CongressVocab

1. Appropriations:MoneygrantedbyCongressortoastatelegislatureforaspecific
purpose
2. Authorization:Moneythatisbudgetedonayearlybasisforexample,Congressmayset
yearlylimitsonwhatagenciescanspend
3. Bicamerallegislature:alawmakingbodymadeupoftwochambersorparts
4. Caucus:anassociationofCongressionalmemberscreatedtoadvanceapolitical
ideologyoraregional,ethnic,oreconomicinterest
5. Christmastreebill:abillthatattractsmany,oftenunrelated,flooramendments.
consistsofmanyriders
6. Closedrules:limitationimposedbyRuleCommitteeoftheHouseontheamountof
debatetimeallottedtoabillandontheintroductionofamendmentfromthefloororany
amendments
7. Openrules:arulefromtherulescommitteeofthehousewhichpermitsamendments
fromtheflooronaparticularpieceoflegislation
8. Cloture:rule22ofSenate,providingfortheendofdebateonabillif3/5softhe
membersagree,acloturemotionisbroughttothefloorifsixteensenatorssigna
petition.purposeistoendafilibusterandforceavoteonabill
9. Concurrentresolution:usedtosettlehousekeepingandproceduralmattersthataffect
bothhouses,theyaren'tsignedbythepresidentanddonothavetheforceoflawex.
budget
10. Conferencecommittees:typeofjointcommitteeappointedtoresolvedifferencesin
houseandsenateversionsofabill
11. Conservativecoalition:voteincongressiswhichconservativedemocratsjoinwith
republicans
12. Dischargepetition:procedureforremovinglegislationfromthecontrolofacommittee
andbringingittothefloorforimmediateconsideration.inthehouse,needs218names
andinthesenateonepersontosuggestbutamajorityvote
13. Elasticclause:foundinArticleISection8oftheConstitution,itgivesCongressthe
powertomake"alllawsnecessaryandproper"tocarryouttheotherdefinedpowersof
Congress.
14. Filibuster:prolongedspeechorseriesofspeechesmadetodelayactiononlegislation,
purposeistokillthebillbytalkingittodeath
15. FrankingPrivilege:abilityofmembersofCongresstomaillettertotheirconstituentsfree
ofchargebysubstitutingtheirfacsimilesignature(frank)forpostage
16. Gerrymandering:drawingcongressionaldistrictlinesinabizarreorunusualshapeto
makeiteasyforacandidateofonepartytowinelectionsinthatdistrict
17. Incumbency:Thepersoncurrentlyholdingoffice
18. Jointcommittees:Committeesmadeupofmembersofbothhouseof
Congresshousekeepingissuesdecided
19. Logrolling:Theexchangeofpoliticalfavorsforsupportofabill
20. MajorityleaderoftheHouse,MajorityleaderoftheSenate:theprinciplepartisanallyof
theSpeakeroftheHouseortheparty'swheelhorseintheSenate.Themajorityleader

isresponsibleforschedulingbills,influencingcommitteeassignments,androundingup
votesinbehalfoftheparty'slegislativepositions.
21. Malapportionment:creationofcongressionaldistrictsinastatewhichareofunequal
size.TheSupremeCourtin1964eliminatedthepracticebyrequiringthatalldistrictsina
statecontainaboutthesamenumberofpeople
22. Markingup:revisionsandadditionstolegislationmadebycommitteesand
subcommittees
23. MinorityleaderoftheHouse,MinorityleaderoftheSenate:Theprincipalleaderofthe
minoritypartyintheHouseofRepresentativesorintheSenate.
24. Partypolarization:IndicatedbyvotesinwhichamajorityofvotingDemocratsopposea
majorityofvotingRepublicans.
25. Pigeonholing:tosetacongressionalbillasideincommitteewithoutconsideringit
26. Porkbarrellegislation:Themightylistoffederalprojectsgrants,andcontractsavailable
tocities,businesses,colleges,andinstitutionsavailableinacongressionaldistrict.
27. Presidentialprotempore:aconstitutionallyrecognizedofficerofalegislativebodywho
presidesoverthechamberintheabsenceofthenormalpresidingofficer.
28. Quorum:minimumnumberofrepresentativesrequiredtobeinattendancetoconduct
officialbusiness
29. RevenueBills:Taxbills(mustoriginateintheHouse)toraisemoneyforthegovernment.
30. Safedistricts:congressionaldistrictinwhichthewinnerofthegeneralelectioncarries
morethan55%ofthevote,usuallysafeandcarriedbyincumbentswithwidemargins
31. Selectcommittees:congressionalcommitteeappointedforalimitedtimeperiodand
purpose
32. Senioritysystem:asystemthatgivesthememberofthemajoritypartywiththelongest
uninterruptedserviceonaparticularcommitteetheleadershipofthatcommittee.
33. SpeakeroftheHouse:constitutionallymandatespresidingofficeroftheHouse,the
speakerischoseninthecaucusofthemajoritypartyandisempoweredtorecognize
memberstospeakonthefloor,torulewhetheramotionisgermane,toassignbillsto
committee,toappointhousememberstoselectandjointcommitteesandtoappointthe
majoritymembersoftheRulesCommittee
34. Standingcommittees:permanentcommitteesofeachhousewiththepowertoreportbills
35. TermLimits:lawsthatlimitthenumberoftermselectedofficialscanserve
36. Whip:Partyleaderswhoworkwiththemajorityleaderorminorityleadertocountvotes
beforehandandleanonwavererswhosevotesarecrucialtoabillfavoredbytheparty.