apportion
to distribute, as in the seats in the House of Representatives
gerrymandering
the process of drawing congressional district lines to favor a political party
term limits
laws the limit the number of terms elected officials can serve
franking privilege
the rights of members of Congress to mail official letters free of charge
immunity
legal protection
expulsion
the removal of a member of Congress for serious misconduct
censure
the formal disapproval of the actions of a member of Congress by the other members
session
a meeting of Congress
caucus
a meeting of party leaders to determine party policy or to choose the party's candidates for public office
majority party
the political party that has more members in Congress or in a state legislature
minority party
the political party that has fewer members in Congress or in a state legislature
Speaker
the presiding officer of the House of Representatives
floor leader
a political party leader in Congress who works for the passage of bills the party favors
party whip
the assistant to the floor leader in each house of Congress who tries to persuade party members to vote for bills the party supports
President Pro Tempore
the official who presides over the Senate in the vice president's absence
bill
a proposed law being considered by a law-making body
committee
a small group in Congress formed to consider bills
standing committee
a permanent House of Senate committee that considers bills in a certain area
subcommittee
a division of a standing congressional committee that deals with specific issues in the area handled by the committee as a whole
select committee
a temporary House of Senate committee appointed to deal with an issue not handled by a standing committee
joint committee
a committee made up of members of both houses of Congress to deal with matters of mutual concern
conference committee
a temporary congressional committee made up of senators and representatives who try to reach an agreement on different versions of a bill
seniority system
the custom of giving leadership of committees to members of Congress with the most years of service
elastic clause
Article I, Section 8 of Constitution; known as the "necessary and proper" clause that allows Congress to extend its delegated powers
implied power
a power not specifically granted to Congress by the Constitution but which is suggested to be necessary to carry out its delegated powers
treason
an act that betrays and endangers one's country
impeachment
a formal charge brought against a government official
expost facto law
a law sentencing a person to jail without a trial
writ of habeas corpus
a court order requiring that an accused person be brought to court to determine if there is enough evidence to hold the person for trial
constituent
a person represented by members of a lawmaking body
appropriation bill
a bill approving the spending of public money
act
a law
quorum
the minimum of members who must be present before a legislative body can conduct business
roll call vote
a vote in Congress in which a record is made of how each member votes
filibuster
a method of delaying action on a bill in the Senate by making long speeches
cloture
a limit on the debate of a bill in the Senate
pocket veto
a way in which the president can reject a bill, when Congress is not in session, by not signing it
appropriations
funds allocated by a legislature for a stated purpose as part of a budget or spending bill
pork
publicly funded projects secured by legislators to benefit their home districts or states
joint resolution
an official statement issued by both houses of Congress; once signed by the president, a joint resolution has the force of law
casework
personal services provided by members of Congress to their constituents, often to help their constituents with problems they are having with the federal bureaucracy
congressional page
a high school junior who works as a messenger and errand runner in the House or Senate
hold
a request by a senator to delay action on a bill
rider
an amendment attached to a bill that has little or no relation to the subject of the bill
Christmas tree bill
a bill with so many riders attached to it that it seems to offer something for everyone
logrolling
the trading of votes among legislators to ensure the passage of various bills in which they have a special interest