state of the union message
president's annual speech to a joint session of congress that reports on the state of the nation as he or she sees it, in both domestic and foreign policy terms
speaker of the house
presiding officer of house, elected by house majority party, duties: to preside and keep order, direct house members to committee assignments, able to debate and vote
president of the senate
presiding officer of senate, vice president (in constitution), not a member of the senate, duties: to recognize members, put questions to vote, etc., can't debate, vote only to break tie
president pro tempore
serves in vice president's absence
caucus
closed meeting of the members of each party in each house, regularly held just before congress convenes in january and occasionally during a session. deals mostly with matters related to party organization
floor leader
next to speaker most important posts in congress, carry out the decisions of their parties' caucuses and steer floor action to their parties' benefit, chief spokesman for his party in his chamber
majority leader
the floor leader of the party that holds the majority of seats in each house
minority leader
the floor leader of the party that holds the minority of seats in each house
party whips
assistant floor leaders, check with party members and tell the floor leader which members and how many votes can be counted on in any particular matter
committee chairman
those members who head the standing committees in each chamber, chosen from the majority party by the majority party caucus; have say in matters such as which bills will be considered. manages debate and tries to steer it to final passage
seniority rule
the most important posts in congress will be held by those party members with the longest records of service
standing committees
permanent panels to which all similar bills can be sent
subcommittees
divisions of standing committees which do most of the committees' work
select committee
panels set up for some specific purpose and a limited time
joint committee
committee composed of members of both houses
conference committee
a temporary joint body created to iron out differences in a bill if different versions have been passed in the house and senate
public bills
measures applying to the nation as a whole
private bills
measures that apply to certain persons or places rather than to the entire nation
joint resolutions
similar to bills, have force of law. deal with unusual or temporary matters
concurrent resolutions
deal with matters in which the house and senate must act jointly. don't have force of law and don't require the president's signature
resolutions
deal with matters concerning either house alone and are taken up only by that house. doesn't have force of law and not sent to president for approval
rider
provision not likely to pass on its own merit that is attached to an important measure certain to pass
how a bill becomes a law
1. introduced in house 2. referred to standing committee 3. rules committee sets conditions for debate on floor 4. debated, if passed goes to senate 5. introduced in senate 6. referred to standing committee 7. debate, pass or defeat 8. conference committe
pigeonhole
die in committee
discharge petition
force a bill that has remained in committee 30 days onto floor for consideration
engrossed
when a bill is printed in its final form
cloture
procedure that may be used to limit or end floor debate
filibuster
stalling tactic by which a minority of senators seeks to delay or prevent senate action on a measure. try to monopolize the floor and its time that the senate must either drop the bill or change it