Download (AP Government&Politics Congressional Vocabulary Flashcards) Flashcard

Choose a format below:

TEXT Format (.txt) MS-Excel Format (.xls)

Select delimiter » Comma Semicolon Tab New Line Custom

Preview »

Side A ------ Side B
Adjourn ------ To suspend until a later stated time or place.
Apportion ------ To divide and allocate.
Appropriate ------ To devote money or assets for a specific purpose.
Censure ------ A process by which a formal reprimand is issued to an individual by an authoritative body.
Cloture ------ A motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end.
Committee chairman ------ Most important influencers of the committee agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.
Concurrent resolution ------ A resolution passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate but is not presented to the President and does not have the force of law.
Conference committee ------ Formed when the Senate and the House pass a bill and it is their job to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.
Consensus ------ A general agreement among the members of a given group or community.
Discharge petition ------ A discharge petition is a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from a Committee and usually without cooperation of the leadership.
Filibuster ------ Unique strategy to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death to try to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill.
Floor leader ------ The floor leaders have priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate.
Joint committee ------ Exist in a few policy areas, such as economy and taxation; with membership drawn from both the Senate and the House.
Joint resolution ------ A joint resolution is a legislative measure that requires approval by the Senate and the House and is presented to the President for his/her approval or disapproval, in exactly the same case as a bill.
Partisan ------ A partisan is a committed member of a political party.
Party caucus ------ A party that gathers to caucus.
Pocket veto ------ A Veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.
President of the Senate ------ The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate, and is the speaker of other assemblies.
President pro tempore ------ The senator who presides over the U.S. Senate in the absence of the Vice President.
Quorum ------ The minimal number of officers and members of a committee or organization, usually a majority, who must be present for valid transaction of business.
Rider ------ Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision which would not pass as its own bill. 
Select committee ------ Are appointed for a specific reason.Ex. The Senate select committee that investigated Watergate.
Seniority rule ------ If committee members had served on their committee longest and their party controlled the chamber, they got to be chairs.
Session ------ A meeting for the execution of a group's functions.
Speaker of the House ------ The Chief position in the House of Representatives. The only legislative office mandated by the Constitution. 
Special session ------ A session that is held in addition to the regular sessions.
Standing committee ------ Handles bills in different policy areas in each house of Congress.
Subcommittee ------ Smaller units of a committee created out of the committee membership.
Term ------ The amount of time spent in office.
Veto ------ The constitutional  power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it. (A two-thirds vote in each house can override a veto.)
Whip ------ Carry the word to party troops, counting votes before they are cast and leaning on wavers whose votes are crucial to a bill.

Side A ------ Side B
Adjourn ------ To suspend until a later stated time or place.
Apportion ------ To divide and allocate.
Appropriate ------ To devote money or assets for a specific purpose.
Censure ------ A process by which a formal reprimand is issued to an individual by an authoritative body.
Cloture ------ A motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end.
Committee chairman ------ Most important influencers of the committee agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.
Concurrent resolution ------ A resolution passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate but is not presented to the President and does not have the force of law.
Conference committee ------ Formed when the Senate and the House pass a bill and it is their job to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.
Consensus ------ A general agreement among the members of a given group or community.
Discharge petition ------ A discharge petition is a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from a Committee and usually without cooperation of the leadership.
Filibuster ------ Unique strategy to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death to try to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill.
Floor leader ------ The floor leaders have priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate.
Joint committee ------ Exist in a few policy areas, such as economy and taxation; with membership drawn from both the Senate and the House.
Joint resolution ------ A joint resolution is a legislative measure that requires approval by the Senate and the House and is presented to the President for his/her approval or disapproval, in exactly the same case as a bill.
Partisan ------ A partisan is a committed member of a political party.
Party caucus ------ A party that gathers to caucus.
Pocket veto ------ A Veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.
President of the Senate ------ The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate, and is the speaker of other assemblies.
President pro tempore ------ The senator who presides over the U.S. Senate in the absence of the Vice President.
Quorum ------ The minimal number of officers and members of a committee or organization, usually a majority, who must be present for valid transaction of business.
Rider ------ Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision which would not pass as its own bill. 
Select committee ------ Are appointed for a specific reason.Ex. The Senate select committee that investigated Watergate.
Seniority rule ------ If committee members had served on their committee longest and their party controlled the chamber, they got to be chairs.
Session ------ A meeting for the execution of a group's functions.
Speaker of the House ------ The Chief position in the House of Representatives. The only legislative office mandated by the Constitution. 
Special session ------ A session that is held in addition to the regular sessions.
Standing committee ------ Handles bills in different policy areas in each house of Congress.
Subcommittee ------ Smaller units of a committee created out of the committee membership.
Term ------ The amount of time spent in office.
Veto ------ The constitutional  power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it. (A two-thirds vote in each house can override a veto.)
Whip ------ Carry the word to party troops, counting votes before they are cast and leaning on wavers whose votes are crucial to a bill.