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Unit IV AP Government Flashcards

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8869279342incumbentsThose already holding office. In congressional elections, they usually win.0
8869279343caseworkActivities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.1
8869279344pork barrelThe mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district.2
8869279345bicameral legislatureA legislature divided into two houses. The U.S. Congress and every American state legislature except Nebraska's are this.3
8869279346House Rules CommitteeAn institution unique to the House of Representative that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.4
8869279347filibusterA strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate. Today, 60 members present and voting can halt this.5
8869279348Speaker of the HouseAn office mandated by the Constitution. This person is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed the presidency should that office become vacant.6
8869279349majority leaderThe principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's manager in the Senate. The majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions.7
8869279350minority leaderThe principal leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.8
8869279351standing committeesSeparate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas.9
8869279352joint committeesCongressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.10
8869279353conference committeesCongressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.11
8869279354select committeesCongressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation.12
8869279355legislative oversightCongress' monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.13
8869279356committee chairsThe most important influencers of the congressional agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.14
8869279357seniority systemA simple rule for picking committee chairs, in effect until the 1970s. The member who had served the committee the longest and whose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of the party loyalty, mental state, or competence.15
8869279358caucus (congressional)A group of members of Congress sharing some interest or characteristic. Most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses.16
8869279359billA proposed law, drafted in precise, legal language. Anyone can draft one of this, but only a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate can formally submit it for consideration.17
8869279360impeachthe first step of the process to remove a president from office in which someone is accused of misconduct. It takes place in the House and is started by the Judiciary committee.18
8869279361perjurylying under oath19
8869279362subpoenalegal order to appear in congress to testify20
8869279363revenue billproposed law to raise money21
8869279364appropriations billproposed law to spend money22
8869279365vetoA president's attempt to kill a bill. It is a presidential check on the legislative branch23
8869279366Examples of Denied powerstax exports, suspend writs of habeas corpus, pass bills of attainder, pass ex post facto laws24
8869279367taxing, spending, regulating commercethree ways congress influences our market economy25
8869279368Checks and balanceslimits and controls each branch has on the other to keep one branch from gaining more power.26
8869279369Where money bills originateThe House of Representatives27
8869279370Library of Congress (LOC)Support agency for Congress that is the largest library in the world28
8869279371Government Printing Office (GPO)Support agency for Congress that prints all government documents including bills.29
8869279372Congressional Budget Office (CBO)Support agency for Congress that coordinates the budget work of congress30
88692793731 hourTime limit for debates in the Senate IF Cloture is called.31
88692793745 minutesTime limit for speaking during debates in the House.32
8869279375President Pro TemporeThe second in command in the Senate. they serve as a substitute when the Vice President is busy. The position is appointed by the majority party and is 4th in line for presidential succession.33
8869279376President of the Senatethe Presiding officer of the senate. The position is automatically held by the Vice President.34
8869279377Whipsleadership positions in both the House and Senate that primarily assists floor leaders35
8869279378218 MembersNumber of House members needed for a quorum36
8869279379quorumminimum number of Representatives that must be present in order for a vote to take place in the House37
8869279380Paul RyanRepublican Congressman who is the current Speaker of the House.38
8869279381Mitch McConnellRepublican Senator who is the Senate Majority Leader39
8869279382Mike PenceThe current Vice President of the United States.40
8869279383Nancy PelosiDemocratic Congresswoman who is the current House Minority Leader.41
8869279384100 Memberstotal members of the U.S. Senate42
8869279385435 Memberstotal members of the U.S House of Representatives43
8869279386535 Memberstotal members of the U.S Congress44
886927938725 yearsMinimum age for a U.S. Representative45
886927938830 yearsMinimum age for a U.S. Senator46
88692793892 yearsTerm of office for a U.S. Representative47
88692793906 yearsTerm of office for a U.S. Senator48
8869279391make lawsThe Purpose of the Legislative Branch49
88692793929 yearsminimum number of years of citizenship required to be in the U.S. Senate50
88692793937 yearsminimum number of years of citizenship required to be in the U.S. House of Representatives51
8869279394gerrymanderCheating; an illegal form of redistricting in order to gain an advantage for one group.52
8869279395reapportionmentThe term for the distribution of House of Representative seats among the states based on census results53
8869279396censusA formal count of the population every ten years. The results are used to determine the distribution of representatives for the House.54
8869279397redistrictingThe process of dividing a state into sections based on population in order to determine the constituency for a Representative55
88692793988Number of Representatives that Missouri has in the U.S. House of Representatives56
886927939910Total number of Congressmen (House and Senate) that represent Missouri57
8869279400constituentspeople represented by elected officials58
8869279401districtconstituency for a Representative59
8869279402Stateconstituency for a senator60
8869279403Roy BluntRepublican Senator from Missouri.61
8869279404Claire McCaskillDemocratic Senator from Missouri.62
