Legislative Glossary

Regular Appropriations / Supplemental Appropriations / Continuing Resolutions (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Regular Appropriations / Supplemental Appropriations / Continuing Resolutions There are three types of appropriations bills considered by the Congress. Regular appropriations bills provide funding to agencies for the next fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. Supplemental appropriations bills provide additional funding … Read more

Office of Personnel Management / Other People’s Money / OPM (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Office of Personnel Management / Other People’s Money / OPM The core mission of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM): “serves the public by providing human resource management leadership and high-quality services that protect and strengthen the merit system of government in partnership with other … Read more

Official Objectors / Passed Over Without Prejudice (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Official Objectors / Passed Over Without Prejudice   The Sopranos – Ralph Gets Passed Over   Pass Over Without Prejudice: A request in the House to defer action on a measure called up from the Private Calendar without affecting the measure’s position on the calendar. … Read more

Optics (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Optics   Optical illusions show how we see | Beau Lotto   A “term of art for how a bit of news will be perceived by the public at large, which is only used by people who bill by the hour.” — Troy Senik “The … Read more

Super PAC / Independent Expenditure-Only Committee (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Super PAC / Independent Expenditure-Only Committee   PACS and Super PACs   “Super PAC” is the colloquial term for “Independent Expenditure-Only Committee”. Independent expenditures represent spending by individuals, groups, political committees, corporations or unions expressly advocating the election or defeat of clearly identified federal candidates. … Read more

Unemployment Rate / Employment-Population Ratio (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Unemployment Rate / Employment-Population Ratio   Unemployment and the Unemployment Rate   As defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of people who do not have jobs but have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks and are currently available … Read more

Adoption / Adopted / Agreed To (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Adoption / Adopted / Agreed To     U.S. HOUSE RESOLUTION PRESSES TURKEY TO RETURN STOLEN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES     Adoption / Adopted: Usual parliamentary term for approval of conference report. Under House Rule XI – Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business, “Each standing committee … Read more

Official Title / Short Title / Popular Title / Popular Name (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Official Title / Short Title / Popular Title / Popular Name Nat King Cole — Mona Lisa Official Title: Statement of a measure’s subject and purpose, which appears before the enacting clause. Popular Title: The informal, unofficial name or the short title by which a … Read more

Committee Report (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Committee Report   Financial Services Hearing on Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Report   Committee Report: Document accompanying measure reported from a committee, containing an explanation of the provisions of the measure, arguments for its approval, and certain other matters. A committee report is both an … Read more

Colloquy (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Colloquy Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee hold colloquy on Senate floor Discussion between members during floor proceedings, generally to put on the record a mutual understanding about the intent of a provision or amendment. The discussion is often scripted in advance.   Sens. Rand … Read more