Congress

1. Congress Terms to Know!!

2. Adjournment To end a Congressional Session

3. Advise & Consent A Senate Power that helps the President in the making of treaties and appointments

4. Apportionment The number and distribution of House seats after a census is taken

5. Appropriation A grant of money given by Congress for a specific purpose

6. Bicameral A Legislature with 2 distinct Houses

7. Bill A proposed Law

8. Calendar A list that contains all the Bills to be considered by Congress

9. Caucus A party member only meeting

10. Censure The power to discipline a member of Congress

11. Census A population count taken every 10 years

12. Cloture A rule found in the Senate that ends or limits debate or a filibuster and puts the question up for vote

13. Committee of the Whole Using the entire House as a committee to speed things up to vote or decide on a bill

14. Conference Committee A committee used to reconcile, “iron out”, or “fix differences found in a bill

15. Congressional District A political division within a state from which one member of the House will be elected. This is what a House member represents

16. Congressional Record The record of the proceedings found in both the House and Senate. This is printed daily

17. Constituent A resident of a legislator’s district

18. Entitlements A required government expenditure, like Social Security

19. Expulsion The legislative power to expel a member from Congress for disciplinary reasons

20. Filibuster Talking a bill to death-found only in the Senate-used to prevent a vote from occurring

21. Franking Privilege This allows members of Congress to mail material for free

22. Gerrymandering The redrawing of House districts by the majority party to benefit that majority party’s chances of winning elections

23. High Crimes & Misdemeanors No precise definition-but used to impeach government officials. Found in the Constitution

24. Impeachment A formal accusation by the House of wrongdoing against a high ranking government employee. Next step is to stand trial.

25. Incumbent A government official already in office.

26. Library of Congress One of the largest libraries in the world-used to store documents and for research.

27. Log-rolling U.S. Politics. the exchange of support or favors, esp. by legislators for mutual political gain as by voting for each other's bills.

28. Pigeon-hole to put aside for the present, esp. with the intention of ignoring or forgetting, often indefinitely: to pigeonhole an unwanted invitation.

29. Pork-barrel Appropriations made by a legislature for projects that are not essential but are sought because they pump money and resources into the local districts of the legislators. Local projects, such as dams, military bases, highways, housing subsidies, and job training, are often funded by pork-barrel legislation, which can be accomplished through logrolling. Successful pork-barrel legislators are likely to be reelected by their constituents.

30. Quorum the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority.

31. Ranking member A legislator on a committee who belongs to the majority party and, by virtue of seniority, ranks first after the committee chairman. The most senior member representing the minority party is the ranking minority member of the committee.

32. Readings to give a public reading or recital of a proposed Bill before Congress

33. Redistricting to divide anew into districts, as for administrative or electoral purposes.

34. Rider an additional clause, usually unrelated to the main body, attached to a legislative bill in passing it.

35. Seniority Rule the custom in Congress providing for the assignment of a committee chairpersonship to that member of the majority party who has served on the committee the longest.

36. Standing Committee a permanent committee, as of a legislature, society, etc., intended to consider all matters pertaining to a designated subject.

37. Initiative a. a procedure by which a specified number of voters may propose a statute, constitutional amendment, or ordinance, and compel a popular vote on its adoption. Compare referendum def. 1. b. the general right or ability to present a new bill or measure, as in a legislature.

38. Referendum the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection.

39. Recall the removal or the right of removal of a public official from office by a vote of the people taken upon petition of a specified number of the qualified electors.