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Standing committee
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A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.
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Seventeenth Amendment
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allowing voters to cast direct votes for U.S. senators
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Filibuster
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an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.
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Advise and consent
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which gives the Senate the responsibility to advise the president about nominees and the authority to consent to (approve or reject) those nominations.
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Executive order
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a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law.
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Delegated power
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those powers granted to the national government under the United States Constitution.
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War Powers Act
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federal law intended to check the U.S. president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress.
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Veto
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a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.
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Prinicpal-agent problem
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: The principle agent problem arises when one party (agent) agrees to work in favor of another party (principle) in return for some incentives.
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Functions of congress
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Congress enacts laws that influence the daily lives of all Americans and is intended to serve as the voice of the people. Its responsibilities include funding government functions and programs, holding hearings to inform the legislative process, and oversight of the executive branch.
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Judicial Review
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Judicial review is a process under which executive, legislative and administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary.
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Marbury v. Madison
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established the principle of judicial review in the United States, meaning that American courts have the power to strike down laws and statutes that they find to violate the Constitution of the United States.
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Judicial standing
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Standing limits participation in lawsuits and asks whether the person(s) bringing a lawsuit, or defending one, has enough cause to "stand" before the court and advocate, since not anyone can go to court for any reason. To have standing, a party must show an "injury in fact" to their own legal interests.
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gerrymandering
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manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.
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Incumbency
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the holding of an office or the period during which one is held.
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Three theories of judicial behavior
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Legal (law-based), attitudinal (value-based), and strategic (both) are the main three models of the judicial decision-making
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Congressional oversight
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the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs and policy implementation, and it provides the legislative branch with an opportunity to inspect, examine, review and check the executive branch and its agencies.
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Cabinet
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to advise the President on any subject he or she may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office
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Impeachment
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If a federal official commits a crime or otherwise acts improperly, the House of Representatives may impeach—formally charge—that official. If the official subsequently is convicted in a Senate impeachment trial, he is removed from office.
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Executive privilege
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the authority of the President to withhold documents or information in his possession or in the possession of the Executive Branch from the Legislative or Judicial Branch of the government.