| Bicameral Legislature | a two-chamber legislature |
| Session | a period of time during which a legislature meets to conduct business |
| Census | population count |
| Reapportionment | the procedss of reassigning the representation based on populatoin, after every census |
| Redistricting | to set up new district lines after reapportionment is complete |
| Gerrymandering | to draw a district's boundaries to gain an advantage in elections |
| At-large | as a whole, for example, statewide |
| Censure | is a vote of formal disapproval of a member's actions |
| Incumbent | elected official that is already in office |
| Constituent | a person whom a member of Congress has been elected to represent |
| Caucus | a private meeting of party leaders to choose candidates for office |
| Majority leader | the Speaker's top assistant whose job is to help plan the majority party's legislative program and to steer important bills through the House |
| Whip | an assistant to the party floor leader in the legislature |
| Bill | a proposed law |
| Calendar | a schedule that lists the order in which bills will be considered in Congress |
| Quorum | minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action |