Terms : Hide Images
| 8662895622 | Bicameral Legislature | A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts. | 0 | |
| 8662895623 | Filibuster | An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action to the bill | 1 | |
| 8662895624 | Marginal District | Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55% of the vote. | 2 | |
| 8662895625 | Franking Privilege | The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage. | 3 | |
| 8662895626 | Conservative Coaliton | Alliance between Republicans and conservative Democrats | 4 | |
| 8662895627 | Majority Leader | The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate. Senate Majority Leader: Mitch McConnell (aka Turtle Man) (R) KY. House Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R) CA. |  | 5 |
| 8662895628 | Minority Leader | Legislative leader elected by minority party members. Representative of lesser party | 6 | |
| 8662895629 | Party Whip | A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking. A party leader who makes certain that party members are present for a vote and vote the way the party wishes. | 7 | |
| 8662895630 | Political Polarization | A vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators. | 8 | |
| 8662895631 | Congressional Caucus | A group of Congress members that meet to pursue common legislative objectives. | 9 | |
| 8662895632 | Standing Committee | Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area. | 10 | |
| 8662895633 | Select Committee | Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose. | 11 | |
| 8662895634 | Joint Committee | Committees on which both senators and representatives serve. | 12 | |
| 8662895635 | Conference Committee | A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill. | 13 | |
| 8662895638 | Safe District | Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more. | 14 | |
| 8662895640 | Joint Resolution | Formal expression of congressional opinion. Must be approved by both houses and president. A law | 15 | |
| 8662895643 | Simple Resolution | An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body. | 16 | |
| 8662895644 | Concurrent Resolution | An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president. | 17 | |
| 8662895645 | Discharge Petition | A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for thirty days, may petition to have brought to the floor. | 18 | |
| 8662895646 | Closed Rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor. | 19 | |
| 8662895647 | Open Rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor. | 20 | |
| 8662895648 | Quorum | The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress. | 21 | |
| 8662895649 | Rider | A provision added to a piece of legislation that is not germane to the bill's purpose. | 22 | |
| 8662895650 | Cloture Rule | A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate. Can break filibuster by 3/5 of the vote. Nuclear option | 23 | |
| 8662895654 | Pork Barrel Legislation | Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return. | 24 | |
| 8662895655 | President Pro Tem | Presides over the Senate when the vice president is absent. | 25 | |
| 8662895656 | War Powers Act | Allows Congress to limit the president's use of military forces. The president must tell Congress within 48 hours if he sends armed forces anywhere, and Congress must give approval for them to stay there for more than 90 days (passed shortly after Nixon's resignation). | 26 | |
| 8662895657 | Party Polarization | Votes of one party oppose most of the other | 27 | |
| 8662895658 | Speaker | Presiding officer of the H.O.R. and the leader of his party in the house | 28 | |
| 8662895662 | Divided Government | One party controls the White House and another controls one or both houses | 29 | |
| 8662895663 | Unified Government | Same party controls the White House and both houses | 30 | |
| 8662895664 | Earmarks | "Hidden" congressional provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific projects or exempt some from paying certain federal taxes/ fees | 31 |
