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ch 4 vocab
american govt. ch 4 vocab
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Delegates | representatives; members of Congress who cast votes based on the wishes of their constituents |
trustees | lawmakers who votes based on his or her conscience and judgment, not the views of his or her constituents |
partisans | lawmakers who owe his/her first allegiance to his/her political party and votes according to the party time |
politicos | lawmakers who attempt to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles |
bills | proposed laws presented to a legislative body for consideration |
floor consideration | the process by which proposed laws are considered and acted upon by the full membership of the House or Senate |
oversight function | review by legislative committees of the policies and programs of the executive branch |
term | two-year period of time during which Congress meets |
session | period of time during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business |
convene | to begin a new session of Congress |
adjourn | suspend, as in a session of Congress |
recess | a time when both houses of Congress temporarily suspend business |
prorogue | adjourn, as in a legislative session |
special session | an extraordinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency situation |
franking privilege | benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free |
Luther Patrick | U.S. Representative from Alabama during 1937-1943; was also a lawyer and entertainer of poetry and radio |
Nancy pelosi | The first woman do be elected Minority Whip, and the first woman elected Speaker of the House of Representatives |
harry truman | President who called the most recent special session in 1948 to consider anti-inflation and welfare measures in the aftermath of World War II. |
federalism | system of government in which a written constitution divides power between a central government and several regional governments |
division of powers | assigning some powers to the federal government and others to the States |
delegated powers | powers granted by the Constitution |
expressed powers | powers specified clearly in the Constitution |
inherent powers | powers that belong to all independent national governments |
reserved powers | powers not given to the national government or denied to the States |
exclusive powers | powers that can only be used by the national government |
concurrent powers | powers shared by the national and State governments |
Supremacy Clause | the provision declaring the Constitution to be the supreme law of the land |