AP Gov Chapter 11 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is reapportionment?

The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census.

What does redistricting refer to?

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census.

What is gerrymandering?

The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.

What is a safe seat?

An elected office that is predictably won by one party. Signup and view all the answers

Who are incumbents?

The current holders of elected office. Signup and view all the answers

What does bicameralism refer to?

The principle of a two-house legislature. Signup and view all the answers

What are enumerated powers?

The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

Who is the Speaker?

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the majority leader?

The legislative leader selected by the majority party. Signup and view all the answers

What does the minority leader do?

The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition. Signup and view all the answers

What is a whip in Congress?

A party leader who acts as a liaison between leadership and rank-and-file members. Signup and view all the answers

What is a party caucus?

A meeting of party members in a legislative chamber to select leaders and develop policy. Signup and view all the answers

What is a closed rule in Congress?

A procedural rule that prohibits amendments to bills in the House. Signup and view all the answers

What is an open rule in Congress?

A procedural rule that permits floor amendments to a bill. Signup and view all the answers

What is the president pro tempore?

The officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president. Signup and view all the answers

What is a hold in the Senate?

A procedural practice where a senator temporarily blocks consideration of a bill. Signup and view all the answers

What is a filibuster?

A procedural practice where a senator refuses to relinquish the floor to delay a vote. Signup and view all the answers

What is cloture?

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate. Signup and view all the answers

What is senatorial courtesy?

The presidential custom of submitting appointees' names for approval to home state senators. Signup and view all the answers

What is a standing committee?

A permanent committee established in a legislature focusing on specific policy areas. Signup and view all the answers

What is a special or select committee?

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose or investigation. Signup and view all the answers

What is a joint committee?

A committee composed of members from both the House and the Senate. Signup and view all the answers

What is the seniority rule?

A legislative practice that assigns committee chairs based on longest continuous service. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conference committee?

A committee appointed by presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a bill. Signup and view all the answers

What is a delegate in Congress?

An official expected to represent constituents' views even with differing personal beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a trustee in Congress?

An official expected to vote based on their independent judgment of circumstances. Signup and view all the answers

What is the attentive public?

Citizens who follow public affairs carefully. Signup and view all the answers

What is logrolling?

Mutual aid and vote trading among legislators. Signup and view all the answers

What is a discharge petition?

A petition that, if signed by a majority, brings a bill to the floor for consideration. Signup and view all the answers

What is a rider?

A provision attached to a bill to secure its passage. Signup and view all the answers

What is a pocket veto?

A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned. Signup and view all the answers

What does override mean in Congress?

An action taken by Congress to reverse a presidential veto. Signup and view all the answers

What is centralization in congressional power?

Quick, decisive power at the expense of individual congressmen and citizens. Signup and view all the answers

What is decentralization in congressional power?

Power involving longer debates and protecting individual voices. Signup and view all the answers

What is a rules committee?

A committee in the House deciding the rules for business proceedings. Signup and view all the answers

What is the 17th Amendment about?

Allowed for the direct election of senators. Signup and view all the answers

What does adjournment refer to in Congress?

The end of a congressional term. Signup and view all the answers

Terms are two years long, divided into year-long ________.

sessions Signup and view all the answers

What are recesses in Congress?

Breaks from congressional service. Signup and view all the answers

Where must revenue bills originate?

In the House. Signup and view all the answers

What is the line of succession?

A predetermined list of who reaches the presidency if the president is unable. Signup and view all the answers

What is the majority party?

The party with the most seats in either house. Signup and view all the answers

What does parliamentary procedure refer to?

The rules by which congressional business is conducted. Signup and view all the answers

What does US Term Limits vs. Thornton represent?

A 1995 Supreme Court case regarding state-imposed term limits. Signup and view all the answers

What is the President of the Senate?

The Vice President's traditional role. Signup and view all the answers

What is a docket?

The bills up for consideration. Signup and view all the answers

What is a pork barrel project?

Projects secured by congressmen for their home state, often criticized for waste. Signup and view all the answers

What does the 27th Amendment prevent?

Prevents salary raises for congressmen from having immediate effect. Signup and view all the answers

What are honoraria?

Speaking fees banned for congressmen. Signup and view all the answers

What is the franking privilege?

The ability of congressmen to mail for free. Signup and view all the answers

What is legislative immunity?

Protection from arrest while going to a vote. Signup and view all the answers

What is a census?

A constitutionally mandated counting of American citizens every ten years. Signup and view all the answers

What is packing in gerrymandering?

Concentrating the opposing party into a few districts. Signup and view all the answers

What does cracking refer to in gerrymandering?

Dispersion of the opposing party across many districts. Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of Baker vs. Carr?

"One man, one vote" for legislative districts. Signup and view all the answers

What is malapportionment?

Unequal representation within legislative districts. Signup and view all the answers

What is racial gerrymandering?

Moving voters of the same race into the same district. Signup and view all the answers

What was the ruling of Shaw vs. Reno?

Prohibits racial gerrymandering. Signup and view all the answers

What does Miller vs. Johnson state?

