From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Oversight / Oversight Committee Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a federal agency or program. Oversight Committee: A congressional committee, or designated subcommittee of a committee, charged with general oversight of one or more federal agencies activities. Usually, the oversight panel for a particular … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Recorded Vote / Roll Call Vote Roll Call Vote on H.R. 2126 Recorded Vote: A vote upon which each member’s stand is individually made known. In the Senate, this is accomplished through a roll call of the entire membership, to which each senator … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Proxy Voting / Polling The practice of permitting a member to cast the vote of an absent colleague. Proxy voting is permitted only in Senate committees if committee rules allow them. Senate Rule XXVI provides that proxies may not be voted when the absent senator … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Morning Hour / Morning Business The time set-aside at the beginning of each legislative day for the consideration of regular, routine business. The “hour” is of indefinite duration in the House, where a period is set aside at the beginning of the day for members … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Policy Committees Each party policy committee provides research and other services to members of Congress and also serves as a forum for discussion of party legislative strategy. Also see Congressional Leadership and Committees; § 5.50, Party Leadership, in Congressional Deskbook. More House Democrats House … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Executive Calendar This is a non-legislative calendar in the Senate on which executive business, presidential documents such as treaties and nominations are listed. The Senate’s Executive Calendar (PDF) is updated each day the Senate is in session. The executive calendar identifies executive resolutions, treaties, and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Clean Bill If a committee has approved extensive amendments, the committee may decide to report the original bill with one “amendment in the nature of a substitute” consisting of all the amendments previously adopted, or may introduce and report a new bill incorporating those amendments, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Committee Jurisdiction The subjects and functions assigned to a committee by rule, resolution, precedent, or practice, including legislative matters, oversight and investigations, and nominations of executive officers. In the Senate, Rule XXV establishes jurisdiction for standing committees in the Senate. Senate Rule XXVII, paragraph 1, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Caucus / Congressional Member Organization / CMO / Congressional Staff Organization / CSO Caucus is from the Algonquian Indian language, where caucus meant “to meet together.” An informal organization of members of the House or the Senate, or both, that exists to discuss issues of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees photo credit: SurfaceWarriors When a majority of the members of the House sign a motion to discharge a committee from consideration of a public bill or resolution, that motion is referred to the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees. … Read more