US Legislature — page 2 of 2

US Legislature terms

101. policy committees Each party policy committee provides research and other services to Senators and also serves as a forum for discussion of party legislative strategy.
102. president of the Senate See Vice President.
103. president pro tempore A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President.
104. presidential signature A proposed law passed by Congress must be presented to the President, who then has 10 days to approve or disapprove it.
105. presiding officer A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting…
106. private law A private bill enacted into law. Private laws have restricted applicability, often addressing immigration and naturalization issues affecting individuals.
107. pro forma session A brief meeting (sometimes only several seconds) of the Senate in which no business is conducted.
108. proxy voting The practice of allowing a Senator to cast a vote in committee for an absent Senator.
109. public debt Cumulative amounts borrowed by the Treasury Department or the Federal Financing Bank from the public or from another fund or account.
110. Public law That law such as traffic ordinances or zoning ordinances which applies to the public.
111. question Any matter on which the Senate is to vote, such as passage of a bill, adoption of an amendment, agreement to a motion, or an appeal.
112. quorum The number of Senators that must be present for the Senate to do business. The Constitution requires a majority of Senators (51) for a quorum.
113. quorum call A call of the roll to establish whether a quorum is present. If any Senator "suggests the absence of a quorum," the Presiding Officer must direct the roll…
114. ranking minority member The highest ranking (and usually longest serving) minority member of a committee or subcommittee.
115. Receipts Collections from the public and from payments by participants in certain social insurance and other Federal programs.
116. recess A temporary interruption of the Senate's (or a committee's) business. Generally, the Senate recesses (rather than adjourns) at the end of each calendar…
117. recognize The Chair permits a Senator to speak by recognizing him or her; the Senator then "has the floor.
118. reconciliation bill A bill containing changes in law recommended pursuant to reconciliation instructions in a budget resolution.
119. reconciliation instruction A provision in a budget resolution directing one or more committees to report (or submit to the Budget Committee) legislation changing existing law in…
120. reconciliation process A process established in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by which Congress changes existing laws to conform tax and spending levels to the levels set…
121. reconsider Senate rules permit one motion to reconsider any question decided by vote, if offered by a Senator who voted on the winning side.
122. Referral A written order from your primary care doctor for you to see a specialist or get certain medical services.
123. regular meeting day Senate Rule XXVI requires that all committees designate at least one day a month on which it will meet to transact business.
124. Relevant Directly related to the issue as it tends either to prove or disprove the point.
125. Report Formatted output of a system providing specific information.
126. Rescission The cancellation, or “tearing-up,” of a contract. Some consumer loans (home mortgages) feature a 3-day right of rescission during which the borrower…
127. Riddick's Senate Procedure Named after Senate Parliamentarian Emeritus Floyd M. Riddick, this Senate document contains the contemporary precedents and practices of the Senate.
128. Rider A written agreement attached to the policy expanding or limiting the benefits otherwise payable under the policy. Same as an "endorsement."
129. roll call vote A vote in which each Senator votes "yea" or "nay" as his or her name is called by the Clerk, so that the names of Senators voting on each side are…
130. scheduling Senate practice today generally concedes to the Majority Leader the prerogative of arranging the floor schedule of the Senate and making unanimous consent…
131. scorekeeping Procedures for tracking and reporting on the status of congressional budgetary actions, including up-to-date tabulations and reports on congressional…
132. secretaries, party The Secretary for the Majority and the Secretary for the Minority are elected to serve as scheduling and information coordinators between the party floor…
133. secretary of the Senate The chief legislative officer nominated by the majority party conference and elected by the Senate.
134. select or special committee A committee established by the Senate for a limited time period to perform a particular study or investigation.
135. Senate Manual A document that contains the Senate's standing rules and orders and other laws and regulations that apply to the Senate.
136. senator The Constitution requires that a Senator be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and an inhabitant of the State…
137. seniority The status given Senators according to their length of service, which entitles a Senator with greater seniority to preferential treatment in matters such…
138. sergeant at arms The chief security officer of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms and staff in the office help to preserve order in the Senate chamber, the Senate galleries…
139. Session The period during which Congress assembles and carries on its regular business.
140. simple resolution Designated "S. Res.," simple resolutions are used to express nonbinding positions of the Senate or to deal with the Senate's internal affairs, such as the…
141. slip law A few days after a law has been enacted, it is officially published first as a "slip law.
142. standing committee Permanent committees established under the standing rules of the Senate and specializing in the consideration of particular subject areas.
143. statutes at large A chronological listing of the laws enacted each Congress. They are published in volumes numbered by Congress.
144. statutory limit on the public debt The maximum amount, established in law, of public debt that can be outstanding.
145. subcommittee Subunit of a committee established for the purpose of dividing the committee's workload.
146. Supplemental Appropriation Budget authority provided in an appropriations act in addition to regular or continuing appropriations already provided.
147. supplemental, minority, and additional views Senate Rule XXVI requires that, when a committee (other than the Appropriations Committee) reports a measure, committee members may have three days to…
148. table, motion to A Senator may move to table any pending question. The motion is not debatable, and agreement to the motion is equivalent to defeating the question tabled.
149. trust funds Funds collected and used by the Federal Government for carrying out specific purposes and programs according to terms of a trust agreement or statute…
150. unanimous consent A Senator may request unanimous consent on the floor to set aside a specified rule of procedure so as to expedite proceedings.
151. unanimous consent agreement A unanimous consent request setting terms for the consideration of a specified bill or other measure.
152. user fees An excise tax, often in the form of a license or supplemental charge, levied to fund a public service.
153. veto The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into…
154. vice president Under the Constitution, the Vice President serves as President of the Senate. He may vote in the Senate in the case of a tie, but is not required to.
155. voice vote A vote in which the Presiding Officer states the question, then asks those in favor and against to say "Yea" or "Nay," respectively, and announces the…
156. vote Unless rules specify otherwise, the Senate may agree to any question by a majority of Senators voting, if a quorum is present.
157. whips Assistants to the floor leaders who are also elected by their party conferences.
158. yeas and nays A Senator who wants a roll call vote on a pending question asks for the "yeas and nays" on the question.
159. Yield Yield is most commonly associated with a money market fund's return. "Current Yield" is based on daily return, "Effective Yield" on the annual compounded…
160. yield the floor A Senator who has been recognized to speak yields the floor when he or she completes his or her remarks and terminates his or her recognition.
161. yield time When the Senate has reached a unanimous consent agreement limiting the time for debate and placing it under the control of floor managers, a Senator may…