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