Congress
This chamber has shorter two-year terms, smaller constituencies, and is generally more responsive to local interests than its counterpart.
What is the House of Representatives?
This type of representation occurs when elected officials share racial, gender, ethnic, religious, or educational backgrounds with their constituents.
What is descriptive representation?
This presidential action can reject a bill passed by Congress.
What is a veto?
This branch of law regulates the conduct of individuals, defines crimes, and specifies punishments.
What is criminal law?
This branch of law deals with disputes that do not involve criminal penalties, such as contracts and torts.
What is civil law?
This party official is responsible for coordinating legislative strategy, building support for the leadership's agenda, and counting votes.
Who is the Whip?
This person is the chief presiding officer of the House of Representatives
Who is the Speaker of the House?
This type of presidential power is not explicitly listed in the Constitution but is necessary to fulfill executive duties.
What are inherent powers?
This type of court reviews decisions made by lower courts and does not hear witnesses.
What is an appeals court (or appellate court)?
This term refers to the sphere of a court's power and authority.
What is jurisdiction?
This process, conducted every 10 years after the census, determines how many seats each state receives in the House of Representatives.
What is apportionment?
After a bill is introduced, it is sent here for study, debate, and possible revision before moving forward in the legislative process.
What is a committee?
This is the claim that confidential communications between a president and close advisers should not be revealed without the president's consent.
What is executive privilege?
This clause makes federal law and treaties the supreme law of the land.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
This type of opinion is written by justices who disagree with the majority.
What is a dissenting opinion?
This model of representation requires members of Congress to vote according to the preferences of their constituents, staying closely connected to public opinion.
What is the delegate model?
This type of House rule allows any member to offer amendment to a bill during floor debate.
What is an open rule?
This group of agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council, performs key management advisory functions for the president and is a central part of the institutional presidency.
What is the Executive Office of the President?
This is a court order requiring that an individual be in custody before the court and shown the cause for detention.
What is writ of habeas corpus?
This Latin term refers to a "friend of the court" brief submitted by someone who is not a party to a case but wants to offer information or arguments for the Court to consider.
What is amicus curiae?
These types of legislative appropriations fund local projects that may not be necessary but help legislators win in their districts.
What are pork barrel projects?
This procedural step, which occurs after a bill is sent to the president, can result in the bill becoming a law without the president's signature if no action is taken within 10 days and Congress is in session.
What is a pocket approval?
This official presides over the US Senate and casts a tie-breaking vote when necessary.
What is the Vice President?
This is the court process used to seek judicial review of a lower court or government agency decision, and it requires approval of at least four justices.
What is a writ of certiorari?
This top government lawyer, who ranks third in the Justice Department, screens federal cases before they can be appealed to the Supreme Court and has significant influence over which cases the Court hears.
What is the Solicitor General?