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Unit3
vocab words
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Constituents | people in congressional districts |
Redistricting | The process of redrawing the boundaries of districts |
Joint Sessions | When senators and representatives meet together. Usually for the President's State of the Union Address. |
Standing commitee | Permanent committee that specializes in a particular topic. |
Bill | A proposed law |
President pro- Tempore | President of the senate for the time being. This happens when the Vice President is absent. |
Speaker of the House | Leader of the House of Representatives. |
Conference Committee | A joint committee that helps members in the Senate and the House of Representatives work together. |
Vice President | Leader of the Senate. This person votes in the Senate in case of a tie. |
Majority Party | The party with the most members in Congress |
Minority Party | The party with fewer members |
Interest Groups | Groups of people who work together for similar interests or goals. |
Bicameral | A two house legislature. House of Representatives (population) + Senate (Equality) = Congress |
Expressed Powers | Powers listed in Article 1 of the Constitution |
Expulsion | To force a member of Congress to leave because of wrong doing or dishonesty. |
Appropriattions | Funds (money) for specific use. |
Reapportionment | The redistribution of legislative seats (HR) according to population. (Occurs after the census) |
Lobbyist | People who represented interest groups |
Checks and Balances | A system in which each branch of government is able to limit the powers of the other two branches. |
Fillbuster | Freedom by Senators to kill a bill by continuously talking until the bill is withdrawn. |
Cloture | The limits a senator to debate for no more than an hour. For it to be used, 60 Senators must vote for it. it stops a filibuster. |
Census | A process for counting a nation's population. US census is completed every 10 years. |
Implied Powers | A power not expressly named in the Constitution |
Legislative Branch | The branch of government that makes laws |
Impeach | To accuse an official of wrong doing |