Congress
President
Courts
Districts
House & Senate
100
The principle of a two-house legislature.
What is Bicameralism?
100
A formal decision to reject the bill passed by Congress.
What is Veto?
100
The power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or government regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the U.S. Constitution or, in a state court, the state constitution.
What is Judicial review?
100
The residents of a congressional district or state.
What is Constituents?
100
The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party.
Who is the Speaker?
200
The powers expressly given to Congress in the Constitution.
What is Enumerated/Expressed powers ?
200
Advisory council for the president consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice president, and a few other officials selected by the president.
What is the Cabinet?
200
The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.
What is Appellate jurisdiction?
200
The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.
What is Reapportionment?
200
the legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.
Who is the Minority leader?
300
A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.
What is Standing committee?
300
The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, and several other units.
What is Executive Office of the President?
300
An opinion disagreeing with a majority in a Supreme Court ruling.
What is a Dissenting opinion?
300
The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.
What is Redistricting?
300
Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president.
Who is the President pro tempore ?
400
Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.
What is Conference committee?
400
Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the Federal bureaucracy.
What are Executive orders?
400
A formal writ used to bring a case before the Supreme Court.
What is a Writ of certiorari?
400
The current holder of the elected office.
What is Incumbent?
400
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.
What is Filibuster?
500
A provision attached to a bill – to which it may or may not be related – in order to secure its passage or defeat.
What is a Rider?
500
A formal agreement between the U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that does not require Senate approval.
What is Executive agreement?
500
Literally, a “friend of the court” brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.
What is Amicus curiae brief?
500
Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.
What is Earmarks?
500
A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.
What is Cloture?
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