Acts, Powers, Conditions, and Procedures
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- abdicate - (vb) give up throne or office
- abstain - (vb) withhold one’s vote or participation
- acclamation - vote of legislature by voice only
- act - law passed by legislative body
- ad hoc - with specific or particular purpose
- adjourn - (vb) end legislative session
- advice and consent - constitutional power of Senate to approve all presidential appointments and treaties
- affirmative action - plan to rectify discrimination against minorities and women
- agenda - list of items to be brought before meeting
- allegiance - basic obligation of loyalty to state
- amendment - formal alteration of bill, law, or constitution
- amnesty - pardon by government authority, usu. head of state, to violators of federal law
- annexation - addition of territory into existing domain
- appointment - selection to fill nonelected office or function, usu. by president or executive
- apportionment - distribution and assignment of legislative seats
- appropriations - funds set aside by law for specific purpose
- arbitration - hearing or judgment of controversy by statutorily appointed body
- archives - collection of public documents
- articles - divisions of U.S. Constitution containing procedures for organization and implementation of government
- assessment - listing and evaluation of property for tax purposes
- authority - power to rule vested in government by people, constitution, or revolution
- bill - proposed piece of legislation
- bill of attainder - legislative act finding a person guilty of treason or felony without court trial
- Bill of Rights - first ten amendments to U.S. Constitution
- bloc voting - united voting of legislators or delegates to advance or obstruct action
- bond - certificate indicating government has borrowed money from individual or organization and will pay interest until bond is sold
- boondoggle - frivolous expenditure of public funds
- bribe - illegal payment to public official for favor
- briefing - act of providing information or instructions
- budget - financial plan for funding operations of government
- bull - decree of pope
- calendar - legislative schedule
- carry - (vb) secure passage or adoption; win majority of votes
- casting vote - deciding vote cast by presiding officer when other votes are equally divided
- caucus - closed meeting of legislative party members to decide status of forthcoming issues or select leaders
- censure - condemnation by vote of legislature
- census - official population count and informational survey taken every ten years
- charter - fundamental law or constitution granted cities by state legislature
- citizenship - full rights, duties, and privileges as a member of a nation, by birth or naturalization
- civil disobedience - refusal to obey government demands and laws, usu. passive resistance as matter of conscience
- civil law - laws pertaining to disputes between private parties or between private parties and government
- classified - (adj) secret
- clause - separate article of law or other formal document
- clearance - official authorization to know of or participate in classified activities
- cloture - procedure by which legislative body, esp. U.S. Senate, limits debate
- coalition - alliance of states or political parties
- committee hearing - publicly conducted information-gathering process by which committee reaches decision on issue
- commonweal - general welfare
- concurrent powers - powers held by both states and federal government
- concurrent resolution - congressional opinion requiring approval of both houses, but not a law
- confirmation - legislative approval of executive appointment
- conflict of interest - incompatibility between private interests and public responsibilities
- Congressional Record - official transcript of proceedings of both houses of Congress
- consensus - agreement by majority within group
- consent - willingness of people to submit to authority of civil government
- constitution - fundamental written law of state or nation
- Constitution - fundamental written law of United States
- constitutionality - accordance with constitution of a nation
- convene - (vb) come together as legislative body to commence session
- cooperative federalism - programs that feature joint effort of federal, state, and local governments to solve common problems
- coronation - act or ceremony of crowning a monarch
- debriefing - questioning and instruction of one privy to classified information
- debt ceiling - upper limit set for national debt
- Declaration of Independence - proclamation of liberty by American colonies in 1776
- decree - executive proclamation having force of law
- dedication - gift of private lands for public use
- delegated powers - constitutional powers of federal government
- deregulation - removal of established controls over business or industry
- devolution - transfer of power from central government to local government
- discharge petition - petition by half of House of Representatives to withdraw proposed bill from committee consideration
- dissenting opinion - written view on case by minority of U.S. Supreme Court
- domestic - (adj) pertaining to internal affairs of state
- domestic tranquility - state of peace within nation
- draft - compulsory selection of persons for military duty
- edict - official order or proclamation with force of law
- eminent domain - constitutional power of government to take private property for public use
