10. Congress.

The National Legislature.

The House of Representatives.

The Senate.

1.

term

termEach _______ lasts for two years.

session

sessionperiod of time during which, each year, Congress

assembles and conducts business

adjourn

adjournsuspends until the next session

prorogue

prorogueend, discontinue

special session

special sessiona meeting to deal with some emergency situation

apportion

apportiondistributed House of Representatives based on state

populations

reapportion

reapportionredistribute, the seats in the House after each

decennial census

off-year election

off-year electioneven years, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 congressional elections that occur in the nonpresidential years

single-member district

single-member district

voters in each district elect one of the State’s representatives from among a field of candidates running for a Seat in the House from that district

at-large

at-largeelected from the State as a whole, rather than from

a particular district

gerrymander

gerrymanderdistricts have been drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the State legislature

continuous body

continuous bodythe Senate never has all of its seats up for election

at the same time; only a third of them 33 o34 terms expire every 2 years

constituency

constituencypeople and interests the senators represent

trustee

trusteesee issues as they see them, regardless of the views

held by their constituents or by any of the other group that seek to influence their decision

partisan

partisanlawmakers who owe their first allegiance to their

political party

politico

politicoattempt to combine the basic elements of the

trustee, delegate, and partisan roles

oversight function

oversight function

process by which Congress, through its committees, checks to see the various agencies in the executive branch are working effectively and acting in line

with the policies that Congress has set by law

franking privilege

franking privilege

well-known benefit that allows them to mail letters and other materials posting-free by substituting

their signature (frank) for the postage

Party Leaders.

Representation in Congress.

Congress.

Outside Washington.

Perspectives.

Congressional Apportionment, 2003-2013.

Gains and Losses in Off-Year Elections.

California Congressional Districts Today.

The Original Gerrymander.

Major Differences Between the House and Senate.

Redistricting and Race.

Senator Blanche K. Brue.

How to Write Your Lawmakers.

Interpreting Political Cartoons.

Senator Barack Obama (D., Illinois)

Profile of the 100th Congress.

Voices on Government.

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R, Florida).

Interpreting Political Cartoons.

Analyzing Political Cartoons.