Question | Answer |
bicameral | a two part body |
census | a population count |
constituent | a person who is represented in a district |
gerrymander | an oddly shaped district designed to increase the voting strength of a particular group |
majority party | in the House and Senate, the political party to which more than half of the members belong |
minority party | in the House and Senate, the political to which less than half of the members belong |
standing committee | a permanent committee in a house of Congress that continues its work from session to session |
seniority | the status earned by the longest-serving senators or representatives in Congress |
expressed laws | Congressional powers that are explicitly stated |
implied powers | Congressional powers that are explicitly stated |
elastic clause | a section in the Constitutional that allows Congress to expand or stretch its powers if needed |
impeach | to accuse officials of miscounduct in office |
writ of habeas corpus | a court order that requires the police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding that person |
bill of attainder | a law that punishes a person without a trial by jury |
ex post facto law | laws that make an act a crime after the act has been committed |
franking privilege | the benefit given to Senators and representatives that allows them to send job-related mail without paying postage |
lobbyist | a person who is hired by a privagte group to influence government decision makers |
casework | troubleshooting performed by a member of Congress for his or her home district |
pork-barrel project | government projects and grants that primarily benefit the home district or state |
joint resolution | a formal statement that is passed by both houses of Congress |
special-interest group | an organization made up of people with some common interest who try to influence government decisions |
filibuster | talk a bill to death |
cloture | procedure in which no Senetor can speak for more than an hour |
voice vote | a vote that is taken when people resond with “Yea” or “No” |
roll-call vote | a vote that is recordedd as each person’s name is called |
veto | refuse to sign a bill |
pocket veto | the process by which a bill dies because the president does not sign the bill and the Congressional session had alrady adjourned |
standing vote | a vote in which supporters and opponents stand to be counted |