Flashcards
11/17/15 civics flashcards
Cards in this deck (26)
- 1BicameralHaving 2 branches or chambers
- 2ConstituentsA member of a constituency
- 3House of representativesThe lower house of the United States Congress
- 4GerrymanderManipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class
- 5Senateany of various legislative or governing bodies, in particular
- 6Speaker of the houseThe presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives.
- 7President pro temporea high-ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US senate in the absence of the vice president
- 8Party WhipsA Member of parliament who is selected by their parliamentary party to take on the role of team manager
- 9Standing CommitteeA permanent Committee that meets regularly
- 10Select CommitteeA small legislative committee appointed for a special purpose
- 11Joint CommitteeA term that is used to refer to a committee made up of members of both chambers of a bicameral legislature
- 12Seniority systemCustom in congress providing for the assignment of a committee chairpersonship to that member of the majority party who has served on the committee the longest.
- 13Expressed powersThose powers of Congress specifically listed in the Constitution.
- 14implied powersthose powers authorized by a document (from the Constitution) that, while not stated, seem to be implied by powers expressly stated.
- 15elastic clausestatement in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers.
- 16impeachcall into question the integrity or validity of (a practice).
- 17bills of atainderan act of legislature finding a person guilty of treason or felony without trial.
- 18ex post facto lawslaw that retroactively changes the legal consequences
- 19US Representative Qualificationsthe lower legislative branch in many national and state bicameral governing bodies
- 20franking privilegeThe right of members to post mail to constituents without having to pay postage
- 21pork barrel projectsa metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily
- 22US Senator QualificationsThe Constitution sets three qualifications for service in the U.S. Senate: age (at least thirty years of age); U.S. citizenship (at least nine years); and residency in the state a senator represents at time of election.
- 23filibusteran action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly
- 24cloturea motion or process in parliamentary procedure aimed at bringing debate to a quick end
- 25vetoa constitutional right to reject a decision
- 26pocket vetoa legislative maneuver that allows a president or other official with veto power to exercise that power