Chapter 12-13 Vocabulary Words

Consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President.

composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States. Its existence dates back to the first American President, George Washington, who to advise and assist him in his duties. Aside from the Attorney General, they all receive the title Secretary.

the power of an executive to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually budget appropriations, without vetoing the entire legislative package. The line-item vetoes are usually subject to the possibility of legislative override as are traditional vetoes.

an additional provision annexed to a bill under the consideration of a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill.[citation needed] Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision which would not pass as its own bill.

the short period after a President is inaugurated when the opposition party refrains from attack, Congress is inclined to support some of the President's initiatives, and the President receives high public approval ratings. Within a month or two partisan attacks generally resume and the honeymoon period ends.

a situation in which one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of the United States Congress.

a situation in which the presidency and both houses of Congress are controlled by the same political party

For each bill vetoed or partially vetoed, the governor must explain the reasons for the veto in a message to the legislature.

a legislative maneuver in American federal lawmaking that allows the President to indirectly veto a bill. If the President does not sign the bill within the required time period, the bill becomes law by default. However, the exception to this rule is if Congress adjourns before the ten days have passed and the President has not yet signed the bill. In such a case, the bill does not become law; it is effectively, if not actually, vetoed.

an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected.

the House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment and the Senate the sole power to try convictions.

A formal accusation against a public official by the lower house of a legislative body. Impeachment is merely an accusation and not a conviction.

a Cabinet-level office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). It is an important conduit by which the White House oversees the activities of federal agencies. OMB is tasked with giving expert advice to senior White House officials on a range of topics relating to federal policy, management, legislative, regulatory, and budgetary issues.

someone within an institution of a government..

The structure and set of regulations in place to control activity, usually in large organizations and government. It is represented by standardized procedure (rule-following) that dictates the execution of most or all processes within the body, formal division of powers, hierarchy, and relationships.

an informal practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party—as opposed to a system of awarding offices on the basis of some measure of merit independent of political activity.

the process of promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political connections.

An independent agency of the United States government that manages the civil service of the federal government.

A government department or a subdivision of a department

the power to make a decision where the choice of whether to make a decision is that of the decision maker.

a part of the United States federal government civil service. Applicants for jobs in the competitive civil service must compete with other applicants in open competition under the merit system administered by the Office of Personnel Management.

money set aside (as by a legislature) for a specific purpose

an agency of the United States government that is created by an act of Congress and is independent of the executive departments

a United States federal law whose main provision is to prohibit federal employees (civil servants) from engaging in partisan political activity.

A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group that often becomes a mutually advantageous alliance.

an alliance of various interest groups and individuals who unite in order to promote a single issue in government policy.