Committees
The Appropriations committee deals with this
What is money
This is the population count taken every ten years, which helps determine the number of representatives that each state gets.
What is every ten years?
This term describes a current officeholder...his/her opponent is called the challenger.
What is an incumbent
Supporting one another's legislation in Congress is known as this. Ex. you vote for my provision in a bill and I'll vote for yours.
What is logrolling?
An example of this would be Congress conducting an investigation to uncover an executive department's wrongdoing.
What is oversight?
This committee reconciles differences between the House and Senate version of a bill?
What is a conference committee?
These are the permanent committees in Congress.
Standing committees
These leaders in Congress keep track of how members of their party vote and try to persuade party members to vote the same way.
Whips
This type of veto has been struck down by the courts. It would allow the president to strike down specific parts of a bill.
What is a line-item veto?
The term is used to describe the relationship between an interest group, a congressional committee, and a government agency.
What is an iron triangle?
This type of committee is a permanent subject-matter committee
What is a standing committee?
This house of Congress has unlimited debate.
What is the Senate?
Name one advantage of being an incumbent.
What is increased campaign contributions, services for constituents, franking, etc.
A type of legislation that benefits a senator or representative's home state or district.
What is pork barrel legislation?
These two programs make up the largest part of the federal budget.
Social Security and Medicare
This type of committee is temporary and often studies topics such as the assassination of JFK and 9-11.
What is a select committee
This is a delay tactic designed to "talk" a bill to death.
What is a filibuster
The right of members of Congress to send mail to their constituents at the government's expense
What is the franking privilege
Who is the President?
An amendment to the US Constitution is proposed by this fraction of both houses of Congress.
2/3
This powerful committee in the House sets conditions for debate and amendments?
What is Rules Committee?
This is used in the Senate to end debate on a bill, but it requires 3/5 of the vote.
What is cloture?
This person is the official leader of the Senate.
What is the Vice President?
This term describes the president failing to sign a bill when Congress is not in session.
What is a pocket veto?
Term that describes the amount the government spends in excess of its revenues in a fiscal year.
What is a budget deficit?