Vocabulary
Seventeenth Amendment
This amendment broadened democracy by giving the people of the state the right to elect their senators.
Size and Term Length
The more representative House of Representatives is designed to reflect the will of the people and to prevent the kinds of abuses that took place during the colonial period.
Caucuses
These groups usually unite around a particular belief or concern.
War Powers Act
This law reigns in executive power by requiring the president to inform Congress to vote within 48 hours of committing U.S. forces to combat.
Necessary and Proper
It gives congress the power "to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers".
Advice and Consent
allows senators to recommend or reject major presidential appointees such as Cabinet secretaries and federal judges.
Senate majority leader
Standing Committees
Permanent committees focused on a particular policy area are called standing committees.
Ways and Means Committee
A committee exclusive to the House that determines tax policy.
Joint committees
Unite members from the House and Senate, such as one to manage the Library of Congress and the Joint Committees on Taxation.
Rules Committee
It was created to allow longer debate among fewer people and to allow members to vote as a group rather than in an individual roll call.
Discharge petition
The discharge petition can bring a bill out of a reluctant committee.
Unanimous consent
The approval of all senators and the hold, a measure to stall a bill.
Cloture Rule
Which enabled and required a two-thirds supermajority to stop debate on a bill, thus, stopping a filibuster and allowing for a vote.
Omnibus Bill
Includes multiple areas of law and/or addresses multiple programs.
Individual income taxes
Taxes paid by workers on the income they made during the calendar year.
Corporate Taxes
Taxes paid by businesses on the profits they made during the calendar year.
Social insurance taxes
Taxes paid by both employees and employers to fund such programs as Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance.
Tariffs and excise taxes
Taxes paid on certain imports or products.
Other sources
Taxes that include interest on government holdings or investments and estates taxes paid by people who inherit a large amount of money.
Delegate model
Those members trying to reflect the will of their constituency especially in the House.
Trustee model
Representatives believe they are entrusted by their constituency to use their best judgement, regardless of how constituents may view an issue.
Gerrymandering
There are illogical district lines drawn to give the advantage to one party.