GOV 310L O'Brien Ch 10, Exam 1
Questions All Solved.
Basic Duties of Congress - Answer Representation, Law Making, Consensus Building,
Overseeing the Bureaucracy, Policy Clarification, Investigating the operation of government
agencies, Senate
Candy desk - Answer Desk in the senate on the Republican side (currently Pat Toomey [R-
PA]), in the back, near the door, where candy is kept. Tradition started in 1968
Casework - Answer Response or service that members of congress provide to constituents
who ask for assistance
Caucus and conference - Answer Meetings of party leaders to determine party policy or to
choose the party's candidates for public office
Censure - Answer Formal reprimand of a congressional member (criticism for a fault)
Cloture - Answer A procedure for terminating debate/filibuster in the Senate
Committee chairs - Answer Leaders of congressional committees
Committee on Rules (Rules Committee) - Answer Committee that decides what rule a bill
should fall under, the "traffic cop" of committees
Committee system - Answer Smaller groups that specialize in different areas are in charge of
forming different bills
Committee types - Answer -Standing: permanent, focuses on a policy area
-Special/select: created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation
-Joint: composed of members from both houses
-Conference: committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust
differences on a particular bill
Constituents - Answer People who legislators represent
, Continuing resolutions - Answer Used when action on appropriations is not completed by the
beginning of the fiscal year
Cracking - Answer Spreading like-minded voters apart across multiple districts to dilute their
power
Packing - Answer Concentrating like-minded voters into one district to reduce their power in
other districts
Delegate - Answer Representative
Democratic Caucus - Answer Party caucus for the Democrats
Descriptive representation - Answer Legislators represent their constituency's their
descriptive characteristics (having a Cuban rep from Miami)
Substantive representation - Answer When a member of Congress represents constituents'
interests and policy concerns
Discharge petition - Answer Petition to remove a bill from a committee and bring it to the
floor for consideration
Earmarks - Answer Federally funded local projects attached to bills
Entitlements - Answer Gov program that provides benefits to Americans who meet certain
requirements (SS)
Filibuster - Answer Wasting time to prevent a bill from being passed
Franking privilege - Answer Privilege of sending free mail to electors
Gerrymandering - Answer Redistricting to benefit one's needs
Gridlock - Answer When a gov is incapable of acting on important issues, usually due to
divided gov
Hold - Answer Allows senators to prevent a motion from reaching the floor
Questions All Solved.
Basic Duties of Congress - Answer Representation, Law Making, Consensus Building,
Overseeing the Bureaucracy, Policy Clarification, Investigating the operation of government
agencies, Senate
Candy desk - Answer Desk in the senate on the Republican side (currently Pat Toomey [R-
PA]), in the back, near the door, where candy is kept. Tradition started in 1968
Casework - Answer Response or service that members of congress provide to constituents
who ask for assistance
Caucus and conference - Answer Meetings of party leaders to determine party policy or to
choose the party's candidates for public office
Censure - Answer Formal reprimand of a congressional member (criticism for a fault)
Cloture - Answer A procedure for terminating debate/filibuster in the Senate
Committee chairs - Answer Leaders of congressional committees
Committee on Rules (Rules Committee) - Answer Committee that decides what rule a bill
should fall under, the "traffic cop" of committees
Committee system - Answer Smaller groups that specialize in different areas are in charge of
forming different bills
Committee types - Answer -Standing: permanent, focuses on a policy area
-Special/select: created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation
-Joint: composed of members from both houses
-Conference: committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust
differences on a particular bill
Constituents - Answer People who legislators represent
, Continuing resolutions - Answer Used when action on appropriations is not completed by the
beginning of the fiscal year
Cracking - Answer Spreading like-minded voters apart across multiple districts to dilute their
power
Packing - Answer Concentrating like-minded voters into one district to reduce their power in
other districts
Delegate - Answer Representative
Democratic Caucus - Answer Party caucus for the Democrats
Descriptive representation - Answer Legislators represent their constituency's their
descriptive characteristics (having a Cuban rep from Miami)
Substantive representation - Answer When a member of Congress represents constituents'
interests and policy concerns
Discharge petition - Answer Petition to remove a bill from a committee and bring it to the
floor for consideration
Earmarks - Answer Federally funded local projects attached to bills
Entitlements - Answer Gov program that provides benefits to Americans who meet certain
requirements (SS)
Filibuster - Answer Wasting time to prevent a bill from being passed
Franking privilege - Answer Privilege of sending free mail to electors
Gerrymandering - Answer Redistricting to benefit one's needs
Gridlock - Answer When a gov is incapable of acting on important issues, usually due to
divided gov
Hold - Answer Allows senators to prevent a motion from reaching the floor
