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36 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Appropriations |
Acts that give federal agencies the authority to spend the money allocated to them
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Authorizations
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Acts that enable agencies and departments to operate, either by creating them or authorizing their continuance |
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Cloture
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A rule in the Senate that allows debate to be cut off by three-fifths of those present and voting
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Conference Committee
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A committee set up to resolve the differences in a bill passed by different chambers
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Constituency
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The term used to refer to both the area and residents that make up the district of a member of Congress
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Divided Government
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When one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
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Earmark
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A method of inconspicuously attaching a request for money for a specific project in a bill
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Filibuster
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A continuous speech made by one or more members of the Senate to prevent a piece of legislation from being brought to the floor for a vote
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Majority Leader
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Second in command to the Speaker of the House and the one officially in charge of the party’s legislative agenda.
Also, working with the Speaker, the Majority leader schedules votes on bills |
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Oversight
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Congress’ responsibility to make sure that the bureaucracy is administering federal programs as Congress intended
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Pay-as-you-go (paygo) rule
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Requires all new spending to be offset by a revenue source or spending cuts elsewhere
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Pork-barrel Projects
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Funds obtained by members of Congress for special projects, new programs, buildings, or other public works that bring jobs, benefits and business to their districts or states
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Reapportionment
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When the 435 seats in Congress are allocated among the states based on the latest US Census
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Appropriations |
Acts that give federal agencies the authority to spend the money allocated to them
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Authorizations
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Acts that enable agencies and departments to operate, either by creating them or authorizing their continuance |
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Cloture
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A rule in the Senate that allows debate to be cut off by three-fifths of those present and voting
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Conference Committee
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A committee set up to resolve the differences in a bill passed by different chambers
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Constituency
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The term used to refer to both the area and residents that make up the district of a member of Congress
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Divided Government
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When one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
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Earmark
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A method of inconspicuously attaching a request for money for a specific project in a bill
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Filibuster
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A continuous speech made by one or more members of the Senate to prevent a piece of legislation from being brought to the floor for a vote
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Majority Leader
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Second in command to the Speaker of the House and the one officially in charge of the party’s legislative agenda.
Also, working with the Speaker, the Majority leader schedules votes on bills |
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Oversight
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Congress’ responsibility to make sure that the bureaucracy is administering federal programs as Congress intended
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Pay-as-you-go (paygo) rule
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Requires all new spending to be offset by a revenue source or spending cuts elsewhere
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Pork-barrel Projects
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Funds obtained by members of Congress for special projects, new programs, buildings, or other public works that bring jobs, benefits and business to their districts or states
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Reapportionment
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When the 435 seats in Congress are allocated among the states based on the latest US Census
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Redistricting
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Redrawing district lines to account for a change in the number of seats or populations shifts
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Standing Committees
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Permanent committees in Congress…each having a number of subcommittees
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Unified Government
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When one party controls the White House as well as both houses of Congress
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Whips
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Members who have the responsibility to maintain contact with other members in their party, determine which way they are leaning on votes, and attempt to gain their support
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Members; Who can serve? & Length of service |
-Who can serve? 25 years old in the House of Representatives30 years old in the Senate Members must live in the states in which they are elected, but House members do not need to live in their own districts -Length of serviceTwo year terms in the House of Representatives Six year terms in the Senate One-third up for election every two years No national term limits (but there are state laws in 23 states regarding state and national term limits |
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Advantages of incumbency
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-Recognition-Casework -Mailing privileges (franking( -Media and technology advantages-Fund-raising (“juice” committees)-Pork-barrel funding
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Standing Committees(additional info)
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-20 in the House-16 in the Senate-Each has a number of subcommittees (100 in the House and 75 in the Senate)-Selection committees for new members…some self selection for senior members
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Select/special committees
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-Temporary committees typically set up to “investigate a problem or to hold hearings and issue a report on special problems that arise.” |
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Joint committees
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Committees that include members of the House and the Senate. The chair alternates between a House and Senate member
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What Congress does
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-Lawmaking-Oversight-Budget making
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