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Unit 3 vocab
Civics2017
| 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 Comittee | 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 the fewer members |
| Interest Groups | Groups of people who work together for similar interest or goals |
| Bicameral | A two house legislature House of Representatives (population) + Senate (Equality) = Congress |
| Expressed powers | Powers listed in Article 1 of the constitution |
| Expusion | To force a member of Congress to leave because of wrong doing or dishonesty |
| Apporopriations | Funds (money) for specific use |
| Reapportionment | The redistribution of legislative seats (HR) according to population. (Occurs after the census) |
| Lobbyyists | People who represent interest groups |
| Checks and Balances | A system in which each branch of government is able to limit the powers of the other two branches |
| Filibuster | Freedoms by Senators to kill a bill by continuously talking until the bill is withdrawn |
| Cloture | This limits a Senator to debate for no more than on hour. For it to be used, 60 Senators must vote for it. It stops a Filibuster |
| Cencus | A process for counting a nations populations. US census is completed every 10 years |
| Implied Powers | A power not expressly named in Constituions |
| Legislative Branch | The branch of government that makes laws |
| Impeach | To accuse an official of wrong doing. |