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Glossary of Legislative Terms

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Glossary of Legislative Terms GLOSSARY OF LEGISLATIVE TERMS Act B Legislation that has passed both chambers of Closed Hearing B Hearings closed to all but mem‐ Congress and become law. bers, staff, and witnesses testifying; also called Executive Hearings. Adjourn B To close a legislative day. Closed Rule B In the House, a prohibition against Amendment B A change in a bill or document by amendments not approved by the committee adding, substituting, or omitting portions. which brought the bill to the floor. The House must either accept or reject the bill Aas is@. Appropriations Bill B Legislation that provides funds for authorized programs. Cloture B Method of limiting debate or ending a filibuster in the Senate. At least 60 Senators must Authorization Bill B Legislation establishing a pro‐ vote in favor before cloture can be invoked. gram and setting funding limits. Cosponsor B Member who joins in sponsoring leg‐ Bill B Legislation introduced in either the House or islation but who is not the principal sponsor or the Senate. one who introduced the legislation. By Request B Phrase used when a member intro‐ Commit B To refer a bill or matter to a committee. duces a bill at the request of an executive agency or private organization but does not necessarily Committee B A group of Members assigned to give endorse the legislation. special consideration to certain bills. See Joint Committee. Calendar B List and schedule of bills to be consid‐ ered by a committee. Committee of the Whole B A mechanism to ex‐ pedite business in the House whereby the House Caucus B Meeting of Republican or Democratic itself becomes a committee, allowing for less rigid Members of Congress to determine policy and/or rules and a quorum of 100 instead of 218. choose leaders. Companion Bills B Identical bills introduced sep‐ Chair B Presiding officer. arately in both the Senate and the House. Chamber B Place where the entire House or Senate Concurrent Resolution B Legislative action used to meets to conduct business; also, the House of Rep‐ express the position of the House or Senate. Does resentatives or the Senate itself. not have the force of law. Clean Bill B A bill that has been revised in mark‐up. Conference Committee B Meeting between Rep‐ Amendments are assembled with unchanged lan‐ resentatives and Senators to resolve differences guage and the bill is referred to the floor with a when two versions of a similar bill have been new number. passed by the House and Senate. Cloak Rooms B Small rooms on the House and Sen‐ Congressional Record B Official transcript of the ate floor where members can rest and hold infor‐ proceedings in Congress. mal conferences. Continuing Resolution B A resolution enacted to Page 1 of 4 allow specific Executive Branch agencies to con‐ Joint Committee B Committee composed of Mem‐ tinue operating even though funds have not been bers of both the House and Senate. appropriated for them for the following fiscal year. Joint Resolution B Legislation similar to a bill that Discharge Petition B A petition for the purpose of has the force of law if passed by both houses and removing a bill from the control of a committee. A signed by the President, generally used for special discharge petition must be signed by a majority of situations. Members in the House or Senate. Lame Duck B Member of Congress (or the Pres‐ Engrossed Bill B Final copy of a bill passed by ident) who has not been reelected but whose term either the House or Senate with amendments. The has not yet expired. bill is then delivered to the other chamber. Lobbying B The process of attempting to influence Enrolled Bill B Final copy of a bill that has passed the passage, defeat, or content of legislation by both the House and Senate in identical form. individuals or a group other than Members of Con‐ gress. Extension of Remarks B When a Member of Con‐ gress inserts in the Congressional Record material Logrolling B Process whereby Members help each not directly related to the debate underway. other get particular legislation passed. One Mem‐ ber will help another on one piece of legislation in Filibuster B Tactic used in the Senate whereby a return for similar help. minority intentionally delays a vote. Main Motion B Motion that introduces the busi‐ Final Passage B Adoption of a bill after all amend‐ ness or proposal to the assembly for action. ments have been voted on. Majority Leader B Chief spokesperson and strate‐ Fiscal Year B Accounting year. For the federal gov‐ gist for the majority party, elected by Members of ernment, the fiscal