Terms : Hide Images
| 733844205 | constituent | one of the persons represented by a legislator or other elected or appointed official. | |
| 733844206 | homestyle | the actions and behaviors of a member of Congress aimed at the constituents and intended to win the support and trust of the voters at home. | |
| 733844207 | hillside | the actions of a member of Congress in Washington, D.C., intended to promote policies and the member's own career aspirations. | |
| 733844208 | bicameralism | a legislature made up of two parts, called chambers; the U.S. Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is a bicameral legislature. | |
| 733844209 | lawmaking | the process of establishing the legal rules that govern society. | |
| 733844210 | logrolling | an arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other's bills. | |
| 733844211 | trustee | a legislator who acts according to her or his conscience and the broad interests of the entire society. | |
| 733844212 | instructed delegate | a legislator who is an agent of the voters who elected him or her and who votes according to the views of constituents regardless of personal beliefs. | |
| 733844213 | casework | personal work for constituents by members of Congress. | |
| 733844214 | ombudsperson | a person who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies. | |
| 733844215 | oversight | the process by which Congress follows up on laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administered in the way Congress intended. | |
| 733844216 | enumerated powers | powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution; the first 17 clauses of Article 1, Section 8, specify most of the (?) powers of the national government. | |
| 733844217 | midterm elections | some members of the US Senate, all members of the House of Representatives, and many state and local positions are voted on. | |
| 733844218 | reapportionment | When a state gains or loses population then the state loses or gains Congressmen. | |
| 733844219 | redistricting | The process of redrawing legislative districts. | |
| 733844220 | gerrymandering | the legislative process by which the majority party in each state legislature redraws congressional districts to ensure the maximum number of seats for its candidates. | |
| 733844221 | safe seat | a district that returns the legislator with 55% of the vote or more. | |
| 733844222 | franking privilege | a policy that enables members of Congress to send material through the mail by substituting their facsimile signature for postage. | |
| 733844223 | discharge petition | a procedure by which a bill in the House of Representatives may be forced out of a committee that has refused to report it for consideration by the House; petition must be signed by an absolute majority (218) of representatives and is used only on rare occasions. | |
| 733844224 | earmarks | funding appropriations that are specifically designated for a named project in a member's state or district. | |
| 733844225 | pork-barrel legislation | A government project or appropriation that yields jobs or other benefits to a specific locale and patronage opportunities to its political representative. | |
| 733844226 | fiscal year | a 12-month period used for bookkeeping, or accounting purposes; usually, the fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year; for example, the federal government's fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. | |
| 733844227 | executive budget | the budget prepared and submitted by the president to Congress. | |
| 733844228 | appropriation | the passage, by Congress, of a spending bill specifying the amount of authorized funds that actually will be allocated for an agency's use. | |
| 733844229 | filibuster | the use of the Senate's tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill. | |
| 733844230 | majority-minority districts | refers to a United States congressional district composed of racial or ethnic minorities' constituents; ex: Memphis. | |
| 733844231 | malapportionment | Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population. | |
| 733844232 | congressional caucus | association of members in congress who seek to advocate a certain party ideology and regional or economic interest | |
| 733844233 | quorum | The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action. | |
| 733844234 | cloture | a rule used by the senate to end or limit debate (filibuster) with 60 votes | |
| 733844235 | rider bill | Unpopular provision added to an important bill certain to pass so that it will "ride" through the legislative process. | |
| 733844236 | Christmas bill | a bill with many riders. | |
| 733844237 | War Powers Resolution | A law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without Congressional approval. | |
| 733848572 | John Boehner | Speaker of the House | |
| 733848573 | Eric Cantor | Majority leader of the House | |
| 733848574 | Nancy Pelosi | Minority leader of the House | |
| 733848575 | Joe Biden | President of the Senate | |
| 733848576 | Patrick Leahy | President Pro Tempore | |
| 733848577 | Harry Reid | Senate Majority leader | |
| 733848578 | Mitch McConnell | Senate Minority leader |
