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Government Chp10

Terms in this set (26)

Bicameral
A legislature made up of two houses
Term
years of congress holding the office
Session
meeting of a court, legislature or other official group
Adjourn
Suspends until it's next session. (Congress adjourn)
Recess
temporarily suspend the meeting. Break between a meeting.
Prorogue
To end or discontinue a session.( only president has the power to do so)
Special Session
A meeting to deal with some emergency situation.
Apportioned
Assign to a particular use
Reapportioned
Redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body
Off-Year or Mid-Term Elections
Congressional election that occurs between presidential election years
Single-Member District
Electoral district from which one person is chosen by voters for each elected office
At-Large
Election of an official holder by the voters of an entire government until rather than by voters of a district of that unit. Senators are selected as at-large Representatives of their state
Gerrymandered
Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party
"Safe Districts"
A voting region in which the clear majority of voters are members of, or overwhelmingly favor of a single political party. This makes incumbent representatives for those regions very difficult to beat in elections
Incumbent
The current officeholder
Continuous Body
Governing unit (e.g. the United States Senate) whose seats are never all up for election at the same time
Constituencies
The people and interests that an elected official represents
Delegate
Representatives; members of Congress who cast votes based on the wishes of their constituents
Trustee
Lawmaker who votes based on his or her conscience and judgment, not the views of his or her constituents
Partisans
Lawmaker who owes his/her first allegiance to his/her political party and votes according to the party line
Politicos
Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles
Bills
a proposed law presented of a legislative body for consideration
Floor Consideration
process by which proposed laws are considered and acted upon by full membership of House or Senate
Oversight Function
Process by which Congress (through it's committees) checks to see that the various agencies in the executive branch are working effectively and in a constitutionally legal manner
Fringe Benefits
an extra benefit supplementing an employee's salary, for example, a company car, subsidized meals, health insurance, etc.
Franking Privilege
well known benefit that allows Senate and House members to mail out letters and information to their constituents
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