Name ____________________________________________________
Government
Chapter 5
Date_________________
Congressional Membership
Key Terms and Definitions:
1) Bicameral Legislature – A two-chamber legislature
2) Session – period of time during which a legislature meets to
conduct business
3) Census – A population count
4) Reapportionment – reassigning representation based on
population after every census
5) Redistrict – set up of new district lines after reapportionment is
complete
6) Gerrymander – Draw a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage
in elections
7) At-large – as a whole; statewide
8) Censure – vote of formal disapproval of a members actions
9) Incumbent – elected official that is already in office
10)
Constituents – member of congress has been elected to
represent
11)
Caucus – private meeting of party leaders to choose
candidates for office
12)
Whips – assistant to the party floor leader in the legislature
13)
Bill – proposed law
14)
Calendars – schedule that lists order in which bills will be
considered in congress
15)
Quorum – minimum number of members who must be
present to permit a legislative body to take action
16)
President pro tempore - Senate member elected by the
senate who stands in as president of senate in absence of the vice
president
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Government
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17)
Filibuster – method of defeating bill in which senator talks
until a majority either abandons bill or agrees to modify
18)
Cloture – procedure that allows each senator to speak only
one hour on bill under debate
19)
Standing committee – permanent in congress that oversees
bills that deal with certain kind of issues
20)
Subcommittees – specializes in subcategory of its standing
committees responsibility
21)
Select committee – temporary committee formed to study
one specific issue & reports its findings to senate of House
22)
Joint committee – Acts as study group & reports its findings
back to House & Senate
23)
Conference committee – temporary joint committee set up
when House and the Senate have passed different versions of
same bill
24)
Seniority system – member with longest uninterrupted
service on particular committee the leadership of what
committee
25)
Personal staff – people who work directly for individual
senators and representatives
26)
Administrative assistant – NAS lawmakers office, supervises
the schedule and gives advice
27)
Legislative assistant – makes certain that lawmaker is well
informed about proposed legislative proposals
28)
Caseworker – Handles requests for help from constituents
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Government
Date_________________
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