A2 Key Terms Government & Politics Unit 4a, Topic 2 (The Legislature) AQA

House of Representatives

Lower house in the bicameral US Congress. 435 reps each serving two-year terms. Each state receives representation in proportion to population, but each state is entitled to at least one rep

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Senate

Upper house in Congress. Senate consists of 100 senators, each serving 6 year terms. 1/3 of Senate up for re-election every two-years, so constantly changing. Each state receives two senators

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Exclusive powers

Powers reserved solely to either House of Reps or Senate

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Concurrent powers

Powers shared between House of Reps and Senate

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Gridlock

Signifies failure to get action on policy proposals and legislation in Congress. Thought to be exacerbated by divided gov't and partisanship

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Representation

How legislators represent their constituents: the trustee model, the delegate model and the mandate model. Can also mean who represents the electorate - called the resemblance model of representation, considers gender, race, etc.

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New Democrats

Centrist faction in Democratic Party, emerged after G.H.W. Bush's victory in 1988. Identified with centrist social/cultural positions and neoliberal fiscal values

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Blue Dog Coalition

A group of congressional Democrats from Dem. Party who identify themselves as moderates. Formed in 1995 - give more conservative members a more unified voice after Democrat's loss of the House in 1994 mid-term elections

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Rockefeller Republicans

Faction of Repub. Party holding moderate liberal views to those of Nelson Rockefeller. Term fallen out of use by end of 20C, been replaced by phrase 'moderate Republican' (rare!)

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House Speaker

Selected by members of maj. party and functions as leader of that party. Ceremonially, speaker represents whole house but politically is the voice of the party in power - John Boehner

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Committee System

Made up of many types of committees which perform legislative and investigatory functions. Fact that it is only in the committee rooms that members of exec. branch can be directly questioned gives system an added importance

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Standing Committees

Most important type. Made up of policy specialists

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Select Committees

Appointed to perform a special function beyond the authority or capacity of a standing committee. Usually created by a resolution that outlines its duties and powers. Investigative in nature, rather than legislative. Generally expires on completion.

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Conference Committees

Committee of the Congress appointed by House and Senate to resolve disagreements on a particular bill. Usually composed of snr. members of standing committees of each House that originally considered the legislation.

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House Rules Committee (HRC)

Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor. One of the most powerful committees, often described as 'an arm of the leadership' + 'Traffic cop of Congress

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Bipartisanship

Close co-operation between the two major parties. In the US system of gov't, where it is possible to have a Pres. of one party and a Congress of another. Thought to be crucial to political success

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Seniority Rule

A rule stating that the chair of a congressional standing committee will be the member of the maj. party with the longest continuous service on that committee

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Filibuster

Device by which an individual senator, or group of senators, can attempt to talk a bill to death by using delaying tactics. - Comes from Senators' right of unlimited debate. A 3/5 (60 votes) is required to end a filibuster

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A2 Key Terms Government & Politics Unit 4a, Topic 2 (The Legislature) AQA

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