House of Representatives
representatives elected by each state, # depends on population size; advantageous for larger states
Key Terms
House of Representatives
representatives elected by each state, # depends on population size; advantageous for larger states
Senate
2 representatives from each state;advantageous for smaller states
bicameral
a legislature divided into 2 houses, US Congress and every US state legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral
gerrymandering
drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another
census
tool for understanding demographic changes; Constitution requires an annual one
redistricting
redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following a census , to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal a...
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
House of Representatives | representatives elected by each state, # depends on population size; advantageous for larger states |
Senate | 2 representatives from each state;advantageous for smaller states |
bicameral | a legislature divided into 2 houses, US Congress and every US state legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral |
gerrymandering | drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another |
census | tool for understanding demographic changes; Constitution requires an annual one |
redistricting | redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following a census , to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population |
reapportionment | process of reallocating seats in the House every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census |
two party system | several political parties exist, but only 2 major political parties compete for power and dominate elections |
single member districts | only one representative is chosen from each district |
entitlements | policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay x level of benefits to y number of recipients (Social Security) |
legislative intent | when creating a legislation, the judiciary branch may be considered when interpreting the law; judiciary may attempt to assess where legislation is ambiguous |
Civil Rights Act of 1964 | law that made racial discrimination against any group in hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination |
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 | law passed that requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against these individuals in employment |
amendments | revolution of change to a bill, law, or constitution |
mandatory spending | required government spending by permanent laws |
discretionary spending | spending set by the government through appropriations and bills (operating expenses and salaries of gov. employees) |
filibuster | strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on unlimited debate |
incumbency effect | tendency of those already holding office to win reelection due to advantages because they already hold office |
Franking privilege | privilege that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to constituents postage-free |
legislative veto | ability of Congress to override a presidential decision |