Vocab 1
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is the decision in which the legislative branch draws electoral boundaries to benefit a specific party.
What is a rules committee?
It determines the rules for debate of each bill, including whether the bill may be amended
What is a discharge petition?
A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may ask to have it brought to the floor.
What is the chamber size for the Senate?
100 members
What is the chamber size for the House?
435 Members
What is redistricting?
Redistricting is the process of drawing electoral district boundaries every ten years.
What is a committee of the whole?
A committee of the people on the floor of the House in which all revenue and most other bills are discussed
What is a hold?
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.
What is the term length for members of the Senate?
6 years
How are coalitions in the House of Representatives affected by term length differences?
Shorter term-lengths in the House make representatives sensitive to prevalent concerns and represent their interests rather than bipartisanism.
What is a filibuster?
: A filibuster is a political procedure in which Congress debates over a proposed legislation in order to delay a decision being made on the proposal.
What are some ideological divisions that may occur in Congress?
Possible disagreement about how to move forward within a decision in Congress.
Who is the speaker of the house?
The political leader of the House of Representatives
How do the differences in chamber sizes and constituencies influence the formality of debate in the Senate?
It makes the Senate's debates more organized and final.
What is the term for members of the House?
House - 2 years
What is cloture?
a procedure used to end a filibuster and land on a conclusion.
What are lame duck sessions?
A session in Congress that takes place after the election for the next Congress has been held but before the current Congress has reached the end of its constitutional term
Who is the President of the Senate?
The Senate’s presiding officer
What is the Senate known for? (Power)
The Senate is known for its power to ratify treaties and confirm court nominees.
Regarding powers/areas of specialization, what is the House known for?
The house is known to initiate impeachment and elect the President in the case of an electoral tie.
What is unanimous consent?
Agreement on any question or matter before the Senate that sets aside a rule of procedure to expedite proceedings
What is a divided government?
A government that has a legislative branch and executive branch with contrasting views.
What is committee leadership?
People who have the ultimate responsibility to direct the activity of the organization
How does the Constitution reflect that Senate is designed to represent states equally, while the House is designed to represent population?
The House of Representatives is designed to represent population as it is dependent on state population while the Senate represents states equally as each state has 2 senators
Who votes first in the policymaking process?
The House of Reps