AP Government - Congress
The Organization of Congress
Bi-cameral
Deliberative
Caucus/conference
Speaker of the House
Majority leader
Minority leader
Whip
Committee Chair
Seniority
Appropriations Committee
Rules Committee
Ways and Means Committee
Standing committee
Select committee
Joint committee
specialization
How a Bill Becomes a Law (maybe)
Authorization Bill
Appropriation Bill
Public bill
Private bill
Multiple referral, sequential referral
Hearings
Mark up
Rules - open, restrictive, closed
Conference committee
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Omnibus bill
Pork/Pork Barrel/Earmark
Christmas tree
Discharge petition
The Voting Choice
Delegate
Trustee
Partisan
Whip
Logrolling
Legislative Liaison
Lobbying
Iron Triangle
PAC
Gridlock
Powers of Congress
Necessary and proper/elastic clause
Commerce clause
Levy taxes and borrow money
Declare War
Implied
Representation
Constituent
Casework
Descriptive representation
Substantive representation
Oversight, Separation of Powers & Checks and Balances
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Congressional Budget Office
Power of the purse
Bureaucracy
Veto
Override
Pocket veto
Legislative veto
INS v. Chadha
Budget Control and Impoundment Act
War Powers Act
Impeach
Elections and Incumbent Advantage
Apportionment/Reapportionment/malapportionment
redistricting
Census
Baker v. Carr
Wesberry v. Sanders
Reynolds v. Sims
Gerrymander
Majority minority/racial gerrymander
Incumbent
Safe seat/district
PAC
Franking
The Senate
Advice and consent
Senatorial courtesy
17th Amendment
filibuster
cloture
holds
president pro tempore
Policy
fiscal policy
distributive policy
redistributive policy
progressive tax
regressive tax
revenue
entitlement program/spending
discretionary spending
Medicare
Social Security
means tested
Medicaid
AFDC/TANF
monetary policy
Federal Reserve
policy cycle
Wagner Act/Taft Hartley Act
List the qualifications to serve in the House and Senate.
Explain the leadership system used in the House and Senate and the role of majority/minority status.
Describe the committee system used by Congress and identify those committees which exercise significant
power.
Explain each step in how a bill becomes a law.
Identify the various groups/individuals that play a role in the legislative process and in the legislators voting
decision.
Identify the ways in which the House and Senate differ.
Explain the importance of the "necessary and proper clause."
Describe the demographic makeup of Congress and the electoral advantages of incumbency.
Describe the various type of policies and programs established by the federal government.