Political Terms
term describes the practice of trading favors or exchanging support between legislators
What is log rolling?
The term for a situation in which government revenues exceed expenditures
What is a budget surplus?
the title of the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, elected by members of the House
Who is the Speaker of the House?
term describes a procedure by which a senator temporarily blocks consideration of a bill or nomination
What is a hold?
Term describes the powers explicitly granted to the federal government by the Constitution
What are formal or enumerated powers?
Term describes a congressional district in which a minority group makes up the majority of the population
What is a majority minority district?
term describes government spending that is required by law, such as entitlement programs
What is mandatory spending?
The title of the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives, responsible for managing the legislative agenda
Who is the House Majority Leader?
The parliamentary procedure used in the House of Representatives to expedite the consideration of legislation
What is the Committee of the Whole?
Term describes powers exercised by the president that are not explicitly stated in the Constitution
What are informal powers?
The tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislation by speaking for an extended period
What is a filibuster?
The federal agency responsible for assisting the president in preparing the budget and overseeing the performance of federal agencies
What is the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?
the title of the leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or Senate
Who is the Minority Leader?
The procedure used in the Senate to expedite the consideration of a bill or nomination without a formal vote
What is a unanimous consent agreement?
The formal agreement between two or more sovereign states, subject to ratification by the Senate
What is a treaty?
The role of a representative who acts according to the wishes of their constituents
What is the delegate role?
Term describes government spending that is not mandated by law and is subject to annual appropriation by Congress
What is discretionary spending?
The title of the leader of the majority party in the Senate, responsible for managing the legislative agenda
Who is the Senate Majority Leader?
The procedure used in the Senate to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote
What is cloture?
The principle that allows the president to withhold information from Congress or the courts in the interest of national security
What is executive privilege?
Term describes an elected official who is serving out the remainder of their term after not being re-elected?
What is a lame duck?
The total amount of money that a government owes to creditors
What is the national debt?
The parliamentary procedure used by the House of Representatives to consider and amend legislation in a less formal setting
What is the Committee of the Whole?
The title given to the member of Congress who presides over a congressional committee
Who is the committee chair?
The constitutional process by which a president or other federal official can be removed from office for "high crimes and misdemeanors"
What is impeachment?