8869279405representationThe constitutional principle that allows people to select delegates to make laws on their behalf. It is used in the Legislative branch.63
8869279406How a bill is introduced in the HouseA representative places it in the Hopper and the Speaker assigns the bill to a committee64
8869279407How a bill is introduced in the SenateA senator stands and is recognized on the floor, then all senators vote to continue with the bill.65
8869279408Pocket VetoThe President's option to set a bill aside for ten days. If Congress is out of session on the 10th day, then the bill dies.66
8869279409Appropriations Billa proposed law that authorizes spending of money67
8869279410lobbyistshired by interest groups to persuade Congress to vote in favor of their ideas.68
8869279411advice and consentTerms in the Constitution describing the U.S. Senate's power to review and approve treaties and presidential appointments69
8869279412appointment powerThe authority vested in the president to fill a government office or position. Positions filled by presidential appointment include those in the executive branch and the federal judiciary, commissioned officers in the armed forces, and members of the independent regulatory commissions70
8869279413cabinetAn advisory group selected by the president to aid in making decisions. The cabinet includes the heads of fifteen executive departments and others named by the president71
8869279414chief diplomatThe role of the president in recognizing foreign governments, making treaties, and effecting executive agreements72
8869279415chief executiveThe role of the president as head of the executive branch of the government73
8869279416chief legislatorThe role of the president in influencing the making of laws74
8869279417chief of staffThe person who is named to direct the White House Office and advise the president75
8869279418civil serviceA collective term for the body of employees working for the government. Generally, civil service is understood to apply to all those who gain government employment through a merit system76
8869279419commander in chiefThe role of the president as supreme commander of the military forces of the United States and of the state National Guard units when they are called into federal service77
8869279420constitutional powerA power vested in the president by Article II of the Constitution78
8869279421diplomatic recognitionThe formal acknowledgment of a foreign government as legitimate79
8869279422emergency powerAn inherent power exercised by the president during a period of national crisis80
8869279423executive agreementAn international agreement made by the president, without senatorial ratification, with the head of a foreign state81
8869279424executive office of the president (EOP)An organization established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to assist the president in carrying out major duties82
8869279425executive orderA rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law. Executive orders can implement and give administrative effect to provisions in the Constitution, to treaties, and to statutes83
8869279426executive privelegeThe right of executive officials to withhold information from or to refuse to appear before a legislative committee84
8869279427expressed powerA power of the president that is expressly written into the Constitution or into statutory law85
8869279428federal registerA publication of the U.S. government that prints executive orders, rules, and regulations.86
8869279429head of stateThe role of the president as ceremonial head of the government87
8869279430impeachmentAn action by the House of Representatives to accuse the president, vice president, or other civil officers of the United States of committing "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors88
8869279431inherent powerA power of the president derived from the statements in the Constitution that "the executive Power shall be vested in a President" and that the president should "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed"; defined through practice rather than through law89
8869279432kitchen cabinetThe informal advisers to the president90
8869279433line-item vetoThe power of an executive to veto individual lines or items within a piece of legislation without vetoing the entire bill91
8869279434national security council (NSC)An agency in the Executive Office of the President that advises the president on national security92
8869279435office of management and budget (OMB)A division of the Executive Office of the President. The OMB assists the president in preparing the annual budget, clearing and coordinating departmental agency budgets, and supervising the administration of the federal budget93
8869279436pardonA release from the punishment for or legal consequences of a crime; a pardon can be granted by the president before or after a conviction94
8869279437patronageThe practice of rewarding faithful party workers and followers with government employment and contracts95
8869279438permanent campaignA coordinated and planned strategy carried out by the White House to increase the president's popularity and support96
8869279439pocket vetoA special veto exercised by the chief executive after a legislative body has adjourned. Bills not signed by the chief executive die after a specified period of time. If Congress wishes to reconsider such a bill, it must be reintroduced in the following session of Congress97
8869279440reprieveA formal postponement of the execution of a sentence imposed by a court of law98
8869279441signing statementA written declaration that a president may make when signing a bill into law. Usually, such statements point out sections of the law that the president deems unconstitutional99
8869279442state of the union messageAn annual message to Congress in which the president proposes a legislative program. The message is addressed not only to Congress but also to the American people and to the world100
8869279443statutory powerA power created for the president through laws enacted by Congress101
886927944412th amendmentAn amendment to the Constitution adopted in 1804 that specifies the separate election of the president and vice president by the electoral college102
886927944525th amendmentA 1967 amendment to the Constitution that establishes procedures for filling presidential and vice presidential vacancies and makes provisions for presidential disability103
8869279446veto messageThe president's formal explanation of a veto when legislation is returned to Congress104
8869279447war powers resolutionA law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without congressional approval105

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