Race cannot be the primary factor in gerrymandering. Signup and view all the answers

What are institutional powers?

Powers related to checks and balances. Signup and view all the answers

What does censure mean in Congress?

Official punishment of a sitting member. Signup and view all the answers

What are ex post facto laws?

Laws applied after the fact. Signup and view all the answers

What are bills of attainder?

Legislative acts pronouncing guilt without trial. Signup and view all the answers

What is habeas corpus?

A guarantee that individuals cannot be detained without just cause. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the media play in monitoring Congress?

The watchdog role over Congress. Signup and view all the answers

What is authorization in legislative terms?

Allows for a program. Signup and view all the answers

What is appropriation in legislative terms?

Funds allocated for a program. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'reported out' mean in legislative terms?

The action taken if a bill passes through committee successfully. Signup and view all the answers

What does mark up mean in legislative terms?

A session when a bill is amended in committee. Signup and view all the answers

What are earmarks?

Spending provisions placed by committee members. Signup and view all the answers

What does pigeonhole mean in legislative terms?

To postpone consideration of a bill indefinitely in committee. Signup and view all the answers

What is a line-item veto?

A deemed unconstitutional process of eliminating specific parts of a bill. Signup and view all the answers

What was the ruling in Clinton v. NY?

Declared line-item veto unconstitutional. Signup and view all the answers

What is the seniority system?

Ranking members based on who has been in Congress the longest. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Ways and Means committee?

The House committee dealing with tax bills. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Congressional Processes and Structure

Reapportionment: Redistribution of congressional seats post-census; state legislatures manage state legislative district reapportionment.
Redistricting: Adjusting legislative district lines to reflect population changes, ensuring balanced representation.
Gerrymandering: Manipulation of district boundaries to favor a political party or incumbent.
Safe Seat: Office predicted to be won by one party, ensuring high success for that party's candidates.

Leadership in Congress

Incumbents: Current officeholders in elected positions.
Bicameralism: A legislative system with two houses.
Speaker of the House: The presiding leader of the House, chosen by the majority party.
Majority Leader: Elected by the majority party, aids in strategy and party cohesion.
Minority Leader: Leader of the minority party, acts as chief spokesperson.
Whip: Connects party leadership with regular members; helps manage party discipline.

Legislative Procedures and Committees

Party Caucus: A meeting for party members to select leaders and set policy; Republicans refer to this as a conference.
Closed Rule: Restricts amendments during bill consideration in the House.
Open Rule: Allows for amendments during the consideration of bills in the House.
President Pro Tempore: Chair of the Senate in the absence of the Vice President.
Hold: A practice where senators can delay a bill’s consideration.
Filibuster: Strategy in the Senate to delay or block legislative action by speaking indefinitely.
Cloture: The process to end debate and proceed to a vote, particularly to end filibusters.
Standing Committee: A permanent committee that focuses on specific policy areas.
Special or Select Committee: Formed for specific purposes, such as investigations.

Legislative Strategies and Voting

Logrolling: The practice of exchanging votes among legislators for mutual benefit.
Discharge Petition: Allows majority of the House to bring a bill out of committee for floor consideration.
Rider: An unrelated provision added to a bill to ensure passage.
Pocket Veto: A president's indirect veto of a bill by not signing it within ten days while Congress is adjourned.
Override: Congress can reverse a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Congressional Powers and Amendments

Centralization vs. Decentralization: Centralization favors quick decision-making, while decentralization emphasizes individual member voices and extended debates.
17th Amendment: Mandates the direct election of senators.
Revenue Bills: Must originate in the House.
US Term Limits v. Thornton: Supreme Court ruling that state-imposed term limits on Congress are unconstitutional.

Legislative Immunities and Privileges

Franking Privilege: Allows Congress members to send mail free of charge for official business.
Legislative Immunity: Protects Congress members from arrest while in session.
Censure: Official reprimand of a sitting member of Congress.

Voting and Election Principles

Packing and Cracking: Techniques in gerrymandering; packing concentrates opposition votes, while cracking disperses them.
Baker v. Carr: Established "one man, one vote" principle, addressing district representation fairness.

Current Legislative Context

Census: Mandatory decennial count of the population, affecting congressional representation.
Pork Barrel: Government funds allocated for local projects, often seen as inefficient but politically advantageous.
Authorization vs. Appropriation: Authorization allows a program to exist, while appropriation provides the funding.

Judicial Influences on Legislation

Clinton v. New York: Confirmed line-item veto as unconstitutional, preserving legislative integrity.

Additional Key Terms

Earmarks: Specific expenditures added to legislation by committee members.
Pigeonhole: To set a bill aside indefinitely in committee.
Majority Party: The party with the most seats in either house, controlling the legislative agenda.

Understanding these key concepts will enhance comprehension of the legislative process and the structure of Congress.

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Description

This quiz focuses on key terms from Chapter 11 of AP Government, including reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering. Each term is defined to help students grasp essential concepts related to congressional representation. Use these flashcards to reinforce your understanding before exams.