Congressional Leadership
A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or houses.
Bicameral legislature
The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate.
Majority leader
A request or agreement setting the terms for the consideration or debate of a specified bill or other measure.
Unanimous consent
A device used to force a bill that has been stuck in committee for over thirty days, out onto the floor.
Discharge petition
Occurs when different parties control the White House and Congress.
Divided government
The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress.
Quorum
The legislative leader elected by party members holding the minority of seats in the House or the Senate.
Minority leader
A joint committee appointed to iron out the differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill.
Conference committees
Practice of legislators trading mutual support for their legislative proposals.
Logrolling
A process used by the Senate to end or limit debate/filibusters.
Cloture rule
The ability of congressional members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by using their signature for postage.
Franking privilege
A senator or representative who assists the party leader by staying informed about the voting decisions of other members.
Whip
A committee made up of members from both the House and the Senate.
Joint Committees
A stalling approach by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor; tactic used to stop a bill from reaching the floor.
Hold
An attempt to stall or defeat a bill in the Senate by talking for an extended period of
time.
Filibuster
Issues that people believe require governmental action.
Political/policy agenda
A strong division in the views of Republicans and Democrats on the legislative agenda.
Party polarization
Permanently established legislative committees that review and consider bills in both the House and Senate.
Standing committees
Legislation that provides benefits to constituents in a particular district or state in the hope of winning their votes in return. For example: providing funding to build a bridge in a particular city.
Pork barrel legislation
Double Jeopardy - The practice of drawing districts in unusual shapes for the political advantage of one political party or group.
Gerrymandering
Practice of legislators trading mutual support for their legislative proposals.
Logrolling
A group of congressional members that meet to pursue a common legislative agenda.
Congressional caucus
Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and usually for an investigative purpose.
Select committees
Descriptive of elected representatives who use their best judgment when making legislative voting decisions.
Trustee
The individuals who live in the area an elected official is representing.
Constituency