pork  - publicly funded projects secured by legislators to benefit their home districts or states, appropriations - funds allocated by a legislature for a stated purpose as part of a budget or spending bill, joint committee - a permanent committee of legislators from both the House and Senate that deals with matters of common interest, such as economic policy, constituent - a person who lives in an electoral district and is represented by an elected official, standing committee - a permanent committee of legislators from either the House or Senate responsible for specific policy areas, such as foreign affairs or agriculture, legislative hearing - a meeting of lawmakers to hear testimony and gather information on a proposed piece of legislation, closed rule - a condition placed on a bill by the House Rules Committee that severely limits floor debate and amendments; this allows the bill to move through the House quickly, with few changes, open rule - a condition placed on a bill by the House Rules Committee that permits floor debate and amendments; this allows opponents to change the bill or even kill it, seniority rule - the tradition that a congressional committee member’s seniority—the number of years of unbroken service on a committee—determines that member’s position on the committee, power of recognition - the power of the House speaker or Senate majority leader to grant permission to speak on the House or Senate floor; no member may address the chamber without being recognized by the leader, filibuster - the tactic of using endless speeches on the Senate floor to delay or prevent passage of legislation, supermajority - a number of votes greater than a simple majority, sometimes required to pass a particular motion or proposal, hold - a request by a senator to delay action on a bill, conference committee - a temporary committee of legislators from both the House and Senate created to work out differences in bills passed by both chambers, logrolling - the trading of votes among legislators to ensure the passage of various bills in which they have a special interest, joint resolution - an official statement issued by both houses of Congress; once signed by the president, a joint resolution has the force of law, casework - personal services provided by members of Congress to their constituents, often to help their constituents with problems they are having with the federal bureaucracy, congressional page - a high school junior who works as a messenger and errand-runner in the House or Senate, cloture - the process used to end a filibuster in the Senate; at least 60 senators must support a cloture vote to overcome a filibuster, Christmas tree bill - a bill with so many riders attached to it that it seems to offer something for everyone,

Legislative Branch Key Terms

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