year (FY) is October 1 to Sep‐ the majority party. tember 30 of the following calendar year. Marking Up a Bill B Process, usually in committee, Floor Manager B A Member who attempts to of analyzing a piece of legislation section by section direct a bill through the debate and amendment and making changes. process to a final vote. Member (of Congress) B A U.S. Senator or U.S. General Consent B A unanimous silent vote. If Representative. there is no objection to the matter, it is resolved without a formal vote. Minority Leader B Chief spokesperson and strate‐ gist for the minority party, elected by Members of Germane B Having some relation to the bill in the minority party. question. In the House all amendments must be germane. Motion B Proposal presented to a legislative body for consideration. Hearing B Committee sessions for hearing wit‐ nesses. Motion to Table B Proposal to postpone considera‐ tion of a matter in the Senate. Hopper B Box on the desk of the Clerk of the House where sponsors submit their bills. Page 2 of 4 Omnibus Bill B Bill regarding a single subject that Quorum Call B In the Senate, a method of deter‐ combines many different aspects of that subject. mining whether there is a quorum. Often used to suspend debate without adjourning. Open Rule B In the House, permission to offer amendments to a particular bill during floor Ranking Members B The Members of the majority debate. and minority party on a committee next in senior‐ ity after the chair. Override a Veto B A two‐thirds majority vote by both the House and Senate to set aside a Presiden‐ Recess B Temporary halt to proceedings, with a tial veto of legislation. time set for proceedings to resume. Petition B Plea by an individual or organization for Record Vote B Vote in which Members of Congress a chamber to consider particular legislation. indicate their vote orally for listing in the Congres‐ sional Record. Pocket Veto (An indirect veto) B When the Presi‐ dent does not sign or veto legislation submitted to Rescission Bill B Legislation that revokes spending him/her by Congress within ten days of adjourn‐ authority previously granted by Congress. ment, the bill dies. Resolution B A measure passed only in one house Point of Order B An objection that language, an to express the sentiment of that chamber. A simple amendment, or bill is in violation of a rule. Also resolution does not have the force of law. used to force a quorum call. Rider B A measure added to another, often unre‐ President of the Senate B The Vice President of lated, bill with the purpose of one piece of legisla‐ the United States is designated by the Constitution tion passing on the strength of another. as the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate casts a vote only in the case of a tie. Roll Call Vote B In the House, an oral vote for which a record is kept. Previous Question B In the House, a request to end all debate and force a vote. Seniority B Length of unbroken service, often used to determine rank in committees. Private Bill B Bill designed to benefit a certain indi‐ vidual or business. Sine Die B Final adjournment at the end of a ses‐ sion. Bills under consideration but not enacted President Pro Tempore B Senator who presides must be reintroduced in the next session. over the Senate in the absence of the Vice Presi‐ dent of the U.S. The President Pro Tem is usually Speaker B The presiding officer of the House, elect‐ the longest‐serving Member of the majority party. ed by Members of the House. Public Law B Designation used for legislation that Sponsor B The Representative or Senator who has been passed by both chambers and signed by introduces a measure. the President. Suspend the Rules B Procedural action in the Quorum B The number of Senators or Representa‐ House whereby a two‐thirds majority can vote to tives who must be present before a legislative bring a measure to a vote after forty minutes of body can conduct official business. debate. Page 3 of 4 Table a Bill B Motion to kill a bill by cutting off con‐ informed of the legislative agenda of the leader. sideration of it. Such motions are not debatable. Also tracks sentiment among party Members for certain legislation and tries to persuade Members Unanimous Consent B A procedure whereby a to be present and vote for measures important to matter is considered agreed to if no Member on the leadership. the floor objects. Unanimous Consent motions save time by eliminating the need for a vote. Yield B Permission granted by the Member who has the floor to another Member who wishes to Whip B Assistant leader for each party in each make a comment or ask a question.
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