Chapter 13: Congress

A vote in which majority of Democratic legislators opposes a majority of Republican legislators

Lawmaking body with two chambers

A way to defeat a bill in the Senate with prolonged speech(s)

Districts in where representatives win in close elections, meaning less than a margin of 55%

Districts in where representatives win by margins of 55% or more

Alliance between Republicans and conservative Democrats

Legislative leader elected by the majority party in the House or Senate

Legislative leader elected by the minority party in the House of Senate

Senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what their party members are thinking

The presiding officer in the House and the leader of his/her party in the House

90% or more Democrats in either chamber voter against 90% or more Republicans. Loose measure is when a party vote is at least 50%

Association of congressional members to advocate a political ideology or to advance a specific interest

Permanent committees that are responsible for legislation in a certain subject matter

Committees that are appointed for a limited time

Committees that have both representatives and senators

Expression of opinion in either the House or Senate to settle procedural matters

Expression of opinion without force of law that needs approval of both the House and Senate but not the president

Formal expression that a congressional opinion needs to be approved by both chambers and by the President

Anyone in the House can petition a bill on the floor after a committee has had the bill for 30 days

Order from the House Rules Committee that certain kinds of amendments are only allowed.

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate

An order from the House Rules Committee that allows a bill to be amended on the floor

The minimum number of members who need to be present for business in Congress

Amendments that are unrelated to the bill

A rule that ends the Senate filibuster (60 votes)

Procedure to keep the Senate filibuster going, and the disputed bill is temporarily shelved.

Members shout yea or nay to quickly vote

Members stand and are being counted during the vote

Members answer yea or nay to their names - so the names of who voter in which way are recorded

Members pass between two tellers, the yeas first and then the nays

When the president does not approve a bill

One party controls the White House, and another controls one or both chambers of Congress

The same party controls the White House and both chambers of Congress

Provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific projects

Gives tangible benefits to the constituents in districts in the hope of winning their votes in return

Ability for members to mail letters free of charge by using their signature for postage