| term |
definition |
| safe seat |
an elected office that is predictably won by the same party |
| reapportionment |
number of seats per state adjusted by congress after a census |
| redistricting |
the redrawing of congressional districts to keep district popuation relatively equal |
| gerrymandering |
drawing election district boundaries to benefit a party or incumbent |
| speaker |
presiding officer of House of Rep. elected by the majority party in the House |
| majority leader |
legislative leader selected by majority party; plans party strategy, keeps party members in line |
| minority leader |
leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition in the House; often steps into the Speakership once his/her party gains a majority |
| whip |
party leader who is the liaison between leadership and rank and file |
| closed rule |
only in House of Rep.; prohibits amendments to a bill, or only the committee reporting the bill can suggest amendments |
| open rule |
only in the House; a bill can have amendments made to it |
| refusal of a rule |
House rules committee can delay consideration of a bill by refusing to assign a rule (either open or closed) |
| hold |
practice in the senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of a bill or nomination |
| president pro tempore |
officer of the senate selected by the majority pary to act as chair in the absence of the vice president |
| filibuster |
senate, whereby a senator holds the floor and therby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue |
| cloture |
in the senatet: terminates debate, especially filibuster |
| senatorial courtesy |
president's custom of submitting prospective appointees for approval to senators |
| delegate |
view that legislators should represent the views of their constituents despite their own views |
| trustee |
view that legislators should vote independently based on own judgement of facts |
| log rolling |
vote trading among legislators |
| standing committee |
permanent committee; focused on a policy area |
| rider |
irrelevant provision added to a bill to secure its passage |
| pocket veto |
president waits 10 days w/out signing bill and congress has adjourned |
| override |
2/3 vote in each senate and house that approves a bill after president has vetoed |
| joint committee |
committee composed of members from both senate and house |
| select/special committee |
committee created for a specific purpose |
| discharge position |
petition that, if signed by by a majority of House, will force a bill out of committee and bring it to the floor for consideration |
| seniority rule |
practice that assigns the chair of a committee or subcommittee to a member of the majority party whom has had the longest continous service on the committee |
| conference committee |
committee appointed by presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different forms |
| pork barrel legistlation |
government benefits or programs that may help the economy of a member of congress's district |
| appropriations bills |
has to be signed by congress and then the president to approve funds |
| franking privilege |
perk incumbents have to help gain reelection: free mailing to constituents |
| executive privilege |
the right for a president to withhold or protect information related to national security under certain conditions |
| Executive Order |
order issued by a president of governor that has the force of law. |
| Item Veto |
Power of an executive to veto parts of legislation; unconstitutional for a president to use, but okay for many governors |
| Impoundment |
not spending funds for purposes congress has authorized |
| Continuing Resolutions |
extending the authority for government spending for a few days or months |
| Judicial Review |
power to authoritatively interpret the constitution |
| Class Action Lawsuit |
Lawsuit brought by an individual or a group of people on behalf of all those similarily situated |
| Stare Decisis |
the rule of precedent |
| appellate Jurisdiction |
the authority to review appeals of the decisions made by lower courts |
| Court of Appeals |
Court with appellate jurisdiction that hears appelas from the decisions of lower courts |
| Petit Jury |
jury of 6-12 people who determine guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action |
| Habeas Corpus |
court order requiring explanation to a judge why a prisoner is held in custody |
| judicial restraint |
judicial philosophy proposing proposing that judges should interpret the constitution to reflect what the framers intended and what its words literally say. |
| Judicial Activism |
judicial philosophy proposingthat judges should interpret the constitution to reflect current conditions and values |
| Amicus Curiae |
Literally "friend of the court"; individuals/groups who present additional information to a case |
| bureaucrat |
career government employee |
| bureaucracy |
professional corporation of official organized in a pyramidal hierarchy and functioning under impersonal, uniform rules and procedures |
| Spoils system |
system of public employment based on rewardignpary loyalists and friends |
| Merit System |
system in which selection and employment depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage |
| Office of Personnel Management (OPM) |
Agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations. |
| Bureau |
largest subunit of a government department or agency |
| Government Corporation |
cross between a business corp. and gov. agency; created to secure greater freeedom of action and flexibility for a particular program |
| Independent Agency |
government entity that is independent of the legilsative, executive, and judicial branch |
| Independent Regulatory Board |
independent agency or commission with regulatory powers whose independence is protected by congress |
| Office of Management and Budget |
Presidential staff agency that serves as a clearing house for budgetary requests and managemnet improvements |
| Hatch Act |
prohibits federal employees from active participation in certain kinds of politics and protects them from being fired on partisan grounds |
| Iron Triangle |
mutually supported relationship among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and governmental agencies that share a common policy concern |
Science Vocab 147928