- enactment - passage of bill into law
- enumerated powers - powers of federal government stated in U.S. Constitution
- exclusive powers - powers exclusive to federal or state government
- executive agreement - pact between U.S. President and head of foreign state not requiring senatorial approval
- executive order - rule issued by President, governor, or administrative authority that has force of law
- executive privilege - right of President to withhold certain information, usu. to protect national security
- executive session - hearing held by legislative body or committee that is closed to public
- expenditures - government spending of revenue
- extradition - return of criminal from one state or nation to another for trial
- fiat - authoritative government order or decree
- filibuster - delaying tactic to prevent legislative action
- first reading - initial submission of bill before legislature, often by number or name only
- fiscal policy - governmental use and manipulation of public revenues
- foreign policy - principles and goals determining one nation’s relations with other nations
- forum - assembly for discussion of issues of public interest
- franking privilege - right to mail official papers without charge, enjoyed by members of Congress, President, and cabinet
- gag rule - any rule restricting open discussion or debate on a given issue in a deliberative body
- gavel-to-gavel - (adj) designating entire period from opening of legislative session to adjournment
- grant-in-aid - federal money given to state or local government for use in health, education, or public works
- hopper - box into which representatives drop bills to introduce them into the House
- impeachment - formal accusation brought to remove civil official from office; charges articulated in U.S. House of Representatives and tried in the Senate
- implied powers - authority of federal government based on indirect expression in U.S. Constitution
- inauguration - installation of President or other official into office
- inherent powers - authority of all national governments based on sovereignty as nation-states
- initiative - petition to place legislation or constitutional amendment on ballot for voters’ direct approval
- internal revenue - money collected by government from citizens in form of taxes
- interpellation - procedure by which legislature asks government official to explain an act or policy
- interposition - doctrine that states may block enforcement of federal laws
- interregnum - temporary lapse in government functions, esp. during transition between two regimes or administrations
- item veto - executive veto of part of bill without rejection of entire measure
- joint resolution - formal expression of congressional opinion with force of law, esp. on unusual or temporary matter
- judicial review - power of courts to decide constitutionality of act of government
- junket - trip taken at public expense by government employee
- jurisdiction - authority over people or territory
- kill - (vb) prevent enactment of bill into legislation or veto enacted bill
- law - binding legislative act
- legislative power - constitutional authority allowing Congress to make laws
- lobby - (vb) attempt to influence government policy on specific issue, esp. by swaying legislative votes
- measure - legislative bill or enactment
- merit system - selection of civil servants on basis of demonstrated abilities rather than patronage
- minutes - written notes and record of meeting
- motion - formal proposal
- move - (vb) introduce a motion
- municipal charter - document creating city government and setting forth its powers and duties
- national supremacy - constitutional doctrine that national laws supersede state or local laws
- omnibus bill - all-inclusive or broad-ranging legislation
- ordinance - law, statute, or government regulation
- override - legislative vote to annul executive veto of legislative act
- pardon - legal forgiveness for crime granted by executive without judicial action
- parliamentarianism - study and practice of rules of conduct for legislative body
- parliamentary procedure - any of the rules and precedents governing proceedings of legislatures or meetings of other legislative bodies
- pass - (vb) approve
- passage - legislative enactment of bill into law
- patronage - awarding of government positions in return for support or other favors
- petition - formal written request, often signed by many citizens and submitted to government, esp. as means of placing referendum on ballot
- pigeonhole - (vb) set aside bill in committee and not bring it before legislature
- pocket - (vb) retain legislative bill without action to prevent it from becoming law
- pocket veto - process by which President prevents bill from becoming law by leaving it unsigned past end of legislative session
- portfolio - office and duties of minister of state
- position paper - detailed report on an issue, usu. advising specific action
- prerogative - exclusive special right or privilege inherent in position or office
- prime the pump - increase government funding to stimulate the economy
- private bill - bill dealing with individual concern
- proclamation - official public executive announcement
- progressive tax - tax rate that increases as taxable income increases
- proportional representation - allocation of legislative seats by party based on percent of popular or electoral vote received
