From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Hearing / Hearings photo credit: The U.S. Army Committee sessions for taking testimony from witnesses. At hearings on legislation, witnesses usually include specialists, government officials and spokesmen for persons or entities affected by the bill or bills under study. Hearings related to special investigations bring … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Parliamentarian House Session 2012-03-27 (19:04:25-20:19:32) The Senate and the House each has an Office of the Parliamentarian to provide expert advice and assistance on questions relating to the meaning and application of that chamber’s legislative rules, precedents, and practices. House: The House Parliamentarian … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Speaker The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, selected by the caucus of the party to which she belongs and formally elected by the whole House. Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states: “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Enrolled Bill / Enrolled Measure The final official copy of a bill that has been passed by both chambers in identical form. It is certified by an officer of the house of origin (clerk of the House or secretary of the Senate) and then sent … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Clerk of the House Chief administrative officer of the House of Representatives, responsible principally for administrative support of the legislative process in the House. Selected by the House per the Constitution, Article I. Section 2. Duties correspond to those of the Secretary of the Senate. … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Secretary of the Senate Chief administrative and budgetary officer of the Senate selected by the Senate per the Constitution (Article I, Section 3) responsible for overseeing the duties of Senate employees, educating Senate pages, administering oaths, handling the registration of lobbyists, and handling other tasks … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Pair / Logrolling photo credit: dno1967b A pair is a voluntary, informal arrangement that two lawmakers, usually on opposite sides of an issue, make on recorded votes. In many cases the result is to subtract a vote from each side, with no effect on the … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Cloakroom / Hotline Donnald K. Anderson: Running the Democratic Cloakroom Democratic and Republican cloakrooms adjacent to the Senate and House chambers serve as gathering places for party members to discuss chamber business privately. Each cloakroom operates a “hotline” (telephone cloakroom recording) for party … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Lame Duck / “Lame Duck” Session When Congress (or either chamber) reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various items of business. Some lawmakers who return for this session will not be in the next Congress. Hence, they are informally … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Executive Session / Executive Business / Secret Session photo credit: glasseyes view Executive Session (1) A meeting of a Senate or House committee (or occasionally of either chamber) that only its members may attend. Witnesses regularly appear at committee meetings in executive session – for … Read more