Act – A bill that has passed both house of congress and has been enacted into a law.
Adoption – Formally approve of; usually in reference to a change or amendment.
Amendment – A formal change (or proposed change) made to a piece of legislation.
Appeal – Asking a higher court to change or reverse the decision of a lower court.
Appropriation – The allocation of funds for a specific purpose within government. Allows for funds to be spent but is not an actual expenditure.
Bill Sponsor – A Representative or Senator who introduces a bill.
Bill Cosponsor – A Representative or Senator who formally signs on to support a bill. Only the first-named Member is the sponsor, all others are cosponsors, even those whose names appeared on the measure at the time it was submitted.
Bicameral bill – A bill that has been introduced in both the House and Senate.
Bipartisan bill – A bill that has at least one cosponsor from both parties.
Cabinet – A body consisting of the Vice President of the United State and the heads of the executive branch’s federal executive departments
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) – Agency within the legislative branch that produces independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional process. Often calculates the cost or savings from enacting a specific bill. This is referred to as a “score”.
Committee – A panel with members from the House or Senate tasked with conducting hearings,
examining and developing legislation, and conducting oversight.
The Senate and House have separate versions of each committee, but occasionally a joint committee is made of members from both chambers. The Energy and Commerce Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Appropriations Committee in the House and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), Finance Committee, and Appropriations Committee in the Senate have most of the jurisdiction over healthcare
issues
Subcommittee – A subpanel of a committee with a more specific jurisdiction. For example, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has a Health Subcommittee.
Chair – The member of the majority party on a committee or subcommittee who has formal responsibility over the panel’s agenda and resources, presides at its meetings, and can, in some circumstances, act on the committee’s behalf.
Caucus – An informal meeting of members of a body of government (typically belonging to the same political party and/or another common interest such as the Rare Disease Caucus).
Companion Bill – A bill introduced in either the House or Senate which has identical or similar language to another bill introduced in the other chamber.
Constituent – Citizens within a district of a legislator; the voters that elect a representative. “Died in committee” – A bill that was considered and rejected by a committee; not returned to the house for action.
Enacted – When a bill is passed by both chambers and signed into law by the President.
Filibuster – A prolonged discussion of a piece of legislation that delays or prevents legislative action.
Hearing – A formal meeting of a congressional committee (or subcommittee) to gather information from witnesses for use in its activities.
Joint session – Meeting of both the House and the Senate in one chamber.
Legislator – An elected official of a legislative body.
Legislature – The branch of government responsible for enacting laws.
Lobbyist – A person who attempts to influence legislation on behalf of a specific interest group.
Majority Party – The political party having electoral strength sufficient to permit it to win control of a government
Markup – Meeting by a committee or subcommittee during which committee members offer, debate, and vote on amendments to a bill or other measure.
Minority Party – A political party whose electoral strength is so small as to prevent its gaining control of a government except in rare and exceptional circumstances
Motion – A proposal asking for the Senate or House to take an action
Nonpartisan – Not associated with a single political party or caucus.
Partisan – Being associated with a single political party or caucus.
Passed – When a bill is approved in one chamber by a majority vote (most legislation requires a 60-vote majority in the Senate).
Petition – A formal written request submitted by anyone other than the legislature (individuals, boards, commissions, cities, etc.).
Quorum – The minimum number of members of the legislature necessary to conduct business.
Ranking Member – The most senior (though not necessarily the longest-serving) member of the minority party on a committee or subcommittee. The ranking member typically oversees minority committee staff and may coordinate involvement of the minority party members in committee
activities.
Recess – The temporary break of a daily session. Can refer to breaks within the same day, overnight, or longer breaks (such as over holidays).
Repeal – To revoke or annul a legislative action.
Resolution – An official communication of an intent by a legislature or a chamber.
Session – The period of time that the legislature meets and carries out its regular business. The constitution
Regular session: the annual or biennial meeting of the legislature
Special session: the special meeting of the legislature called for specific matters
Sponsor – A member of the legislature who submits a bill or other measure for consideration. Other interested members can join as cosponsors.
Sunset – A set for a provision to expire unless renewed by the legislature.
Veto – Rejection of a bill or resolution by the president or governor. The bill can still become law if the House and Senate both vote (by a two-thirds majority) to override the veto.
