Political Terms & Government Concepts

Ten common political terms and three ideas that explain how U.S. government decisions work.

Names and abbreviations on this page

US — United States. US$ denotes United States dollars.

1. Bill: A proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. A bill generally must pass both chambers of Congress in the same form before it goes to the president.
2. Committee: A smaller group of lawmakers that studies proposals, holds hearings, and may recommend changes before the full chamber considers them.
3. Filibuster: In the U.S. Senate, a way to delay or block action by extending debate or using Senate procedures. Today, it often means that ending debate on most legislation requires enough votes to invoke cloture, even without a continuous speech.
4. Cloture: The Senate procedure for bringing debate toward a close. For most legislation, invoking cloture generally requires three-fifths of senators duly chosen and sworn—normally 60 votes when all 100 seats are filled. Different rules apply in some situations.
5. Quorum: The minimum number of members required to conduct official business. Each chamber of Congress generally needs a majority of its members present, although its procedures can allow business to continue unless the absence of a quorum is established.

6. Veto: The president's rejection of a bill passed by Congress. Congress can override a regular veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber.
7. Executive order: A written presidential direction for managing operations of the federal government. It must rest on lawful authority and cannot override the Constitution or federal law.
8. Judicial review: The power of courts to decide whether government actions or laws conflict with the Constitution or other controlling law.

9. Gerrymandering: Drawing electoral district boundaries to give an unfair political advantage to a party or group. The legal rules depend on the type of claim and the jurisdiction.
10. Constitutional amendment: A formal change to the U.S. Constitution. One common route requires a proposal approved by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. This is different from amending an ordinary bill.

Separation of powers: Congress makes federal laws, the executive branch carries them out, and federal courts interpret and apply the law in cases before them.
Checks and balances: The branches can limit one another—for example, a presidential veto, a congressional override, or a court ruling that a government action is unlawful.
Federalism: Authority is divided between the national government and state governments. Local governments generally receive their powers under state law. This is why rules can differ depending on where you live.

A proposed consumer-protection law: A bill may be reviewed by a committee. Senate debate rules can affect whether it reaches a final vote.
A new federal policy: An executive order may direct federal agencies, while Congress controls legislation and funding and courts can review legal challenges.
Voting districts: Boundary changes can affect which voters are grouped together and who represents them. Rules and remedies vary.

These examples describe general processes, not a prediction of how a particular proposal or court case will turn out.