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

Political Action Committee / PAC / Leadership PAC (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Political Action Committee / PAC / Leadership PAC   PAC-MAN (REMI GAILLARD)   Political Action Committee (PAC): A private group organized to elect or defeat government officials or to promote or defeat legislation. PACs are defined and regulated by state and federal law. A leadership … Read more

Constituent / Case Work (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Constituent / Case Work Constituent: A person who can or does elect a public official to office. A person eligible to vote for a candidate for a particular public office. A House member’s local offices (district offices) are located in the represented congressional district, and … Read more

Cosponsor (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Cosponsor House and Senate measures may have numerous sponsors in addition to the member who proposes the legislation. It is common in both chambers for the key proponent of a measure (the sponsor) to send a Dear Colleague letter (in print or electronically) to other … Read more

Pennsylvania Avenue (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Pennsylvania Avenue Pennsylvania Avenue (NW) is a street in Washington, DC, the nation’s capital city. The Capitol sits at the eastern end of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and the White House is located a little more than a mile to the northwest of the Capitol, at … Read more

Bipartisan (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Bipartisan When members from two different political parties (in the contemporary Congress, Democrats and Republicans) work together to find a common solution, or when members from both parties work together in a group or jointly sponsor or co-sponsor legislation. In the House, the Speaker consults … Read more

Legislative Branch Agencies / Architect of the Capitol / AOC / Legislative Branch Appropriations (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Legislative Branch Agencies / Architect of the Capitol / AOC To ensure that Congress has independent sources of information from the executive branch to support it in its legislative and oversight responsibilities, Congress formed several legislative branch agencies.   Stone Preservation on Capitol Hill   … Read more

Dear Colleague letters (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Dear Colleague letters Members of Congress circulate Dear Colleague letters to urge their colleagues to co-sponsor their legislation. It is common in both chambers for the key proponent of a measure to send a Dear Colleague letter (in print or electronically) to other members requesting … Read more

Mid-Term Elections / Casualty List (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Mid-Term Elections / Casualty List Mid-term elections / Midterm Elections are the national elections held in November of the even-numbered years between presidential elections. Mid-term election years include 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026, etc. Presidential elections are held very 4 years, including 2012, 2016, 2020, … Read more

Capitol Subway System (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Capitol Subway System     The U.S. Capitol Subway System Beneath Capitol Hill     Underground subways in a tunnel system that connect congressional office buildings to the US Capitol building. A series of tunnels runs between the Senate and House Office Buildings and the … Read more