of the general election carries more than 55% of the vote
marginal districts
political districts in which cnadidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55% of the vote
conservative coalition
an alliance between conservatice Democrats and Republicans
teller vote
A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, first the yeas, then the nays. Since 1971, teller votes are recorded at the request of twenty members.
conference committee
joint committe appointed to resolve differences in House and Senate version of the same bill
public bill
a legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern, like defense expenditures
joint resolution
a formal expression of congressional sopinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; however, joint resolutions proposing constitutional amendment need not be signed by the president
caucus
an asociation of Congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest
filibuster
an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill
joint committee
committee on which both representatices and senators serve
simple resolution
an espression of opinion, without the force of law, either in the House or the Senate, to settle housekeeping or procedural matters in either body
private bill
a legislative bill that deals with specific, private, personal or local mtter, like a bill pertaining to an individual becoming a naturalized citizen
sequential referral
a congressional process by which a speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting
voice vote
A congressional voting procedure used in both houses in which members vote by shouting yea or nay
whip
a senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking
party polarization
a vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a mjority of Republican legislators
quorum call
a calling of the roll in either house of Congress to see whether the number of representatives in attendance meets the minimum number required to conduct business
minority leader
the legislative leader elected by praty members holding a minority of seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate
division vote
a congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted
bicameral legislature
a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
concurrent reolution
an espression of opinion withouth the force of law that reuires the pproval of both the House and the Senate, but not the President
cloture rule
a rule used by the Senate, providing to end or limit debate
multiple referral
A congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several committees that consider it simulaneously in whole or in part
quorum
the minimum number of members required to be in attendance for Congress to conduct official business
select committees
permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area
closed rule
an order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate and forbids a particular bill from being amended on the floor

Deck Info

34

permalink