From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Deferral Any executive branch action or inaction that temporarily withholds, delays, or effectively precludes the obligation or expenditure of budgetary resources. The president reports deferrals to Congress by special message. They are not identified separately in the budget. Deferral: Executive branch action to defer, or … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Subcommittee Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications Subunit of a committee established for the purpose of dividing the committee’s workload. Recommendations of a subcommittee must be approved by the full committee before being reported to the chamber. Most committees form … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Legislative Session That part of the Senate’s daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto). In the House, no legislative business is conducted during morning hour. Also see Calendar of Business; Executive Calendar; House Calendar; Private Calendar; Union Calendar; … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Custody of the Papers / Papers Custody of the Papers: Possession of an engrossed measure and certain related basic documents that the two houses produce as they try to resolve their differences over the measure. To reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Marking Up A Bill / Markup Going through the contents of a piece of legislation in committee or subcommittee to consider its provisions and proposed revisions to the language, and insert new sections and phraseology. If the bill is extensively amended, the committee’s version may … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Legislative Day Time a chamber meets after an adjournment until the time it next adjourns. The “day” extending from the time either chamber meets after an adjournment until the time it next adjourns. Because the House normally adjourns from day to day, legislative days and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms One-Minute Speeches Lions Recognized in the House of Representatives(Note the time of this one-minute speech) Addresses by House members at the beginning of a legislative day. The speeches may cover any subject but are limited to one minute. At the beginning … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Previous Question A nondebatable House (or House committee) motion, which, when agreed to, cuts off further debate, prevents the offering of additional amendments, and brings the pending matter to an immediate vote. A motion for the previous question, when carried, has the effect of cutting … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Chaplain A clergyman elected by the each chamber to open its daily sessions with prayer. The chaplain is also available as an advisor and counselor to members, members’ families, and congressional employees. Also see § 4.110 Administrative Offices of the House, § 4.111 House Chaplains … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Minority Leader Floor leader and chief spokesperson for the minority party in each chamber, elected by the members of that party. The minority leader is also responsible for devising the chamber’s minority party political and procedural strategy. Also see Majority Whip; § 5.50 Party Leadership, … Read more