- proviso - clause stating conditions of bill or document
- public assistance - government funds used to satisfy basic needs of poor citizens
- public lands - territory owned by federal government
- public policy - government programs approved by legislature or initiated by executive departments and agencies
- public service - actions that supply essential commodity or service for benefit or welfare of people
- public works - roads, dams, and other structures for public use that are paid for by government funds
- quorum - number of members of body required to transact official business, usu. a majority
- railroad - (vb) rush legislation through without considering opposition
- ratify - (vb) vote approval; sanction formally
- reapportionment - reorganization of electoral districts by new formula
- recall - procedure by which public official is removed from office by popular vote
- recess - suspension of legislative session or procedure
- redistricting - revision of legislative district boundaries
- red tape - excessive bureaucratic procedure that causes delay
- regalia - emblems of office
- regulation - executive actions to bring activities into conformity with law
- repeal - (vb) cancel or revoke legislative enactment
- report - (vb) send bill to full legislature with committee recommendation
- rescind - (vb) cancel, annul
- reserved powers - powers not delegated to federal government by U.S. Constitution and not denied to states
- resolution - formal expression of opinion or intent by governmental body
- revenue - government income, primarily from taxation
- revenue sharing - system by which state and local governments receive fixed amounts of federal tax revenues
- revoke - (vb) annul statute or recall official
- rider - provision that might not pass on its own but that is likely to pass when attached to important bill
- roll call - alphabetical recital of names of legislators on floor for vote on issue
- secession - formal separation from organized body or government
- second - (vb) endorse another’s parliamentary motion
- second reading - legislative proceeding in which a bill is reported back from committee for full debate before vote
- sedition - verbal incitement of resistance to lawful authority
- senatorial courtesy - unwritten rule that U.S. Senate will approve an appointee only if acceptable to senators in President’s party from state involved
- seniority system - assignment of most important posts and committee chairmanships to members of U.S. Congress with longest service
- serfdom - condition of being bound to land and subservient to feudal lord; thralldom
- session - period of time during which legislative body meets
- sittings - sessions of U.S. Supreme Court
- slavery - ownership of persons who are absolutely subject to slaveholder’s will
- special session - legislative assembly at abnormal time
- states’ rights - governmental authority exercised by states, not to be infringed upon by federal government
- statute - law; act of legislature
- statutory law - law enacted by legislative body such as congress, state legislature, or city council
- strict construction - interpretation of U.S. Constitution to mean that federal government has no powers or rights not expressly granted by Constitution, esp. limiting use of presidential power
- subjugation - conquest or domination of a people or territory
- subsidy - government funds paid to individual or group to enhance economic position
- succession - order in which officials move up to vacated higher position, esp. procedure for filling presidential vacancy
- table - (vb) remove bill from consideration, usu. indefinitely; Chiefly Brit. place bill or motion on agenda
- tax - monies collected by government from citizens to support government
- taxation - government imposition of taxes; revenue derived from taxes
- term - two-year session of House between elections; six-year incumbency in Senate before facing reelection
- thralldom - slavery, serfdom
- top secret - highly classified information requiring special clearance for access
- town meeting - assembly of local citizens to discuss and vote on issues
- treason - betrayal of one’s government by making war on it or giving aid and comfort to its enemies
- ukase - edict issued by Russian czar
- unconstitutional - (adj) in violation of constitutional principles
- undemocratic - (adj) not in accord with democratic principles, esp. totalitarian
- unincorporated area - territory beyond any local jurisdiction
- unseat - (vb) remove from office, usu. by defeating in election
- unwritten constitution - informal constitution based on series of laws over time
- vassalage - condition of subordination to feudal lord as tenant
- veto - power of executive to reject legislation passed by Congress; (vb) exercise such power
- veto power - executive authority to reject legislation
- voice vote - vote by acclamation
- vote - exercise of political franchise in election of officials or expression of views on issues
- vote of confidence - formal expression of political support for governing ministry by legislative majority in parliamentary system
- war powers - extended presidential powers of commander in chief in time of war
- ways and means - manner of raising and allocating revenues for conduct of government business
- white paper - detailed government report on specific subject
- yield - (vb) allow another member of body to express views in debate
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