Legislative Branch Vocabulary Study Guide

Powers of government specifically stated in the Constitution.

• Expressed powers

• Concurrent powers
• Implied powers
• Reserved powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution but drawn from the

expressed powers.

• Speculative powers
• Inferred powers
• Assumed powers
• Implied powers

Requirements for this part of Congress include: 25 years old, US citizen, must live in district that elects him/her, 2-year term, no term limit

• House of Representative

• President

• Senate

• Parliament

Requirements for this part of Congress include: 30 years old, US citizen, must live in state that elects him/her, 6-year term, no term limit

• Senate

• House of Representatives

• President

• Parliament

The power of a president or governor to reject a bill proposed by a legislature by refusing to sign it into law.

• accept
• veto
• amend

• ratify

Presiding officer in the House of Representatives -- assigns members to committees, schedules debates, breaks ties.

• Speaker of the House
• President Pro Tempore

• Vice President

• Chairman of the House

Longest-serving member of the majority party. Presiding officer of the Senate. Mostly ceremonial position.

• President pro tempore
• Secretary of State
• Senate Majority Leader
• Speaker of the House

In both House and Senate, these are the party leaders. They maintain party discipline on the floor. In the Senate, the majority leader has powers similar to Speaker of the House.

• Floor managers
• majority/minority leaders

• Whips
• Committee chairs

A member of Congress who is responsible for gathering votes and checking party attendance.

• Whip
• Speaker of House

• Vice President

• President Pro Tempore

sets the rules for debate in the full House.

• Rules Committee

• Standing Committee

• Select Committee

• Chief Justice